#civility is a social contract

[chrispineofficial]

i don’t know why i’m consistently surprised by how many of the users on this website don’t know how to be a person. like “haha it’s so cute and fun we’re all so neuroSPICY” girl you still have to be a person. you still have to learn how to Be A Person you have to learn how to be normal around other people for the love of god is this thing on you still have to commit to basic social contracts and that’s a good thing

[lenjaminmacbuttons]

does anyone know where i might find a post about how post-apocalyptic scavenging stories, specifically noting the last of us and the walking dead, are fundamentally reflective of a fear of homelessness. i know i saw one when the tlou series was first releasing but i cannot for the life of me think of where to find it

[newvegascowboy]

I dont think either Raithe or Horace ever really picked up on their teenage crushes on each other for a variety of reasons, including that they fell out of contact for 15 years and neither really had any romantic contact with anyone -> thus no experience to compare it to. However it's not really a friendship thing to reminisce about the color of your best buddies eyes

[kree8r0]

Is peace always possible?

This post is a response to a question initially posed on Quora, and can also be accessed via “https://www.quora.com/Is-peace-always-possible/answer/Antonio-Amaral-1“ Of course, peace is always possible. The challenge is making it desirable enough for all parties to commit to making it possible. Peace is otherwise impossible when one or more parties refuse to accept compromise as the only path…

[howifeltabouthim]

'Civilization . . . is based on not saying what you think . . . It's based on inhibiting one's impulses.'

Iris Murdoch, from A Fairly Honourable Defeat

[omegaphilosophia]

The Individual's Expectations of The State

In political philosophy and social contract theory, the relationship between the state and its citizens is often framed in terms of mutual obligations and expectations. The state owes certain fundamental duties to individuals in exchange for their consent to be governed and their adherence to the laws and regulations set forth by the state. These obligations are crucial for maintaining a just, stable, and functional society. Here are some key areas where the state owes duties to individuals:

1. Protection of Rights

Life, Liberty, and Property: One of the primary duties of the state is to protect the fundamental rights of its citizens, including the right to life, liberty, and property. This protection is essential for ensuring that individuals can live securely and freely within the society.

Civil Rights: The state must safeguard civil rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to privacy, and the right to equal treatment under the law. These rights are critical for the functioning of a democratic society where individuals can express themselves and participate in civic life.

2. Provision of Public Goods and Services

Law and Order: The state is responsible for maintaining law and order through a system of justice that includes law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities. This ensures that laws are enforced fairly and that justice is served.

Infrastructure: The state must provide essential infrastructure such as roads, bridges, public transportation, and utilities (water, electricity, sanitation) that support the daily activities and economic productivity of its citizens.

Education and Health: Access to quality education and healthcare is a fundamental duty of the state. Providing these services ensures that individuals can lead healthy, informed, and productive lives.

3. Economic Stability and Welfare

Economic Opportunities: The state should create and sustain conditions that promote economic growth and provide opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. This includes regulating markets to prevent monopolies and ensure fair competition.

Social Welfare: The state has a duty to provide social safety nets for its citizens, including unemployment benefits, social security, and assistance for the disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. This helps to reduce poverty and inequality.

4. Protection from External Threats

National Defense: The state is responsible for protecting its citizens from external threats, which involves maintaining a military and defense system capable of deterring and responding to potential aggressors.

5. Democratic Governance and Representation

Political Participation: The state must ensure that individuals have the right to participate in the political process through voting, running for office, and engaging in political discourse. This participation is vital for the legitimacy of the government.

Accountability and Transparency: The state owes its citizens a transparent and accountable governance system. This includes mechanisms for checking the abuse of power, corruption, and ensuring that government actions are open to public scrutiny.

6. Environmental Protection

Sustainable Development: The state has a duty to protect the environment and promote sustainable development practices. This ensures that natural resources are preserved for future generations and that environmental degradation is minimized.

