Activism

[Dan MacKay]

I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

I have a couple of reminders.

As a lifteime practitioner of capital-S Stoicism, I feel compelled to
remind you that spending mental energy on things over which you have no
control, is a pathway to unhappyness.

In capital-S Stoicism, we practice (that is, try to get better at)
separating the world into parts of the world over which we have
control, and parts of the world over which we have no control.

(it turns out that beyond your fingertips, most things are in the
second category.)

Then you practice ("practice") not worrying about things in the second
category.

As a lifetime activist I feel compelled to remind you that there are
plenty of things to do here, in your country, in your province, in your
community, that you *can* make a difference in.

And finally, there's a good chance that the things you're concerned
about in the USA will spill over here. So there is some work now, and
there will be some work in the future, pushing back against that.

[HRM Resident]

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

James is a MAGA nut, Dan. We have to take him
seriously because he lives here. He knows T.Rump
personally. I agree we can't do anything about the
US, but we have one of their moles in our back yard.

[James Warren]

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

    James is a MAGA nut, Dan.  We have to take him
seriously because he lives here.  He knows T.Rump
personally.  I agree we can't do anything about the
US, but we have one of their moles in our back yard.

Your claims are approaching slander. Cool it.

[HRM Resident]

Post by James Warren
Your claims are approaching slander. Cool it.

Sue me. Usenet slander! Hahaha. Hee hee. Although I
must say, that is the T.Rump way. Lawyer up and tie the
other party up in court until they are bankrupt or give up.

[Mike Spencer]

Post by HRM Resident

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

James is a MAGA nut, Dan. We have to take him
seriously because he lives here. He knows T.Rump
personally. I agree we can't do anything about the
US, but we have one of their moles in our back yard.

HRM, your banter with James is not my cup of tea but, between you and
him, fine if you both enjoy it or are even minimally entertained by it.

Directing vituperation *about* him to third parties is out of line.

Yes, Dan is a bright guy and isn't going to believe what you say.
Still out of line.

FWIW,

[HRM Resident]

Post by Mike Spencer

Post by HRM Resident

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

James is a MAGA nut, Dan. We have to take him
seriously because he lives here. He knows T.Rump
personally. I agree we can't do anything about the
US, but we have one of their moles in our back yard.

HRM, your banter with James is not my cup of tea but, between you and
him, fine if you both enjoy it or are even minimally entertained by it.
Directing vituperation *about* him to third parties is out of line.
Yes, Dan is a bright guy and isn't going to believe what you say.
Still out of line.
FWIW,

I have been thinking about that even before reading your post I
had decided to send this this morning:

James, I was wrong to post that in this thread. I have been
trolling you for over a week. No excuses. I am sorry and it will
not happen again.

[James Warren]

Post by Mike Spencer

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.

      James is a MAGA nut, Dan.  We have to take him
seriously because he lives here.  He knows T.Rump
personally.  I agree we can't do anything about the
US, but we have one of their moles in our back yard.

HRM, your banter with James is not my cup of tea but, between you and
him, fine if you both enjoy it or are even minimally entertained by it.
Directing vituperation *about* him to third parties is out of line.
Yes, Dan is a bright guy and isn't going to believe what you say.
Still out of line.
FWIW,

    I have been thinking about that even before reading your post I
    James, I was wrong to post that in this thread.  I have been
trolling you for over a week.  No excuses.  I am sorry and it will
not happen again.

Apology accepted. No hard feelings.

[Lucretia Borgia]

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.
I have a couple of reminders.
As a lifteime practitioner of capital-S Stoicism, I feel compelled to
remind you that spending mental energy on things over which you have no
control, is a pathway to unhappyness.
In capital-S Stoicism, we practice (that is, try to get better at)
separating the world into parts of the world over which we have control,
and parts of the world over which we have no control.
(it turns out that beyond your fingertips, most things are in the second
category.)
Then you practice ("practice") not worrying about things in the second
category.
As a lifetime activist I feel compelled to remind you that there are
plenty of things to do here, in your country, in your province, in your
community, that you *can* make a difference in.
And finally, there's a good chance that the things you're concerned
about in the USA will spill over here. So there is some work now, and
there will be some work in the future, pushing back against that.

