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Oxygen

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Posts posted by Oxygen

  1. I need you opinion on a situation.

     

    I know the owner of an apartment building.

     

    Usually the owner find new persons to rent apartments to by using a queue that is free for anybody to get into.

     

    I am not in that queue. But the owner has offered me an apartment anyway.

     

    If I accept the apartment I will get an apartment before the persons in the queue without standing in it myself.

     

    Is it immoral of me to accept the apartment? Immoral because I "cut the line".

     

    This question has tormented me and therefor I would appreciate your views on this.

  2. Never. What Swedes need to do instead is come up with a culture that is more sensible than Islam. Then, the Muslim part of the population will just change, and adopt the better ideas which dominate the culture. But obviously, talk of banning religions in the name of preserving freedom is not better than whatever Islam preaches. (nor is the multiculturalist, all ideas are equal ideology which currently dominates European culture)

    This may seem odd to you, but I think your proposal is perfectly in tune with the socialist, multiculturalist European culture, only one step closer to its inevitable conclusion: fascism. Out of all the books popping into my mind to explain why that is, I think Atlas Shrugged is actually the first, because it makes it so clear that knowingly acting against one's principles is the greatest evil.

    But there are many books that explain the rise of fascism itself, in Germany and elsewhere. ( Dr. Peikoff's The Ominous Parallels for instance, but the subject has been covered by plenty of non-Objectivists too)

    A better culture is one of the alternatives I think about. I try to be virtuos.

    Your'e probably right that that wish I sometimes have to forbid Islam is fascistic.

    I've read Atlas Shrugged and it really made a big impression on me (may sounds like i'm joking but i'm not).

  3. Hello.

    In Sweden where I live, the number of Muslim in the population is rising. The larger the Muslim part of the population becomes, the higher the risk of

    a ) parliamentary enforced limitations of freedoms, like the topic of this thread, free speach. But in the long run, say 100 years, all women may be forced to wear headscarves, like in Iran.

    b ) non-parliamentary enforced limitations of that kind. Like the murder of the anti-islamist Theo van Gogh in Holland.

    I have a need. That is the need to live without the worry of these threats to those freedoms. I would rather live in a country that forbids the practice of Islam and forbids signs of Muslim faith, like headscarves, than having this worry (if the worry is fair).

    In Sweden this may be implemented by sending those who violate this to an existing Muslim country, or to a newly created Muslim country which is taken out from existing Swedish land.

    I have thought about moving to China, in hope that they are harsh on the practice of Islam.

    This is an old question I think: when you are in or when you might come into in a situation where there are only bad options to choose from, which would you choose? And is making a choice unliberal and non-action the only liberal thing to do? (I may have choosen and phrased these questions in a unfair manner).

    Would forbidding the practice of Islam ever become justified? When?

    Any thoughts?

  4. I suggest thinking about the matter not in terms of rationalizing or arriving at a choice in terms of least use of state support or calculating in terms of a family balance sheet, but instead, determine what is the proper course, given your central goal in life. Compare what you were studying in college, and what this job-training program is about -- how do either relate to what you really want to do in life? For example: majoring in Forestry in college, versus taking a training course in welding. If you really want to manage lumber, then obviously you should go back to college. When living in the most profoundly socialist country in the world, you cannot touch anything without it having a serious stench of "other people's money". Equally, you can't do produce or consume anything without having to pay a really hefty bite to the state. Don't waste time balancing VAT, Systembolaget, and income tax versus subsidized training or schooling; figure out what you want to do.

    Ok, thanks man. The focus you present here is valuable, I´m gonna use it.

    "Systembolaget", you knew about that. Systembolaget is a strange phenomena.

    A completely unrelated true story. My my father told me his father told him that "I work for free 10 months of the year and get paid for two months". What he meant is that what he took out from his business for his own salary he only got to keep 2/12 = 1/6 of the money. That is ... little.

    Your concern for appropriate use of taxpayer money and the person at the welfare institution is commendable. However, a more self-focused analysis may help clarify this.

    1. The purpose of the program is to help you be a productive member of society. If you reach that goal, they should be happy, whether you're employed in the specific field of the training or not.

    2. You've already changed your mind about college twice. It is possible you will change it again; many people to decide college is not for them after a few years. The training will give you a useful fallback in this case.

    3. You mention the training can help you get summer work while you complete college. Great!

    4. You have already started the training program. Accounting details may differ, but the taxpayers have probably already paid for the program since you've started. Leaving now would waste taxpayer money and probably have consequences for the person who signed you up.

    It seems clear to me that your best option is to finish the training, then see what you want to do after it's through. You entered the program honestly and were approved. I don't see a moral obligation to take specific employment after you complete it, especially when it can be also be useful to you in the future.

    All right, thanks for your advices MichaelH.

