Friday, November 6, 2009

The Spectrum of Politics and Government

In common writings this spectrum is the line from the far left to the far right - the "Standard Model" of politics. In that paradigm, those two styles are purported opposites. How this mode of analysis and concomitant metaphor and metonymy* arose, I don't know. But it's so obviously completely wrong that everyone needs to stop using it. [*Word of the Day]

Why ?

The systems characterized as far left are truly EQUAL to those of the far right in substance and ideology. Here is a list of qualities for which communism has in common with naziism taken from God's Playground: A History of Poland, Volume II 1795 to present, page 476. [Poland and the Polish people suffered from occupation by both totalitarian systems.]

A national-socialist ideology
collectivism
pseudo-science
utopian goals
a dualist party-state
a Füherprinzip (leader principle)
gangsterism
bureaucratic elephantitis
propaganda
the Aesthetics of Power
the Dialectical Enemy
moral nihilism
the psychology of hatred
pre-emptive censorship
coercion
universalism
contempt for liberal democracy

"The petit bourgeois Social Democrat and trade union boss will never make a good National Socialist, but the Communist will" [Adolf Hitler as cited in "The True Believer" by Eric Hoffer, page 17]. Hannah Arendt provided very detailed ideological analysis of those identity. Alan Bullock's several history books about Hitler and Stalin provide plenty of details to support the identity of naziism and communism practice.

The "Standard Model" of the modern press and pundits is wrong.

What works for the classification of governments and political systems and thinking ?

One can use the same simple line, but place pure libertarianism on one side and pure totalitarianism on the other. Pure human freedom versus pure non-freedom. Pure individual choice versus pure control by one man/party. A free person versus a slave. That works. A system them is evaluated by where it is on that line on many attributes such as economics, elections, movement of peoples, etc.

Actions

Today I await the jobs number and the market's reaction to it. My S&P call options speculation anticipates an improved number. The market seems to have built some of that in already, but if a truly good number comes, my S&P year-end target of 1200 comes into play. Tactically, I'll sell a big rip looking to re-buy on the correction. If I'm wrong, I'll probably just bail out.

Word of the Day

"Metonymy" - noun [$10]
Metonymy means the substitution of a name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant. [e. g., Crown for King, White House for US executive authority]. Alternate definition: a figure of speech in which an attribute or commonly associated feature is used to name or designate somethings, as in 'the pen is mightier than the sword'.
Sentence: Writing has to use metonymy to be succinct and colorful and playful; why use "the radical environmental movement" when "greenies" conveys the message better.

25 comments:

mfl59 said...

10.2%....wow good thing Obama saved those other 1 million jobs....pffftttt

Bunkerman said...

I got what I wanted - less than 200K jobs lost.

I wonder if more are seeking work now, causing rate to rise ?

Bunkerman said...

Obama's stimulus plan was a bad joke.

Bunkerman said...

if unemployment growth was not in payrolls, sounds like lots of sole proprietorships went under OR cash workers lost jobs.

Spin-em said...

Obama/dems stimulus package sure to be considering Extenze

Frosty said...

well well well...that helmet is mine mine mine...all mine...my own helmet.

Bunkerman said...

DJ reports the co plans to shut down its only solar-panel manufacturing facility, as it found that prices for panels fell below production costs ...

Sunboy soon to buy solar panels from China ... uhhh

Bunkerman said...

yup, the unemployment number is moving right into frosty's sweet spot - his guess was 11.5%

Spin-em said...

ace and spin...letting frontrunner frosty lead b4 we box him in

Frosty said...

bobby marcin..."Gold spiking, bonds plunging, and unemployment spiking(household survey). Hmmm, if stagflation is good for the market, we should have a great day!"...oh merny must have started his own blog...view from the couchtarica.

mfl59 said...

Bunkerman can you please list all the picks for the unemployment contest?

Bunkerman said...

a challenge for my filing system

...

Bman - 8% (out)
Frosty - 11.5% (leader)
mfl - 12% (#2)
Spin - 13.45%

Mern (implied) - 20%

Bud ... a trader, admits "ain't too smart"

Frosty said...

"frosty's sweet spot - his guess was 11.5%"...guess, I prefer forecast...I could learn 47 new tongues, I choose not to.

Spin-em said...

can I revise mine to 13.46%...we have a pet store going down here and I didnt figure that in my calculations.....

Bunkerman said...

haha [$0]

Frosty said...

serve up the meatball...SPINSUI knocks poor bunk out of the batter's box...give me that MVP roundeye...suck it jeter, back to the bosox johnny...this is chopppppsssuuuiiiissss town.

maverick said...

no doubt this market will ramp if we hit mernie's #...room for improvement indeed

Bunkerman said...

if one considers the unemployed plus unwilling part-time plus discouraged, mern is probably about right.

Frosty said...

gesh...how long does al qaeda training camp last...Sal must be having trouble getting his monkey bar time down.

Spin-em said...

its a proven fact...when the going gets tough..the flazzheads get going....softees

as Johnny Drama would say

V*I*C*T*O*R*R*Y!!!!


they are sorely missed......sticka needle in ur arms

Bunkerman said...

maybe he's having trouble cleaning and reassembling the AK blindfolded ....

Spin-em said...

Bman...MVP,MVP,MVP!!!

have a great weekend

Frosty said...

Spin tossing the checkerboard...did I not get the memo...did they launch the wing tax today...agree, TGIF or DFUF Spinstyle...cheers bunkerboyz, good weekender....chill those bunktinis.

Bunkerman said...

what a slow day ...

think I'll go re-assemble the M1 Thompson, and do some other "equipment" cleaning.

yes, Have a great weekend.

Bunkerman said...

hehe .. bunktinis are already made, in the freezer ready to go.