The obligations of the state to its individuals are comprehensive and multifaceted, encompassing the protection of rights, provision of essential services, ensuring economic stability, defending against external threats, fostering democratic governance, and protecting the environment. By fulfilling these duties, the state upholds its end of the social contract, fostering a just, equitable, and thriving society where individuals can achieve their full potential.

[blueheartbookclub]

"A Foundation of Modern Political Thought: A Review of John Locke's Second Treatise of Government"

John Locke's "Second Treatise of Government" stands as a cornerstone of modern political philosophy, presenting a compelling argument for the principles of natural rights, social contract theory, and limited government. Written against the backdrop of political upheaval in 17th-century England, Locke's treatise remains as relevant and influential today as it was upon its publication.

At the heart of Locke's work lies the concept of natural rights, wherein he asserts that all individuals are born with inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke argues that these rights are not granted by governments but are instead derived from the natural state of humanity. Through logical reasoning and appeals to natural law, Locke lays the groundwork for the assertion of individual rights as fundamental to the legitimacy of government.

Central to Locke's political theory is the notion of the social contract, wherein individuals voluntarily enter into a political community to secure their rights and promote their common interests. According to Locke, legitimate government arises from the consent of the governed, and its authority is derived from its ability to protect the rights of its citizens. This contract between rulers and the ruled establishes the basis for legitimate political authority and provides a framework for assessing the legitimacy of governmental actions.

Locke's treatise also advocates for the principle of limited government, arguing that the powers of government should be strictly defined and circumscribed to prevent tyranny and abuse of authority. He contends that governments exist to serve the interests of the people and should be subject to checks and balances to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a few. Locke's advocacy for a separation of powers and the rule of law laid the groundwork for modern democratic governance and constitutionalism.

Moreover, Locke's emphasis on the right to revolution remains a contentious and influential aspect of his political philosophy. He argues that when governments fail to fulfill their obligations to protect the rights of citizens, individuals have the right to resist and overthrow oppressive regimes. This revolutionary doctrine has inspired movements for political reform and self-determination throughout history, serving as a rallying cry for those seeking to challenge unjust authority.

In conclusion, John Locke's "Second Treatise of Government" is a seminal work that continues to shape the discourse on political theory and governance. Through his eloquent prose and rigorous argumentation, Locke presents a compelling vision of a just and legitimate political order grounded in the principles of natural rights, social contract, and limited government. His ideas have left an indelible mark on the development of liberal democracy and remain essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the foundations of modern political thought.

John Locke's "Second Treatise of Government" is available in Amazon in paperback 12.99$ and hardcover 19.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 181

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[blueheartbooks]

"Leviathan Unveiled: Navigating the Depths of Hobbesian Political Philosophy"

Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan" stands as a seminal work in political philosophy, providing a profound exploration of the social contract and the nature of government. Published in 1651, during a tumultuous period in English history, Hobbes crafted a philosophical masterpiece that sought to address the chaos and disorder prevalent in society.

The central theme of "Leviathan" revolves around Hobbes' depiction of the hypothetical state of nature, a condition he famously describes as a "war of every man against every man." Hobbes contends that without a structured authority, human life would be characterized by constant conflict and anarchy. To escape this state of nature, individuals enter into a social contract, surrendering some liberties to a sovereign authority in exchange for protection and order.

The metaphorical "Leviathan" represents this sovereign power, a colossal entity with the authority to maintain peace and prevent chaos. Hobbes argues for the absolute power of the Leviathan, suggesting that a powerful centralized government is necessary to ensure the stability of society. This perspective, while controversial, laid the groundwork for later political philosophies and discussions on the role of government.

Hobbes' work also delves into the relationship between church and state. He advocates for a unified authority to avoid conflicts arising from religious differences. In his view, the sovereign power should control both the ecclesiastical and civil spheres to maintain social cohesion.

One of the strengths of "Leviathan" is Hobbes' systematic approach to political theory. He applies a scientific methodology, drawing parallels between the natural world and political structures. This analytical framework was innovative for its time, influencing subsequent philosophers and political thinkers.