  5. I'm not sure I understand. Why not just go find employment. Why the welfare program first?

    Because I have a handicap which makes things more complicated for me. Plus, unemployment is rather high.

    Just to get the facts straight, is this an appropriate summary:

    • You entered a govt.-funded work-training program
    • Now, you think you want to do college instead
    • You want to continue this training program to get some work, not full-time work like the government intends
    • You're wondering if you should lie and say you intend to pursue this full-time

    Is that correct?

    It mostly correct. But I don´t have to lie, but I have to NOT take a copletely voluntary initiative to contact them to tell them about my changed ambition.

  6. I followed an advice some months ago on OOF about a clip I posted on youtube, and removed it.

    I would very much appreciate your advice on an issue that is strongly nagging me.

    An interaction with a therapist in March made the spark for college disappear and I took a break from it.

    I asked a welfare program for help in getting an no brainer job. I started a 13 week training program today. It is expensive for the tax payers.

    On Friday, after some interactions with a lively, passionate and good person, I got back the spark for continuing on college.

    Before I resume college in March I could fit in the welfare program, which could get me some summer work.

    While applying for the program I told them what was then the truth, that I wanted to work full-time with the kind of work the program would educate me to do. Now I do not have the ambition to work full-time with that, well, if college studies does not land me a job after graduation I may use the program in that case.

    If I tell them about my new ambition, they may kick me out of the welfare program.

    If I do not tell them then I attend the welfare program under false premises, but they will not kick me out.

    About using tax payer money: My grand parents were successful and payed large sums of money for decades in a perverted Swedish socialist system. My parents has payed taxes to. None has used as much as they ever paid in taxes. I consider, in my mind, that the government owes my family a lot of buck, much more than the cost of the welfare program. This premise may be correct or corrupt, please feel free to argue about it.

    The alternatives are:

    1. tell the people that finances the welfare program about my change of ambition and continue the welfare program if they let me.

    2. do not tell them and continue the program.

    3. drop out of the program regardless.

    Is the premise about a government virtual debt to my family correct? Which alternatives are morally good and which are evil and why? Which alternative is most good and why?

    Honestly, I am confused about the right answers. Once again, I would appreciate much your help in answering the questions.

    Late additional information: I do not prevent any other person from attending the program by staying on it.

    The person on the welfare institution that decided that approved my application may take a hit if they follow up on me and find out a went to college right after the costly program ended instead of using it for full time work

  7. If Atlas Shrugged would be made in the form of a audio book, I would prefer if Harry Binswanger would be the narrator. Because he has a intelligent, calm, assertive and pleasant voice. (Ayn Rand Bookstore sells several products of his, for example "Ayn Rand' Philosophic Achievment").

    AS as audiobook would be great to listen to.

  8. A note about the clip: The clip is/was free to watch on Fox News´ webpage.

    Because of your actions and others like it, YouTube is going to be sued for umpteen millions -- if not billions -- of dollars; just like Napster.

    As a previous writer wrote I think this is not how it works. YouTube won't get sued.

    My first concern, which is manifested in the post I originally posted, about the well-beeing of the cool dudes in Iran, have I settled with help from the responses, I think the guys are not gonna be harrassed. Your objections to that I ripped Fox News of their property made more aware that was what I really did.

    Q and A:

    So, because you don't want your rights violated, you think it is OK to violate other people's rights?

    No, I don´t say that. Or at least, I think I don´t say that.

    Or are you trying to say that you have a high respect for individual rights?

    Yes, I think so.

    Or are you saying that the end justifies the means?

    Yes. I´m saying that in the end individual rights - not just mine - violations has been minimized in the long run.

    Or are you saying that the clip -- that you don't own -- ought to be posted somewhere Fox News decided not to post it on?

    Fox has probably not decided to post all the clips they for some time offer (for free all the time) on their own site on YouTube (if they had, I would perhaps have seen some on YouTube.) Perhaps it is more cost-effective to only post the clips on their own site, using YouTube would probably cost Fox News money. If they would choose to post on YouTube only those clips that minimizes the risk that the western world will be ruled under the law of Sharia in a 100 years, they would be labeled as crusaders or something, which might be bad for business. I´m saying Fox News might be glad I put it there.

    It is possible that Fox News decides not to remove some clips owned by them from YouTube because Fox News decides that these clips are good pr for Fox News. They can´t decide that if they are unaware of it´s existence. I´m gonna ponder about if I should email Fox News about this clip so they can decide for themselves if to remove it (or to sue me (and win - I would not hide the fact that I stole from them.)) I will also ponder if I should remove the video myself.

  9. You are probably not putting the rebels in danger, but you might be putting yourself and YouTube in trouble by posting a newscast that is not yours to post.

    In other words, what gave you the right to post it? Last I checked, it is owned by FoxNews, right?

