Yes Jason, and even those of us who lived through these eras may not agree. However, as clearly as I can see, from when I was born during WWII until today, I quite comfortably stand by my analysis about the zenith of the USA.
Today much of what has happened in the past is marked by revisionist history and mythomania in general. My view of the 90s is that it reflected those extremely powerful, yet to me catastrophic and immoral words of “Gordon Gekko” (Michael Douglas) – “The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of it's forms - greed for life, for money, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you.” ........................................ Other quites by him include: “When I get a hold of the son of a bitch who leaked this, I'm gonna tear his eyeballs out and I'm gonna suck his fucking skull.” “The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation. It's bullshit. You got ninety percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal. The news, war, peace, famine, upheaval, the price per paper clip. We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the hell we did it. Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy? It's the free market. And you're a part of it. You've got that killer instinct. Stick around pal, I've still got a lot to teach you.” “You're walking around blind without a cane, pal. A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place.” Bud Fox: How much is enough? Gordon Gekko: It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made, it's simply transferred from one perception to another. On Oct 24, 10:03 am, "Jason (Memphis)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ornamentalmind, > > I thought the zenith of the United States was in the 1990s. The 1960s > just had a bunch of undisciplined hippies who did care about the > country--just getting entry to a vagina or entered by a penis; getting > high; or calling soldiers "baby killers." The 1970's was filled with > economic hardship and recessions. However, I didn't exist in the > '60s and part of the '70s so my judgment may be off. :-) > > Jason > > On Oct 24, 11:25 am, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > "...[The] United States used be looked at as a beacon of hope and > > cultural nexus for the entire world. Something changed." - Jason > > > Yes, the US passed it's zenith long ago, perhaps around 1960 in > > general and for a few things in the 1970s. I've lived to watch this > > change, grumbling about it along the way. > > > On Oct 24, 8:29 am, "Jason (Memphis)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > By the way, I think that if the United States keeps this arrogant, > > > anti-science, sitting on our laurels attitude, we will be left behind > > > by the rest of the world. The international students even at ok > > > graduate programs such as the University of Memphis are studying what > > > works in the United States and what doesn't work, comparing notes, > > > discussing and then exporting that knowledge back to their > > > motherland. There are quite a few students at the University of > > > Memphis MBA program who are from India and China. The United States > > > used to have that attitiude, that is, humble, hard working, pro- > > > science, and comparing notes with other countries in order to strive > > > for and make improvement within the current system. United States > > > used be looked at as a beacon of hope and cultural nexus for the > > > entire world. Something changed. > > > > On Oct 24, 9:30 am, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Jason, is that irony? If not, would you mind clarifying how it > > > > appeared to be inspirational to you? > > > > I must admit that I too had a hit of that feeling watching it, > > > > however, inspiration was not my primary feeling. The method of > > > > presentation, being as fast paced as it was did cause some adrenaline > > > > to flow though. > > > > > On Oct 23, 9:55 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > Very inspirational! > > > > > > On Oct 23, 11:22 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbSu69SwU1o-Hidequotedtext- > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
