Re: Overheard on the scanner

On Sat, 03 May 2008 23:22:20 -0700, David Friedman
<ddfr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>In article <aikq149m5d8tp3svbjset0sa23n35csa25@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
> mike weber <fairportfan@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 03 May 2008 22:44:40 -0700, David Friedman
>> <ddfr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>> >In article <ha4q145gcp9itlngggls4rdpb3qq7rqvte@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>> > mike weber <fairportfan@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On 3 May 2008 16:30:02 -0400, "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> 
>> >> >Douglas Berry <penguin_boy@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> >> >> Do you attend planning meetings for your local government and
make
>> >> >> your voice heard on the matter?
>> >> >
>> >> >I have no voice in any government at any level.
>> >> >
>> >> >There's no reason I should, as all I've ever asked from any
government
>> >> >at any level is to be left alone.
>> >> 
>> >> Well, since you're not going to get that just for the asking, do you
>> >> suppose it just *might* be sensible for you to try to *persuade*
>> >> government to let you alone?
>> >
>> >Not at any level of government above the lowest--because he's unlikely

>> >to achieve an effect large enough to be worth the effort.
>> 
>> So, in other words, since he's never going to be able to achieve
>> anuthing (barring some kiond of miracle), he shouldn't even try.
>> 
>> In fact,none of us should ever try to doanything to make things
>> better.
>> 
>> We should all just sort of curl up and die.
>
>On the contrary.
>
>We should take those actions where the benefit is worth the cost. 
>
>That doesn't, in my view, include saying ten thousand Hail Marys or 
>sacrificing one's first born, in the hope that doing either will improve 
>the world. Nor does it include using your vote in a large polity to try 
>to affect the outcome, since the probability of success is barely above 
>that with the other two methods. 
>

Sorry, i was feeling grouchy, and spoke a bit too sweepingly.

But  get a touch tired of Keith explaining how he just wants
government to leave him alone without, apparently, even attempting
anything that might achieve the result.

Perhaps, for instance, moving somewhere in Outer Montana and live a
complete hermit's existence.

Or joining the Libertarian Party.

>Presumably you would make the same response to someone who argued 
>against using some quack medicine to cure cancer. It isn't enough that 
>the objective is important--you have to have reason to believe that what 
>you are doing will achieve it.

If no established methodology will cure your cancer, then i would not
try to dissuade you from trying Laetrile or coffee enemas or anything
else  at least you may have some hope.