If you really want something new to happen, and for society to make a substantial change in direction... the only way for that to even be possible is to basically start running a parallel society; It's what the Czechs did during communism.. instead of fighting them on the street or trying in vain to get into their crony politics, they just ignored their systems as much as possible and did their own thing.

They called it Living In Truth.

In so doing, when the system started to crumble, the structures required to continue a coherent society were already there.

Yeah that phone or computer you've written that comment on would have cost 2-3 times more if not for Chinese factories. The time when "Made in China" stood for crappy-will-explode-when-looked-at is mostly past us now.

Look - if you ran a manufacturing business and you could save 50M a year over a 10 year period by putting your production facilities in Shenzen Special Industrial Park you would do it too. and if you wouldn't, look forward to being removed by the shareholders in short order. Whether that's right or wrong... depends - but it makes good business sense.

Forget China though - the jobs lost to them will be but a blip on the radar once full-scale automation starts taking off...

Burqa's are illegal in France, at least in public. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ban_on_face_covering

Paris has indeed dilapidated somewhat, yes, but you will notice that most cities in the West have to some extent... maybe not to Detroit levels but...

So you see Owning Libs... this is why evil will always triumpth.. because good is dumb!

So they will get your house to recoup your debt which was a stash of monopoly money and so might as well be printed without taking your house and breaking a dozen very solid and daily reaffirmed property laws...?

It could be said that communism tends to penalize certain expressions of individuality, yes. See humans are actually very weird that way - on the one hand they all want to be "unique" and be seen as such, yet on the other it is just as important to not stand out like a sore thumb and "fit in" to a degree that you are not seen as "deviant" and can be assumed to be trustworthy.

This duality is always going on... and it's a tough act to follow. From people becoming upset at the thought someone else has the same dress as they do at a party to feeling anxious to be in the center of attention, and everything in between...

One must be careful, however, to use the word "communism" too casually. There are a lot of things in US society today which could be kind of called communism but are very useful and save a lot of hassle, money and overhead. Like certain standards, utilities, environmental norms, educational systems and so on. Yes, ok, I confess, I avoided the word tax ;)

Or let me rephrase that - even you will agree that there are significant benefits to having community-wide agreements everybody has to follow to enable a more fair and equitable "playing field". The trick, however, is to make sure that you minimize the impacts on personal freedoms and innovation.

See the thing is - governing a society is an ongoing adjustment of the status quo. There is no... one system that is good for eternity... the US constitution has, what 26? Amendments... some of which at the time they were made were very controversial. Yet, today they are seen as absolutely essential. Societies change... the challenge is to change its governance accordingly. And 9 out of 10, a change will disadvantage some group to help another.

Aaargh... that's a tough one, frankly. I have like.. 2, maybe 2.5 "homelands" and each one means something else. I used to fish a lot, too... the crazy early morning trotting through the fog kind... every year I tell myself I should start again, see the equipment downstairs every other week, and yet can't find the time. Well - frankly, won't make the time, if we're gonna be honest here ;)

So if you could make one prediction for the next, say 2-3 years... one... development that you think will significantly limit your freedom, what would it be?

No and I am sorry you feel that is what my post might imply I think - I don't. In fact, that is the whole point... I am trying to treat you as equals, assuming you have an opinion that deserves to be heard.

Well - I have lived under communism so rest assured I need no education on why it sucks ;) The problem with communism is that it requires human nature to be different than it actually is; if we were ants, perhaps it would work... ;)

Though I have a hard time imagining that even the most left-leaning US politicians would end up wanting to implement any set of policies that would resemble the so-called Great Leap Forward, or the disastrous Russian revolution. In fact I think it's fair to say such developments are literally not possible today, even if someone would sincerely want to bring them about.

I mean even China itself seemingly got the memo and has quietly let go of most of their communist ideology... well, except for the one-party total control bit, that is ;)

OK - I am generally in favor of globalization but understand very well that a great many of people have been negatively impacted by it. and yes, by and large are told to STFU and get with the program, mostly marginalized as xenophobes and the like.

I definitely do not subscribe to the liberal idea that globalizing is pretty much **always ** a good thing and anyone who doesn't think so is an idiot. Try explaining to the thousands made redundant and struggling to make ends meet that, no, really, moving your job to Bangladesh is good for you and the world! This is never going to work, and it's just not true (certainly not for them!)

Ignoring those who were, shall we say - left behind by globalization is what fuels great resentment and discontent, and who can blame them.

However - do you believe or assume that the negative impacts of globalization are in fact intentional and deliberately caused? Why would someone want this?

Thank you for your response :) I gotta say though this is going to be an interesting exercise for me to try and use a small amount of words ;) Like I'd want to know what you think is communism (or rather, how it is expressed in the USA in particular) and what America means to you.. like, on an emotional level... but dude we'd be writing for hours ;)

OK - but as an end in itself or as a means to achieve a particular (greater) outcome? Why do you feel small government is a good thing? To have a greater chance of personal freedom/liberty...? Do you feel government is wasteful...? Thank you :)

Hmm...perhaps :) I guess I figured that your... well - let me call it "movement" for lack of a better word... is a central actor in the very things that are going on right now, not merely a "victim" but also a "perpetrator"... or "active participant", which I guess is a more neutral description... and I imagine that there is a lot of talk and discussion going on now :) But no rush, as others pointed out you don't owe me shit so by all means reply later, or not at all :)

No, that's entirely true and you totally don't need to reply, you are right :) But unlike most people I am hoping to actually get a proper idea of what it is you are fighting for and not just condemn you as dumbasses and idiots. I don't think that's fair.