> shall I give instruction on the art of being a sniper?

I don't think so! And I think that blaming "The 1%" is mistaken, too.

The way I look at it, economic interaction is like a game. Everyone
plays, and some people win. If you take a game like "Monopoly" - then
it's really not much fun. It lasts around 90-120 minutes, but after
around 30 minutes it's clear who's going to win. Once you have an
advantage (good locations, lots of properties) then, chances are, you
will consolidate it.

After that there's around an hour or so of grinding dice-rolling, before
the person in the lead bankrupts everyone else. So Monopoly isn't that
fun. (Board game fans - try "Settlers of Catan" it's very much more
uncertain, with many different types of winning strategies.)

Capitalist economics is similar - it's easier to keep winning when
you're already ahead. In fact, once you're rich enough, even incredibly
poor play may not result in any losses. You can't help winning!

So blaming "The 1%" (however annoying they may be) misses the point -
the problem is the rule set - which only serves to consolidate
advantage. The rules, not the winners, are the problem.

What does it matter if the rule set is boring?

Well, namby-pamby lefties (who I might be numbered among) might talk
about wimpy things like "social justice" and "fairness"... but I wonder
if actually the issue is, fundamentally, about boredom.

If the game is tedious, why bother to take part? If playing by the
rules, working hard, being creative and productive quite clearly does
not yield positive results for the players, then they will cease to
play, and go and find another game to play. (The nice ones may choose
"dropping out" - the less nice ones may take up target shooting.)

We are moving into an era of "casino economics" where a combination of
your starting position and blind luck - not skill, application or
creativity are what is rewarded. So in that circumstance, what does
logic tell you? Don't bother - become a gambler (or a criminal) not a
worker.

What will save our democracy and liberal society is the realisation, by
the current winners, that the strategy "goof off, stay lucky" if widely
adopted (and it already has been) is unlikely to prevail against
systematic, repressive and autocratic economic systems - which manifest
particularly in the East. (I suggest that this "effectiveness gap" has
been in operation for at least a decade).

The challenge for them (the current winners) is to motivate players at
all levels to be EFFECTIVE - and to do that, they need to change the
rules - because otherwise they'll end up the kings of... nothing much.
The risk of a rule change for them is that they open up the possibility
that they may not be winners into the future - but no rule change means
they're sure to lose.

Best regards,

James
=====

On 09/11/11 20:58, Jaromil wrote:
> On Wed, 09 Nov 2011, John Hopkins wrote:
>
>
>>
>>> Yes you hear me, I'm talking about *conflict*.
>>>
>> shall I give instruction on the art of being a sniper?
>>
> not that far John. if I was ever up to open real holes in people's
> heads then my life would have been way different from what it is now
> and probably much worst and less effective in changing things, even if
> I'm horribly good at aiming. Firearms aren't at all effective.
>
> I'm talking about a worldwide moment of superficial, basic yet
> powerful and widespread protest against the so called 1% and I'm
> talking about the role of cultural mediators.
>
> why should we mediate for peace? what is that they call peace? is
> there a game we are really playing? I don't see it even worth being
> called a game. as far as I understand that's also why many of us are
> busy making new playing fields (from currencies from occupied public
> space). But what I'm asking is about the other side of the coin: why
> should we coop with this shit and hypocrisy that is thrown at us?
>
> have we drawn a line? how far?
>
> sniping is lame, that's what diplomats and beaurocrats do already.
>
> I prefer a good old punch in the solar plexus.
> Or a stampede of gnus.
>
> ciao
>
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