Saturday 14 October 2023

Capitalism Or Socialism?

Liberalism puts forward the idea that we must choose between two extremes, if you don't support free speech then you support all speech being controlled. If you don't support free trade then you don't believe in trade. The choice between Capitalism and Socialism is one of those extreme positions, because like most people I actually think that a good economy has a bit of both, but not too much of either.

But to understand this better we must define what is meant by Capitalism and Socialism, because one thing that allows Liberalism to continue this absurd idea is that the terms are not defined. People are left to argue without any agreement about what they are arguing about.

Strictly speaking Capitalism only means collecting money (capital) for investment. That is what Capitalists do, they collect money so that they can use that money to invest. However many people also use the word Capitalism to mean the ownership of private property or the ability to make money from your own labour or endeavours. 

The rise of Communism in the 20th century encouraged this idea as they were against all of these things. But Socialism and Communism, while related, are not the same thing. Both say that the economy should be controlled by the government, but the degree to which that government should control the economy differs greatly. For Socialists the degree is astonishing, some are very light and others go all the way to Communism. For the 'light' it might mean that extreme poverty is the enemy, so no one should go hungry or be homeless. For others it might mean that the government makes decisions on how the economy is run. Others don't like excess and rich people offend their sensibilities. But most Socialists believe that Socialism can exist in nearly any political system. Communists do not believe that, they believe that anything less than a Communist government is just not good enough. 

When I write about Capitalism I mean the strict version and about Socialism the 'light' version. 

The problem with big business is that it seeks to be richer and more powerful, which means that it destroys competition. Which it claims to love, but doesn't. Instead it seeks a big slice of the pie, whether that pie is bigger, small or stable in size. That includes in power, it sucks power away from other areas, just as it does the same to finance. Unless some limit is placed upon big business it will destroy the economy, including itself.

Certainly there are some companies that do need to be big, just as some industries should be controlled by the Government, but they should be exceptions. 

But to give that power to the Government is also destructive, of course the Government needs power. But everything needs limits, everything needs to be kept under watch and nothing should be allowed to get out of control. An economy that allows small and medium companies to predominate is an economy that serves the most people and at the same time allows people to make the decisions about that economy. 


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Sunday 1 October 2023

50 Movies For Traditionalists To Watch

Like many of you I avoid movies or TV programs that I think are going to have too much of 'the message', or race swapping, or feminism or you get the point. But I still own a large collection of DVD's and the like and I still find good movies, old and new. Sometimes I'm asked for recommendations and I decided that I should put together a list of movies that others could watch. Of course we should remember that interests differ, tastes differ and our tolerance for nonsense differs, so just because I like something doesn't mean that you will. Having said that I still think that you will find movies to enjoy on this list.

Rather than having an impossibly long list I decided to limit this to 50 movies. These are not necessarily my favourites, but I have enjoyed them all.

All links go to IMBD. TS means True Story


1. Citizen Kane (1941) Drama

A good story, well acted and important in the history of cinema. 

2. The Song of Bernadette (1943) Mystery/Biography TS

A young women has a vision of the Virgin Mary. Treats religion with respect.  

3. Sunset Blvd. (1950) Drama

Was surprised that I liked this one. The movie asks what happens when you are no longer famous?

4. The Desert Rats (1953)War 

A character study set during the siege of Tobruk during WWII.

5. The Silent Enemy (1958) War/Biography TS

A very accurate movie about the underwater battle between Italian and British frogman over Gibraltar during WWII.

6. Cleopatra (1963) Drama/ Biography TS

The movie was so expensive that it put the studio that made it out of business and you can see everything that they spent up on the screen. Long, effectively two movies and spectacular.

7. The Sand Pebbles (1966) Drama/Adventure

In 1926, a U.S. Naval engineer gets assigned to a gunboat on a rescue mission in war torn China.

8. The Producers (1967) Comedy

A movie made by Jews about Jews, with Nazi's. 

9. Easy Rider (1969) Drama

I watched this recently and was surprised that I liked it. Well made, well acted, many don't like this movie and I understand why. The ending is very heavy handed with one of the earliest anti-White endings around.

10. The Wicker Man (1973) Horror/Mystery

The only horror in this movie is at the end, a really great movie.

11. Seven Little Australians (1973) Family Drama Mini-Series

A strict military man marries a much younger women who is now mother to 6 of his children and the seventh between them. A series to watch with the family.

12. Young Frankenstein (1974) Comedy

Very funny parody

13. I, Claudius (1976) Historical/Biography Min-Series TS

The story of the Roman Emperor Claudius, this is clearly filmed on a stage, but the acting and plot are very good. 

14. Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980) Drama/Biography Mini-Series TS

The story of how one man created a cult and convinced over 900 people to commit suicide. 

15. Tron (1982) Sci-Fi

This is an important movie because it introduced computer graphics into film and it helps explain the background to the other and I think better TRON: Legacy (2010).

16. Do the Right Thing (1989) Drama

A surprisingly honest look at race relations.

17. Gettysburg (1993) Drama/War TS

One of the best movies about a battle, long but totally worth it.

18. Once Were Warriors (1994) Drama Crime

Very violent New Zealand movie about a Maori family. Not for the faint of heart.

19. Pride and Prejudice (1995) Romance Mini-Series

Classic novel dramatized, a series to watch with the wife or girlfriend.

20. The Day of the Roses (1996) Drama TS

A bridge collapses on a train filled with passengers, very good. 

21. American History X (1998) Drama

I did an entire review of this movie here.

22. The Insider (1999) Drama/Biography TS

Story of a man who decides to make public, insider knowledge of the tobacco industry.

23. Galaxy Quest (1999) Comedy/Sci-Fi

A fictional crew are mistaken for the real thing and hilarity ensures, at least I thought so.

24. The Lost Battalion (2001) War TS

WWI American battalion becomes 'lost', a made for tv movie that is better than it should be.

25. About Schmidt (2002) Drama

A man retires and looks at his life.

26. Panic Room (2002) Thriller

I think this is the only Thriller on the list and it is here because it makes sense. A mother and her daughter move into a house and have to use the panic room. 

27. Wallis & Edward (2005) Drama TS

TV movie on the reason King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936.

28. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) Fantasy

I recommend all of the Narnia movies but I like this one the best, great for family viewing.

29. The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) Drama TS

German movie on the Left wing terrorist group of the same name

30. Red Cliff (2008) Historical/War TS

Chinese movie about a famous battle in the 200AD's. Sort of historical and sort of fantastical.

31. Generation Kill (2008) War Mini-Series TS

An accurate picture of the invasion of Iraq, 2003.

32. 127 Hours (2010) Drama/Biography TS

Man goes hiking by himself and gets his arm trapped, should be boring, isn't.

33.. TRON: Legacy (2010) Sci-Fi

A man travels into a hidden electronic world.

34. Parer's War (2014) drama TS

TV movie that is good but not great, About an Australian war correspondent in WWII.

35. The Monuments Men (2014) War/Drama TS

An old fashioned war movie about men who were recruited to save art during WWII.

36. Trumbo (2015) Drama/Biography TS

Left wing screen writer blacklisted in the 50's. Well made, acted and as far as I know accurate. Interesting look into how Hollywood and the Left view one of their hero's.

37. Bridge of Spies (2015) Drama TS

During the Cold War a man is sent 'unofficially' to get a pilot back from Communist captivity. A good story that I think you get more out of the more you know.

38. O.J.: Made in America (2016) Documentary/Biography

Nearly 8 hour long documentary on O.J. Simpson. Made by Left Liberals, it definitely has their point of view. However in that time it reveals things about race in America that really highlight points that we make about race. Great footage and interviews, with the highlight being the coverage of the murders and the trial, quite revealing.

39. The Lost City of Z (2016) Drama/Biography TS

A movie that I wish was better than it is, B when it should have been an A. Man explorers the jungles of South America. Worth seeing even though it's not topknot.

40. Arrival (2016) Mystery/Sci-Fi

For some this will have too much diversity, but I thought the story held up well enough for it to not be as bad as some. Aliens arrive and we cannot communicate with each other.

41. Sully (2016) Drama/Biography

Pilot lands plane on a river, the investigation was never the witch hunt shown here, but a good heroic tale none the less. 

42. All the Money in the World (2017) Drama TS

Grandson of the wotlds richest man is kidnapped. Good but it should have been better, still worth watching.

43. The Senator Original title: Chappaquiddick (2017) Drama/ Biography TS

Senator Ted Kennedy and that night at Chappaquiddick.

44. Borg McEnroe Original title: Borg VS McEnroe (2017) Drama/Sport

I'm not much of a sports fan but here the story is really about the rivalry between two men, who happen to be tennis players. 

45. Stan & Ollie (2018) Drama/Biography TS

Laurel and Hardy go on a tour of Britain in the early 1950's, a lovely tribute with superb acting.

46. A Quiet Place (2018) Horror/Sci-Fi

Aliens attack noise and people make noise.

47. First Man (2018) Drama/Biography TS

First man to walk on the moon, slow and there is no American flag on the moon, but apart from that. 