However, "Leviathan" has sparked significant debate and criticism. Hobbes' advocacy for absolute monarchy and his rather bleak view of human nature have been challenged by later philosophers who championed individual liberties and more optimistic perspectives on human behavior.

In conclusion, Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan" remains a cornerstone of political philosophy, offering a foundational exploration of the social contract, sovereign authority, and the structure of government. While controversial and subject to critique, its impact on the development of political thought cannot be overstated, making it an essential read for those interested in understanding the roots of modern political theory.

Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan" is available in Amazon in paperback 19.99$ and hardcover 25.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 484

Language: English

Rating: 8/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[bsahely]

From Locke to Life: A Manifesto for Regenerative Governance | ChatGPT4o

[Download Full Document (PDF)] This document, titled From Locke to Life, presents a manifesto for regenerative governance, critiquing the philosophical foundations of modern political economy and proposing a new framework based on life-value. It traces the legacy of John Locke’s social contract and property theory, illustrating how these ideas have contributed to ecological degradation and social…

[iammannyj]

Echoes of Jim Crow: When Progress Stalls and Segregation Whispers

It’s a chilling reality to witness the subtle, yet unmistakable, resurgence of policies that evoke the dark era of Jim Crow. Never did I imagine we’d find ourselves teetering on the edge of re-establishing a system of segregation.

As a Black Canadian, observing the United States, in particular, inch backward into a past that should remain buried is deeply unsettling. It forces me to confront difficult conversations with my family, conversations about the fragility of progress and the persistent specter of racial inequality. Click here to read more.

[kree8r0]

What do you think of Luigi Mangione?

This post is a response to a question initially posed on Quora, and can also be accessed via “https://luigimangione.quora.com/What-do-you-think-of-Luigi-Mangione-1“ This question cannot separate the person from the act that introduced the person to the world. The person and the act are now inseparable. No one can answer this question independently from knowing why he is known. What people think…

[taiwantalk]

abortion is an individual choice. not getting vaccinated because they believe it is an individual choice is belligerent and they should be sent far away from where, human civilizations, social contract is the minimum requirement to not live like a caveman.

[tjeromebaker]

Kimberly Latrice Jones #BLM Video Speech Transcript

Kimberly Latrice Jones released a video talking about the Black Lives Matter protests, inequality, and police brutality. Her video picked up popularity after it was shown to close out the June 7 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episode. Kimberly Jones: (00:07)So I’ve been seeing a lot of things, talking, people making commentary. Interestingly enough, the ones I’ve noticed that have been…

[astrolook]

🔮🧐Astro Observations - 2🧐🔮

Note: This post fits both the Western and Vedic system. Take what resonates and leave the rest. One placement or aspect cannot say much and the whole chart has to be analyzed to know further. Lemme know in the comments if any of these hit home!

People with 3rd lord in the 1st house are patriotic and proud of their ethnicity wherever they go. They would defend their country even if their country is in the wrong. These natives are proud of their language and you can identify which state/ city they come from with their slang. Attached to their hometown as well.

Alternatively, people with 9th lord in the 1st are patriotic to the country they settle in. Not their own. It doesn't mean they hate their country. They are always attracted to foreign cultures and naturally, they adopt and exhibit traits/ beauty standards that are common in the country they're fond of, even from a young age. When these people move to foreign lands, it's usually permanent and they won't come back. They would easily pass as a native of the country they settle as well - accent and clothing for example.

People with 9th lord in the 6th can travel a lot for work or stay abroad for work while their family lives back home. Ex: military, business trips, contract-based jobs like in the UAE, etc.

Saturn in 9th house people can be closed-minded or have conservative opinions when it comes to religion and politics. Their father would live a long life, at least would hit 75, if not afflicted by any malefics.