    Nothing gave me the right. It is owned by Fox. (I am now a easy shot if they want to sue me, I guess)

    My reasoning with myself is that Fox made the clip partly because they want to stop islamification of USA. So by posting it on youtube I´m helping them out, was my thinking. It would be a shame if this wonderful clip is made unavailable to the Internet audience in a week like usually happens with their clips. I still think that is a reasonable logic. What propells me is that I hate the prospect of me or dear ones living in a country - I live in Europe - that at some point has Sharia, which has very low respect for individual rights. Also, Fox News is exposed to a lot of hate on the Internet and I guess on Youtube and I liked using Fox as a credible and respectful source because it would strengthen Fox´s reputation on Youtube (but I guess that is nothing that Fox cares about). I would be curious to read arguments against this reasoning.

  10. Why would you think so? They have already been "exposed" on national television, and plus they don't really need to be identified by a potential aggressor on the internet because their haircuts give them away.

    I was wondering if the government there are harrassing people that accepts being interviuved by foreign media. The more publicity of the guys get the more likely that the government find out they were on camera and tries to punish them, I was thinking. Dictatorships seems to be very anxious about how they are portrayed.

  11. I have done a simple web-page about that it is important to spread the ideas of Ayn Rand because Islam is expanding. The focis is long-term: some say (refernces on the web page) that Europe has a majority of Muslims in a couple of decades. If the majority is big engough to vote for replacing the traditional Western laws with Islamic law, "Sharia", I hope I have moved from Europe by then. (Sharia is very intolerant: For example, Muslims that leavs Islam should be killed.)

    Check out my webpage about this! Ayn Rand as Counter-Jihad

    Ps, It is important that at least Atlas Shrugged will be translated into Arabic so that as many Muslims as possible can be persuaded to become Objectivists. Ds.

  12. I want to convince non-Muslims that Objectivism is opposed to Islamism. I don´t see why this shouldn´t be the lead-in to objectivism. What arguments are there for your position? I thinkt that because Obectivism is robust it would stand any lead-in.

    I also want religious but unradical Muslims to abandon Islam and become Objectivists. I also focuses more attention to Westernminded atheist Muslims in the new version of the site.

    Correction:

    My target audience with my webpage is fellow European Objectivists (I am European). I think they and I should get out there and spread Objectivism. An Objectivist Europe is far more attractive than a Europe with Sharia and a 5 % of a huge Muslim population that supports religious violence and looks at non-Muslims as Infidels.

    Therefore I will perhaps not attach tags to the page so that it is relatively easy to find for Googlers. Instead I visit Objectivist websites and email Objectivists and refer to the web-page.

  13. The problem with your approach, however, is that the Muslims are well aware of reason, but they explicitly reject it.

    There are many Muslims that are born to be Muslim but in fact are atheists. As I responded to another reply these fanatics is not worth trying to "convert". But all other has the potential to be "converted" I think.

    An alternative or complement to invasions is apply the strategy of spreading Atlas Shrugged to non-fanatic Muslims (an Arabic translation is possibly an requirement.)

  14. Exactly. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, Oxygen, middle-eastern cultures have had strong trading traditions for thousands of years, and this is an immense positive. If you're going to do something, then build on that positive and suffocate the negative with it.

    I take this quote to stand for your reply as a whole. You are right and your (and some of the other) reply triggered me to change my view in favor of your points, a change that I value. One of some changes in the dec 25 version of my webpage in line with this is that I restated the vision to the following:

    The vision: "Non-Muslims and Muslims all over the world should be converted to Objectivism (that is persuaded to hold the ideas of Ayn Rand.) Those who are unconsciously already holding views of Ayn Rand should be made aware of the word of Ayn Rand and be strengthened in their positive valuation of her ideas. The world would be a better place to live in".

  15. [*] America Alone by Mark Steyn. This has also received excellent reviews on Amazon.com.

    You are probably familiar with several of these already. I hope that this helps!

    Thanks! It might very well help me.

    I was aware of the book by Stayn and in the dec 25 version of my webpage I am refering to that book.

    I wasn´t aware of some of the other books. The one about Greece and the one by the same author about Islam might be filling some gaps in knowledge for me if I study them.

  16. Thanks to everybody who has made comments. It was great help and as you can see on the site, which was updated december 25, you have contributed rather much to the site as it is as today. I would like to have receive even more comments about the page because of this update. Regardless I feel confident to start marketing the site on the web now.

    I have a couple of suggestions. You start saying "It is prognoses that in a not that far distant future half of Europe’s population will be Muslim mostly because of immigration." You mean "prognosed" of course, but my main objection is that I don't believe you (nothing personal, I just doubt that there is such a prediction and I'm frankly very skeptical that it's true). If you have a credible source for this prediction, I would say, give the source.