48. Tolkien (2019) Drama/Biography

Story of Tolkien's early life

49. 1917 (2019) War

A bit too much diversity in the background. But other than that this is quite good.

50. Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (2019) War

This movie was released in 1979, then a Redux version was released in 1999, this is the Final Cut which was released in 2019. Watch this version, it is the best.


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Sunday 24 September 2023

Politicians And The Rules Of Seduction

It takes a certain type of person to become a politician. It is not just ambition, although that is certainly present. They are a curious mixture of positive and negative attributes. Most have a built in optimism about the world and their role in it. That the world can be a better place than it currently is and that they have the will, the ability and the belief to make a positive change in the world. An idealism that is missing from most people. 

But at the same time they have both a practical and a cynical nature, which can be hard to separate as each lives so close to the other. They believe that betrayal, lies and cynicism are practical things. That they are in fact essential to achieving the things that they believe that they and only they can achieve. Of course not all politicians become involved because they are idealists, but I do think that those who are any good do start from an idealists position. It may wear off, or fade in and out of existence, but rarely is it absent entirely.

At heart politicians are seducers, they whisper sweet lies into people ears and hope that what they have whispered is better then what the other professional liars have whispered. My Mother said that children don't lie, they instead tell you what they want to be true. For example a child will break a vase and then say that they didn't break it, what they mean is that they didn't intend to break it. In their mind it is not a lie but what they wish was true. Politicians are like that, they lie but they wish those lies were true. They wish they could build that hospital they promised, or end war, or cut taxes and increase spending without consequences. Even though they know that the things that they say are lies, a good liar believes in the lies that they tell. Because while children may not lie, politicians most certainly do.

Why do they lie?

Because people insist that they lie, people will tell you that they hate lies but that is itself a lie. The truth is that people love lies because the truth is harsh and we find that we already have enough harshness in our lives. We need the softness of lies to cushion the harshness of truth. The truth is that maybe we can't really afford that hospital, that no one can end war and in fact war loves that you hate it and cutting taxes and increasing spending will have consequences. Instead of dealing with that harshness maybe it is better to live with the promise that maybe things can get better. We want to hear lies and because we want to hear them we are told them. We are being seduced and I know of two rules of seduction.

The first rule of seduction is that you do not tell the person you are seducing the truth, instead you tell them what they want to hear. 

The second rule of seduction is that the easiest person to seduce is the person who wants to be seduced. 

If a politician wants to be successful then they need to learn these rules. Although learning something is different to putting it into practise and we often see them fail. 

Lastly politicians need the practical nature that I wrote about above, they need to be able to deal with people, systems and processes. And they need to be able to change, to go with the flow. It is something that they are criticised for, fairly and unfairly.


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Monday 18 September 2023

No To The Voice

Australia's Labor government has decided that they want to change our constitution and to give a 'voice' to Aboriginal people. The argument put forward has been 'go on be nice to Aborigines', of course the other argument is 'if you don't vote yes your a racist, bigot, White supremacist'. 

So what is 'the voice'?

That's a good question that it's proponents cannot agree on. At one extreme are those who state that every law affects Aboriginal people, therefore every law will need to be approved by a consultative body, 'the voice'. In effect it will have veto powers over all Australian laws and it will use this power to push for more radical positions. At the other extreme are those, including the Prime Minister, who insist that this is simply mentioning Aboriginals in the constitution. Along with a consultative body that can offer advice to the government on matters that pertain to matters that overwhelmingly affect Aboriginal people. Constitutional experts claim the proposed amendment is so badly written and confusing that it will lead to decades of legal challenges.

Even simple questions about 'the voice' remain unanswered.

How many members will make up 'the voice'?

Will they be voted for or selected and if so by whom?

Will 'the voice' have a budget?

Will 'the voice' have staff?

Vote yes and only then will we be able to find out if it was all a mistake or not.

I'm not prepared to vote for handing the country over to radicals and I'm also not prepared to recognise Aboriginals in the constitution. Not when the people who actually wrote it aren't recognised in it.  

I cannot think of a single reason to vote yes, which means it's definitely a no from me.

Vote No


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Wednesday 14 June 2023

Can We Ban This Now?

In the past whenever people like myself have wondered why something couldn't be banned we were told that it was against our Liberal traditions. But not now, in fact this surprising article from the Lowy Institute makes exactly this point, Banning nazi salute opens pandoras box.

If we are going to ban things from a regime we defeated 80 years ago, it becomes hard to argue that we should not ban things that insult many of our sensibilities now.