Moon in the 5th house can indicate someone who cooks well, irrespective of gender. It's also a good placement for food-related businesses - restaurants, selling food products, catering, etc. Also, these natives are usually blessed with daughters rather than sons. One thing I've noticed with this placement is that these people tend to have stretch marks on their belly. Don't get into arguments with these people when they're hungry. Angry + Hungry = Hangry.

People with Uranus in the 5th house crush on someone only to forget them a week or month later if they find out that their crush does something they don't like. Their attraction to people changes faster than a tornado changing its direction. Quick recovery from breakups too. Can let go in 30 seconds.

People with Uranus in the 2nd house earn money all at once and then nothing for months. Saving for the rainy day is important. Earnings can be inconsistent, but can earn well through speculative gains or tech-related gains. Ex: freelancers, youtubers, streamers, news hosts, ISPs, tech services, reddit mods, programmers, actors, producers, anything media related, etc.

Having planets like Jupiter or Venus in the 8th house is beneficial for longevity for your spouse and also attaining wealth through marriage. If your spouse's chart has malefics pointing to a shorter life span, after marrying you, their life gets an extension for a few more decades sponsored by the Universe, a gift you give to your spouse. Also, if your spouse is prone to diseases or illness or accidents before marrying you, your 8th house will save them and assure sound health and recovery.

Mars in the 12th house people can achieve in sports or jobs that require physical labor or activity - military, karate, any sport, gym coach, mechanical/civil/ aircraft engineer, etc in foreign lands. Yes, they would be recognized for their talent in foreign lands.

Saturn Rx in the 11th house people often find friends later in life or none at all. Betrayal from their social circle is a theme here. These natives get along with strangers better online than with people around them in reality.

Venus in the 6th house people, especially women, need to be careful while choosing a fellow woman as your friend. They might gossip or badmouth you behind your back and act like your bestie when you're around. Before being intimate with your partner, make sure you're taking precautions as you're hella fertile and also ask about your partner's medical history before, as this placement is prone to getting STDs and such. It can indicate someone who likes to spend money on handbags and other accessories, and they might even have a collection of it.

Women with Venus in Virgo give cat girl energy. They love cats and if they had enough money to own a pet, they would happily choose a cat as their pet. Even though Venus is debilitated here, these women still carry a "sexy librarian look". With glasses, these women would look hot. This also indicates that their wardrobe would be dominated by certain colors, usually their favorite colors and you won't see a colorful collection. They even dislike certain colors if they're too dark or too light. Can be constipated at times. Food or skin allergies are a possibility. Sometimes people mistake these women for a Virgo ascendant. Yes, this one placement can dominate their entire look regardless of where it's placed. These natives wear makeup that would look so natural, you can't say whether they have their makeup on or not. These women aren't afraid of going out bare-faced.

✨🔍Wanna dive deeper into your chart's layers? 🌙💬 Check out my pinned post for pricing and more info 💫����

[no-passaran]

Spain lied about not selling weapons to Israel.

Even after October 7th, Spain has sold more than 1 million € of weapons to Israel. Norway and Finland make it possible.

In January, Spain made headlines word-wide when the government's Minister of Exteriors, José Manuel Albares (PSOE), claimed in Congress and later again in a radio interview that Spain had stopped selling weapons to Israel ever since October 7th. Israel's intensification of violence in Gaza following October 7th meant that, on top of decades of apartheid and ethnic cleansing, between October 7th and January 23rd Israel had already killed 28,000 people and forced 2 million out of their home. In this context, many people were demanding their governments stop arming and funding the genocide of the Palestinian people, and here on Tumblr and other social media sites like Twitter I think we all saw the many posts praising the Spanish government for this.

Well, it turns out it was a lie.

According to Albares, "Since October 7th there are no more weapons exportations [from Spain] to Israel". But in November alone, Spain exported weapons to Israel for 987,000€, as was published on the Spanish Government's official website dedicated to exterior commerce (Comex). A researcher from Centre Delàs (an independent centre for peace studies) found it and published it, and it has also been verified by newspapers such as elDiario.es.