I can't entirely agree, the whole political scene is now so hateful in
so many ways and I think often of Santayana saying 'Those who forget
their history are doomed to repeat it' and we compare nicely now with
the 1920/30's :(

[HRM Resident]

Post by Lucretia Borgia
I can't entirely agree, the whole political scene is now so
hateful in so many ways and I think often of Santayana
saying 'Those who forget their history are doomed to
repeat it' and we compare nicely now with the 1920/30's :(

I tend to agree. Everyone left here is too old to affect
change, yet we are aware of the dangers ahead. The
younger generations and those who are ignorant of
history are embracing the right wing to the point where it
borders on fascism. They don’t understand what the end
game is. Stupid people tell me they hate immigrants, and
in the next breath complain that they can’t hire anyone to
do any work.

Almost a year ago James posted a link to a video that was
enlightening in that it was optimistic about the long term
future and warned about being addicted to 24/7 news. So
we need to be aware of what is happening, protect ourselves
as best we can, and realize that populism and nationalism is
in vogue in the 2020s. That is something we cannot change.

I *think* that people will tire of RWAs and modern day
Robber Barons. Whether or not it will swing back to the left
without a war or revolutions is an open question. The rich
are not going to relinquish their wealth and power easily.

A slightly more optimistic quote than your Santayana
one comes from Mark Twain, “History does not repeat itself,
but it rhymes.” So let’s hope that the intertwined global
economy combined with the fear of nuclear annihilation
stops something like 1939-1945.

[Dan MacKay]

'Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it' and we compare
nicely now with the 1920/30's 🙁

Right. My mom and her siblings didn't get sent from Antwerp to the gas
chambers; we don't know why. All of her aunts and uncles were.

We have to be vigilant about what's going on *right here.* One
interesting resource for it is Timothy Snyder's tiny book, "On Tyranny:
20 lessons from the 20th Century." One of the core messages: were the
citizens of Germany or Italy ill-informed unthinking puppets before
fascism? They weren't. They were just like us. What did they miss,
where did they go wrong, what mistakes did they made that we can avoid?

[axemen99]

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.
I have a couple of reminders.
As a lifteime practitioner of capital-S Stoicism, I feel compelled to
remind you that spending mental energy on things over which you have no
control, is a pathway to unhappyness.
In capital-S Stoicism, we practice (that is, try to get better at)
separating the world into parts of the world over which we have control,
and parts of the world over which we have no control.
(it turns out that beyond your fingertips, most things are in the second
category.)
Then you practice ("practice") not worrying about things in the second
category.
As a lifetime activist I feel compelled to remind you that there are
plenty of things to do here, in your country, in your province, in your
community, that you *can* make a difference in.
And finally, there's a good chance that the things you're concerned
about in the USA will spill over here. So there is some work now, and
there will be some work in the future, pushing back against that.

Amen.
living a virtuous Nova Scotia life
(wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice - in accordance with nature)
leads to a well-lived life

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/canada-s-ambassador-to-the-us-says-trudeau-s-dinner-with-trump-key-to-getting-tariffs-removed/ar-AA1v51hc

Canada's ambassador to the United States said Sunday that Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau was successful in getting President-elect Donald Trump
and key Cabinet nominees to understand that lumping Canada in with
Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S. is unfair.

Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador in Washington, told The Associated
Press in an interview that Trudeau's dinner with Trump on Friday was a
very important step in trying to get Trump to back away from threatened
tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner.

Hillman was at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and sat at an adjacent
table to Trudeau and Trump.

Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if
they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across
their borders. He said in a social media post last Monday he would
impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and
Mexico as one of his first executive orders.

[Gurpster]

Post by Dan MacKay
I see a lot of commentary about the USA here.
I have a couple of reminders.
As a lifteime practitioner of capital-S Stoicism, I feel compelled to
remind you that spending mental energy on things over which you have no
control, is a pathway to unhappyness.
In capital-S Stoicism, we practice (that is, try to get better at)
separating the world into parts of the world over which we have control,
and parts of the world over which we have no control.
(it turns out that beyond your fingertips, most things are in the second
category.)
Then you practice ("practice") not worrying about things in the second
category.
As a lifetime activist I feel compelled to remind you that there are
plenty of things to do here, in your country, in your province, in your
community, that you *can* make a difference in.
And finally, there's a good chance that the things you're concerned
about in the USA will spill over here. So there is some work now, and
there will be some work in the future, pushing back against that.

Thanks Dan!

John