Things such as:

The burka


 Facial tattoos


Drag Time Story Hour


Treason





And so much more.


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Saturday 10 June 2023

Liberalism Abandons Another Principle

One of the things that made Liberalism popular was the idea that people should be free. You were free to have your own thoughts and opinions. which included the freedom to say those things. Freedom of Speech or to use an older term Freedom of Conscience. This included symbols, which included flags, insignia, stickers and all manner of things. But it seems that Liberalism is abandoning these principles 

Liberalism has done this before with Freedom of Association. In the early 1800's workers tried to form unions to campaign for better wages and conditions. But the government said no, unions were clubs for radicals and revolutionaries. The workers argued that they had the right to associate with whomever they wished. The government passed laws saying that that just wasn't true and men who broke those laws were punished. Liberals said that people did have a right to freely associate with the people that they wished to associate. In time they won that fight and the law was changed, freedom of association was the law of the land. But in the 1950's and 60's that right was taken away, because freedom of association also meant that you didn't have to associate with people if you didn't want to. Freedom of Association is now banned, you cannot stop people from associating with you because you don't want to associate with them, instead now we are told that everyone is equal and interchangeable. 

Principles that Liberalism said were universal and true at all times in all places and for all people it seems can be changed.

Australia's Jewish Attorney-General announced this week that a new law would be introduced to Parliament to ban Nazi symbols from public display and sale in Australia. Anyone who breaks this could face up to 12 months in prison. This follows similar laws that various states have passed

This is being passed as an Anti-Terrorism law, but on the Attorney-General Departments webpage on Counter terrorism laws, it states:

Terrorist acts

A terrorist act is an act, or a threat to act, that meets both these criteria:

  • it intends to coerce or influence the public or any government by intimidation to advance a political, religious or ideological cause.
  • it causes one or more of the following:
    • death, serious harm or danger to a person
    • serious damage to property
    • a serious risk to the health or safety of the public
    • serious interference with, disruption to, or destruction of critical infrastructure such as a telecommunications or electricity network.

Advocating, protesting, dissenting or taking industrial action are not terrorist acts where the person doing the activity does not intend to cause serious harm to a person or create a serious risk to public safety.


Which of these things will banning Nazi symbols stop?

Of course the Uniparty will vote for this and who will vote against it?

Now that will be interesting to note. 


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Thursday 8 June 2023

When Equality Fails

Liberalism once believed in hierarchy, that certain people were better at things than other people. That included individuals, races, sexes and social classes. It did not believe in equality and it took until after WWII for this idea to become mainstream within Liberalism.

Today we have lived for 50 years or so with the idea of equality. We are told about it constantly, we cannot escape it's influence. Which convinces many that the idea must be true, that there really is no difference between different people. Even though we learn through experience that different people are, well different. We hear the word so often that we rarely think about what the word even means. For something or someone to be equal means that they are the same as something or someone else.

All apples are equal because all apples are the same, which at first glance seems reasonable but isn't. 

Is a big apple the same as a small apple? 

Is a rotten apple the same as a fresh apple?

Is a green apple the same as a red apple?

And on it goes, the idea of equality is accepted because it is so easy to understand. If everyone is the same then we can pretend that any problems that exist can be fixed and that they are not unsolvable, that differences between races or the sexes are minor inconveniences. All that needs to be done is to remove official differences between groups and to remind people, constantly, that we are all equal and in time everything will fix itself. Because at the heart of this idea is that these differences are artificial and not real.

For half a century or more these ideas have been pushed and instead of differences vanishing they are persistent. The differences between the sexes are still here, the difference between races are still here. The thing that was supposed to happen has not taken place. Laws were changed, social attitudes were changed, the law was moved in favour of these groups, massive amounts of money have been spend and still the differences remain. Liberals are now left with a question that continues to grow in size and that is why?

Why haven't things changed?

The first thing to remember is that their basic assumptions have not changed, people are equal, equality is a real thing. So something else must be to blame and their answer is Structural Racism. They also call it Systematic or Institutional racism. Which effectively means that society is at heart racist, both the people and the institutions. Built into the foundations is racism. Which is why White Supremacy is so much of an issue to Liberals. 

Of course ordinary people are confused by this as it doesn't make sense. How can it be that the more society has turned against racism, it has at the same time become more racist?

Well it can't, the entire idea is ridiculous. 

But the only other place that Liberalism can go is to admit that equality is not real. That different people are in fact different. Which they are not prepared to accept. But when you hear the words White Supremacy, Structural Racism, Systematic Racism or Institutional Racism, Liberalism is trying to use these terms to square a circle of it's own making...and failing.


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