This 987,000€ worth of weapons in November was not the only ammunition that Spain has sent to Israel in 2023. In 2023, Spain exported a total of 1.48 million € in war material to Israel.

All of the weapons sent in November come from the factory of Nammo Palencia (Castilla y León), a corporation that is 50% property of the Government of Norway and 50% owned by a public Finnish business. However, even if the owners are foreigners, the ammunition was sent from Spain and thus it had to be authorized by the an organism of the Spanish Government named Junta Interministerial de Defensa y Doble Uso, whose deliberations on whether a weapons exportation is accepted or denied are kept secret. The only cases where they have denied exporting weapons to Israel have been when they thought that Israel would re-sell these weapons to the Philippines.

Spain has had a close relation with Israel for years. As published by the Spanish Government, Spain has sold 20 million € of weapons to Israel between 2012 and 2022. Spain also buys weapons and military software from Israel (for example, the Spanish Intelligence Service has been using the Israeli software Pegasus to illegally spy on Catalan activists, journalists, politicians and civil society members and their relatives to attack the Catalan independence movement), and Spain has continued buying from Israel and allocating defense contracts to Israel even after the October 7th attacks. It is very difficult to track the concessions of public contracts such as buying weapons, but some contracts have been known. For example, on November 24th 2023, Spain bought 287.5 million € of missiles from Israel. This is not unusual: between 2011 and 2021, it is publicly known that Spain bought war material from Israel for at least 268 million €, but experts say that the real number could be two or three times as much.

Spain has also continued allocating concessions to Israel. For example, on December 15th 2023 Spain allocated a contract worth over 576 million € to Israel for a rocket launcher programme. On November 22nd, Spain allocated another another Israeli company to provide missiles for 237 million € at the same time as the Spanish army bought Israeli inhibitors for 1.4 million €. The very next day, November 23rd, Spain signed another military allocation to Israel for 82,600€. The following week, Spain signed yet another allocation with a different Israeli military corporation for 3.7 million €.

Spain also allows Israeli weapon manufacturing companies to produce weapons through their branches located in Spain. This way, Israeli weapons make their way to markets with which Israel doesn't have diplomatic ties but Spain does, like Saudi Arabia. And since Spain is a member of NATO, Israeli weapons produced in Spain are approved according to NATO standards and access it easily. In the same way, these Israeli weapons manufacturers also access European Union defense funds through their branches in Spain. (source).

As I said, I saw a lot of positive posts around when Albares said Spain was going to embargo, but I haven't seen any post about how they didn't do it. I also (personally) haven't seen anything on international media, and barely anything on Spanish media, which is already busy with the PSOE covid material corruption scandal. So I share this in the hope of helping put pressure on Spain to cut all ties with Israel immediately.

SHAME ON EVERYONE WHO GIVES ISRAEL THE MATERIAL AND MONEY THAT WILL BE USED TO MASSACRE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. SHAME ON SPAIN, NORWAY, AND FINLAND.

[bisquid]

I love how they made sure to specify that it was the fancy house that made the request, presumably to imply that the inhabitants were Rich and Entitled and therefore Undeserving of basic courtesy.

As though anyone rich enough for that description by itself to be a moral judgement would be living on that street, and having a backyard wedding, no less.

But no, a politely worded and simple request was not only ignored but actively denied, presumably because sabotaging your neighbours' wedding day was more attractive to that person than engaging their brain. And then people have been cheering them on! As if you wouldn't be calling them self entitled assholes for mowing their lawn on a Sunday, or the Thursday afternoon when you're having a nap, or...

Like...

It's always fascinating to me when ostensibly leftist Americans (and it is almost invariably Americans) respond to any request or invitation to participate in a community with furious offence. "I am a leftist and I fully believe in social responsibility and community support and mutual aid! What do you mean you'd appreciate it if I didn't play my tiktok feed over my phone speakers in a public place! I have rights!"

sorry but in my opinion this is so rude