[Peace-discuss] Some sense on Sunday morning

[LAURIE]

Well, I guess we disagree as to the rationality of the actions of not only
U.S. officials but also the corporate leaders and corporations, and the
general citizenry.  I concede that when viewed within a very narrow
perspective and from typical end-means point of view the behavior is
rational; however, from a much more general point of view and broader
perspective it is -if not irrational - non-rational behavior.   With respect
to the viciousness and callousness of the actions and thinking, I agree with
you; it is very vicious and callous along with a few other adjectives.  In
short I guess it is a matter of how one looks at things: tactically or
strategically, so to speak.

Short term and short sighted rationality only makes sense within a long term
and far sighted rational environment. When actions, decisions, and judgments
are defined relatively in terms of immediate gratification and short term
goals and interests with complete disregard for either the long term
consequences or the distant purposes and objectives of the wider community
(i.e., the Human Race) in the distant future, one can hardly say that it has
an overall rationality with a straight face.  If I achieve my personal
immediate or short term goal but set up the conditions for my destruction
and death in doing so, is that rational?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: C. G. Estabrook [mailto:galliher at uiuc.edu]
> Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 2:45 PM
> To: LAURIE
> Cc: 'Peace-discuss'
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Some sense on Sunday morning
> 
> I think it's a mistake to see US leaders' actions as irrational.
> They're
> rational but vicious.  See Chomsky's "Hegemony or Survival?" for a
> discussion.
> 
> LAURIE wrote:
> > I guess that this raises the question of whether or not such a
> rational
> > discussion can be considered rational in an irrational world where
> > irrational actions, discussions, claims, and accusations hold sway.
> It makes
> > one think that they are living in the theater of the absurd to have
> little
> > islands of rational and reasonable discussion and analysis in an
> otherwise
> > absurd environment.
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-
> discuss-
> >> bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of C. G. Estabrook
> >> Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 11:43 AM
> >> To: Peace-discuss
> >> Subject: [Peace-discuss] Some sense on Sunday morning
> >>
> >> [Press TV is an English-language international television news
> channel
> >> funded by
> >> the Iranian government, based in Tehran and broadcasting in English
> on
> >> a
> >> round-the-clock schedule <http://www.presstv.ir/>. --CGE]
> >>
> >> 	Brazen imperialism in the Middle East
> >> 	Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:05:51
> >> ...