Robin Yergenson wrote: In fact, in the long run, both competition and cooperation benefits all. We all have to find our niche where we can compete and provide trading value most effectively. And, because of the trader principle, we all benefit by cooperating with other productive members. And, in the converse, we all suffer loss by cooperating with long term unproductive members. If we fail to compete and only cooperate, we become weak and are overcome by those who are strong. If such an attitude prevails, we may ultimately find ourselves as third world countries depending on the handouts of the more productive parts of humanity who have not overemphasized cooperation at the exclusion of competition. You and I didn’t make up the rules of nature.
Robin Yergenson wrote:Now, if you still prefer to appeal to that “that cheesy, new agey platitude how ‘we are all connected,’” well, I for one strongly agree that we are all connected, even spiritually connected. That doesn’t for a minute reduce our need to compete, to overcome adversity as individuals while at the same time cooperating with other productive members of society.
As fleet said, Rob, you're just pouring ought sauce over ises. Even granting all your 'factual' claims, you haven't demonstrated that there is anything particularly 'ethical' about anything you say.
Some people may feel - and in fact many people around the world do - that's it's better to be a lean, hungry and cooperative person or culture than a fat, strong, competitive one. Even if it means a shorter, disrespected, and/or totally obscure life. Or at any cost whatsoever. They might feel their way of life - their happiness and contentment - is of greater value than even their survival.
Better a dry crust in peace than a house full of feasting and strife, as the OT Proverbs say.
What is your argument with them? Why are they 'objectively' wrong? (After all, another 'real' aspect of nature is that 'winners' only last, at best, a few short decades - or in the case of cultures, maybe a few centuries - longer than 'losers,' in the end, we
all just get old, weak, frail, and fall apart...)