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Would I accept a job I knew to be criminal if the money were good enough? Absolutely. Illegality in itself, would not deter me. I would, however, need to be reasonably certain that I wouldn’t be caught. Prison would not suit my sensibilities. I'm not at all comfortable in proximity to others.
Of course, being the fine upstanding citizen you know me to be, I would not accept any position that required me to violate my strict code of ethics. The law be damned! I don't have much use for it. What’s legal today can be illegal tomorrow at the whim of some judge or politician.
Besides, there is far too much that is perfectly legal and yet completely immoral: taxation, factory farming, fluoridating the water supply, drenching crops in known carcinogens, punishing people for victimless crimes, not to mention the entire financial system. I could go on, but don’t worry — I won't. I know your life is getting shorter by the minute.
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And no, I'm not a socialist, though I can deliver a rousing rendition of 'The Red Flag.' To quote George Bernard Shaw, “A socialist is somebody who has nothing and is prepared to divide it equally among everybody.”
As I see it, most of us do not need laws to keep us in line, and the few who do are unlikely to obey them anyway. Laws exist largely to criminalise as many of us as possible, to fill the state coffers. The more laws - the more crimes, the more crimes - the more fines.
So, if any of you has an illegal scheme that promises to make me a packet, do let me know in the comments.
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Posted in response to Galenkp's Weekend experiences asking ' ' Would you accept a job that you knew was criminal just to make a healthy sum of money?"
The images are mine
Of course you would do something illegal. Haven't you said as much in the past? You have contempt for the rules that extract coin and limit freedom.
I don't know if you are familiar with a story, "Michael Kohlhaass", by Heinrich von Kleist (early 19th century). It's almost an anthem to rebellion against unjust law. Kohlhaas goes bananas when a noble seizes his horse. The noble returns the horse eventually but when he does it's emaciated and broken. Kohlhaas' response is to mount a campaign that shows no regard for his safety. It's all about justice.
I think of Michael Kohlhaas when I read your reply.
You never disappoint.
Would I break the law? I really don't like trouble. And I can't abide being around people. Prison would likely be a death sentence for me. But some things are worth it. If it came to something important, on principle I could chuck it all and take the risk. Otherwise, I'm a very orderly old lady :)
I hadn't heard of Michael Kohlhaass" by Heinrich von Kleist, but I enjoyed reading it over the last few days. Thank you.
I come from a long line of lawbreakers, but somehow have managed always to keep ahead of the posse:)
And, thanks, as always, for the engaging comment.
Sorry to send you a chore!As an undergraduate I majored in history, but as you can imagine, I never take a straight road to a destination. I also signed up for many 'unnecessary' courses in Spanish and German, which opened up some pretty obscure literature for me (though Kleist is not obscure in Germany). It took me an extra 6 months to graduate because of my leisurely stroll through the college.
In graduate school I decided to take comparative literature...put all that Spanish and German to use. My last class, a detailed analysis of Promtheus Unbound for the whole semester!! was my undoing. Plus, I didn't want to take my orals. So I just stopped going to school and gave up the degree.
Fifteen years later I found out I needed to have a masters for permanent teacher's certification. Had to do the whole masters over again--33 credits. This time it was in the humanities with a specialization in literature.
Well, by the time I was finished with that degree, I had read a lot of stuff from all over the world, from just about every time in history. My head is brimming with these references. They won't go away. Kleist is one of these ghosts :)
No chore. It was short and easily found on wikibooks.
Having to do the masters again...Ouch! Once I finished my bachelors it was over and out for me. I did intend to go into teaching and enrolled for the HDip (Higher diploma in Education) but I just couldn't take any more education.
Hello @deirdyweirdy,
I hated 'school' before college. Once I went to college, it became a refuge for me. I was a bit of a free spirit and found a way to manipulate requirements so I took classes I enjoyed and avoided those I didn't enjoy. Maybe it was the 60s and we got away with stuff. I even thought of staying in academia and hiding away there. Books for me are a lot easier than people. I realized, however, if I chose academia I'd never really live. I decided to live and left academia behind. So, the two masters weren't really much of a hardship :)
I don't think you'd like the food in jail so like you say, just don't get caught.
That was always my father's advice to us as children. Do what you like as long as you don't get caught:)
I bet you were a little rascal.
I could argue that we do need laws for people form certain parts of the world, that live like savages...
There will always be those who act like savages...most of them in politics!
I wonder if you actually did any and got caught, lol.
I did many but never got caught. I'm far too nimble for that!:)
Ha ha!, and you’d have to be clever and wise, I would have thought so. Lol
If I think of something—provided it’s morally acceptable, I’ll let you know!!! It’s true that laws are made by people, and by those in power at the time, and they’re tailored to suit their own interests. Morality and ethics are what really matter in life. 🤗
Hear, Hear!
🤗
I love it that you are a person who build on good conducts for yourself. It is good to be a citizen of high reputa
I agree. I only wish more people were like me:)
Well, it good to maintain your ethical values. But don't you think we should obey the law of the country which we belong? I think that is a noble thing to do
I believe you should follow your conscience and not blindly obey arbitrary rules made up by nincompoops.
#hive #posh
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