    That was another great point. I have now published a changed version of the webpage with sources and rephrasing. I did some shaping up on other parts as well.

    Second, I suggest that you look to actual impositions and threats of imposition of Sharia. I have actually heard talk of more "integration" of Sharia into England in highly Muslim areas like Leeds and Manchester, so I would point to the actual thin end of the edge, to concretize the reality of the threat.

    Perhaps I will give information about this important point. I want it to be a limited amount of information, though.

    That said, your statement that Muslims should be "converted to the views of Ayn Rand" is wrong in suggesting that there's a "conversion" and wrong in suggesting that Muslims in particular need to be made into Objectivists. Forcing a person to read Rand's novels (that what "make" means) would be immoral and ineffective: the act of reading does not automatically cause thinking and accepting.

    I define what I mean with "conversion", and therefor I think it is ok.

    Forcing anybody to read Rand would be wrong and would not work. I changed wording from "make" do "persuade".

    Why exactly are you writing this? Are you trying to convince non-Muslims that Objectivism is opposed to Islamism? Or are you trying to persuade Muslims to abandon Islam and adopt Objectivism? The first point isn't in doubt, and it is not the fact about Objectivism that I think should be the lead-in to people's knowledge of Objectivism. I don't see how you can accomplish the second point this way, because you have not identified any point of common ground that could lead to broader agreement (like, abandonment of Islam).

    I want to convince non-Muslims that Objectivism is opposed to Islamism. I don´t see why this shouldn´t be the lead-in to objectivism. What arguments are there for your position? I thinkt that because Obectivism is robust it would stand any lead-in.

    I also want religious but unradical Muslims to abandon Islam and become Objectivists. I also focuses more attention to Westernminded atheist Muslims in the new version of the site.

    Strategically, my suggestion is to abandon the actual Islamist audience, and instead focus on the ordinary perfunctorily-Muslim citizen of Muslim nations, the ones with the same kind of low-level lip service interest in the predominant religion that you find in England, Norway, Germany and France. You want to persuade them of something, something that they already know. I would thus focus on the fact that many of them already understand -- the virtue of capitalism, and (many of them having lived under dictaorships in Iran, Iran, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan etc.) the virtue of freedom.

    I never ment to adress Islamists (ie radicals) but the groups you mentioned. I guess the november 25 version of the website is more adressing to the latter group.

  17. To produce a -jihad- one must appeal to the passions of people, more than to their reason. Is this how you want to "sell" Objectivism? There are much more effective ways of fighting against Islam.

    Bob Kolker

    Thanks for your answer.

    I see a lot of passion in Objectivism. Ayn Rand's books are loaded with energy. The spoken words of Ayn Rand (in the lectures that are free on "Registered user page" on www.aynrand.org) beams with passion, power and conviction. I think I remember in one of the books that one of the heroes said something like "... is my religion", where the blank is something like maybe the supremacy of the individual. Many Ayn Rand-fans are probably very passionalte about the values that Islam threatens on a long-term basis. And passion is transferable and infectuous - so objectivists have a strong case in evoking passion in other for egoism and against the antagonists of egoism (like Islam.) What do you think? Personally I also think the books by Ayn Rand and other objectivist products increases my overall energy and passion.

    Objectivism is perhaps the only ideas that states that rational egoism and capitalism are good, that they are virtues. If people doesn´t have a strong pride about these values - which I think Objectivism brings - they are more prone to not take a stand against Islam's threats to individual rights and a free society. I would also love to see Muslims start loving the ideas and books by Ayn Rand.

    I do think that spreading Objectivism is one of the best long-term ways to fight Islam. One purpose of promoting this way of Counter-Jihad is to introduce Ayn Rand to persons that haven´t heard of her before but are searching for information about Jihad and Counter-Jihad (The term "Counter-Jihad" is mentioned and promoted by David Pearl, appearing in the panel of ARI: s video that I link to on the website I have made, Ayn Rand as Counter-Jihad.)

    I would like to hear more opinions and arguments from you about this and also from others.

    I don't think that fighting Jihad or Communism is Objectivists' first concern. It is an error to try to promote Objectivism by saying what it is against, rather than what it is for and what it is.

    Promoting what Objectivism stands for is a great point. I probably should add that to my web-page.

  18. I think it is important to spread the ideas of Ayn Rand as a way of hindering Islamic long-term expansion in the west (there are other reasons as well.) To accomplish this Objectivism should be spread both to muslims and to non-muslims all over the world.

    I made a short web-page about this theme. It can be reached by clicking on this link: Ayn Rand as Counter-Jihad

    I plan to market the page on Internet by attaching keywords that searchengines like Google are looking for. Before I do that I would like opinions from you people what you think of the idea and what you think of the web page. I would appreciate your respons.

    It is lovely to write in this forum of other lovers of the ideas of Ayn Rand.

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