The Need to Believe (from The Texas Observer by a man on his 90th birthday)

[kpete]

The Need to Believe
Bernard Rapoport | September 07, 2007

The following is excerpted from a speech delivered by Bernard Rapoport at his 90th birthday party on July 17, 2007.

Finally, one of the most important lessons in life, to wit, “Don’t Want it All.” When I was young, very young, 7 or 8 years old, my favorite game was playing marbles. Generally, my friend had 30 marbles, and I had 30 marbles. If I won all 30 of his, I gave him back 10, not because I was sweet or lovable or generous; even at that age I understood that if I had it all, I wouldn’t have anybody to play with. It was a lesson I’ve never forgotten. As I see a society where 1 percent of the population has more assets than the bottom 100 million, I think that 1 percent isn’t nearly as smart as they think they are.

I close with this admonition from David Hume about two farmers:

Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. ‘Tis profit for us both, that I shou’d labour with you today, and that you shou’d aid me tomorrow. I have no kindness for you, and know you have as little for me. I will not, therefore, take any pains upon your account; and should I labour with you upon my own account, in expectation of a return, I know I shou’d in vain depend upon your gratitude. Here then I leave you to labour alone; You treat me in the same manner. The seasons change; and both of us lose our harvests for want of mutual confidence and security.

Yes, when we work separately, none of us benefits. When we work together, we can achieve the requisites for a better society.

read the rest here:
http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2574

[pretzel4gore]

1. but the busheviks can go to hell...

and never never will there be any cooperation with them except to put em in jail, try em and hangem high.
rightwing thinking is a capital crime lol

[Gman]

2. The Republic answer to the story about the farmers is

that if I don't help you, and your crop goes bad, then supply goes down and I get a better price for my corn.

[bluerum]

3. Exactly. Also, make sure that you keep a lot in reserve - for when the supply

runs out and people begin to starve, the price will rise even more. Sell to the highest bidder.

[Octafish]

4. Setting fire to the neighboring crops speeds the process.

More money to be made in wartime -- ultimate capitalism.

[valerief]

5. Or bomb it and make out big time by raiding the treasury. nt

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Every great achievement that Americans like to point to as an AMERICAN achievement...

was achieved by Americans working TOGETHER.

[XOKCowboy]

7. A reminder that The Texas Observer was Molly Ivins favorite newspaper

and always asked her readers to send them a contribution. So I'll do that for her this time. :)