[35] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: LIVING WAGE SIT-IN AT HARVARD (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sourav K. Mandal)
Thu Apr 19 15:42:14 2001
Message-Id: <200104191936.PAA10757@dichotomy.dyn.dhs.org>
From: "Sourav K. Mandal" <Sourav.Mandal@ikaran.com>
Reply-To: "Sourav K. Mandal" <Sourav.Mandal@ikaran.com>
To: mit-talk@mit.edu
Cc: objectivism@mit.edu
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Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 15:36:20 -0400
"Zhelinrentice L Scott <zlscott@MIT.EDU>" wrote:
> Self centered, greedy, selfish, evil, mean, inhumane
>
> are ALL the words that come to mind when I read the comments that
> Sourav Mandal and Jhawk made to this list. It deeply disturbs
> me that individuals can be so callous when it comes to their fellow man.
Yes, yes, yes; no, no, and no.
Self-interest/selfishness, often expressed as greed, is _good_. My
highest aim is to further my life, by learning, enjoying and creating.
If I spend my values (e.g. time, money or reputation) on something, it
is because I expect a value in return. That value could be wealth, the
promise of future wealth, intellectual satisfaction, friendship, etc..
Here's how I look at the Harvard "living wage" "protest": The
janitors, etc. want more money than they're getting; Harvard might not
think their work is more than they're getting. This is a business
conflict. Unfortunately, the "workers," "management," and third
parties like the Harvad/MIT/Cambridge liberal base have decided to make
this affair a shameful display of mooching, self-sacrifice and
meretriciousness, respectively.
So, why stop there? Why not just give the clothes of your backs? Why
not increase the tax rate to 75%? Why not reduce your caloric intake
to 2300/day; after all, only laborers and soldiers need muscles, right?
Is this not the logical conclusion, when ethics are defined by the
"needs" of others, rather than the achievement of the individual?
> The United States is an extremly rich country.
Yes, and India, N. Korea, China, and post-communist Europe are poor,
per capita. Do the math. For the pragmatists out there, here's a
graph showing the exponential relationship between economic liberty and
wealth:
http://www.heritage.org/index/2001/wealth.html
> Harvard is unique amoung the universities in this area, because it
> doesn't pay a living wage. I think that this fact is something to
> be ashamed of.
The fact that MIT is paying more for the same services that Harvard is
getting at a lower price is the real problem, because it is either
stupid or immoral. Either way, they're bilking the people who fund
MIT: students, alumni, private companies and research agencies.
> Blue-collar workers are human. They have a right to food, clothes
> and shelter.
No they don't -- they have a right to what they earn, which is
different. Anything else they receive should be considered charity,
pure and simple.
> When you are making barely enough to survive
> on, when there is money that is just collecting interest and making
> the rich richer that makes no sense!
The money is collecting interest because it is providing a service.
Why don't I just take the clothes out of your closet, since they're not
doing anything? Oh, are you saying that it's your property, and no one
has a right to take it? Hmmm ... me not understand your personal
philosophy ...
> It's inhumane. It's selfish, It shows a lack of concern, respect for
> people.
The true inhumanity is theft via redistributive taxation.
> Let's talk about the extremely apathetic, selfish, mean MIT student
> who thinks Profits are more valuable than people.
I value people _because_ I value profits. Profits don't emerge from
thin air -- they are born of ingenuity, blood, tears, and sweat. The
fact that you think wealth is some floating entity, free to be
plundered, is proof that you don't care for your fellow man.
> MIT students are just as elitist, selfish, and prissy as a Harvard
> Student. The major difference is that they don't dress as well.
Yes, yes, I don't know, and I'm working on that. ;-)
Cheers,
Sourav
PS: To "Prez H. Cannaday" -- if the Republican Party believes in what
I have delineated in this message, then the only real Republican is
Congressman Ron Paul of Texas.
------------------------------------------------------------
Sourav K. Mandal
Sourav.Mandal@ikaran.com
http://www.ikaran.com/Sourav.Mandal/
