The "not invented here" syndrome

Say goodnight, Gracie! :-)

H

Man! You guys must be really OLD!

:)

I thought it was and that was why I posted it. It's one point of view about where revenge can lead a body that is worth considering in any context.

Punishing criminal behavior serves the legitimate interests of any state but this is highly questionable when the crimes involved are not commited against or in that state. There just isn't a legitimate interest and in the international policy arena, no interest means not bothering except perhaps to distance ones self. International policy that boils down to proactive policing is a complete waste of resources and as we can all see, may have unintended consequences.

There isn't anything wrong with the death penalty. The difficulty is in accurately (not fairly) ascertaining the courts finding of guilt. That's the problem.

Hell, yes, we're old. But you're old enough to know what we were talking about, heh, heh....d8-)

-- Ed Huntress

Dang!

I just saw reruns......When I was very young. :)

Nobody watches reruns of the Burns and Allen show on purpose. It must have been punishment for something you did that was really bad.

-- Ed Huntress

Very nice, but he could do with fewer adjectives. It turns a powerful insight into a melodrama.

If I were going to answer it I would try a Nietzschean unraveling of "sublimation." I tend to agree with Nietzsche that it makes us spiritually sick. Those atavistic impulses, anti-social as they may be, are denied only at considerable risk to our mental health.

However, he's nailed the appeal of Coulter and Limbaugh right between the eyes. I just don't think he has Dubya quite right. Like a character from Shakespeare, he's simpleminded on the surface, but the mess that boils within is not so simple.

We could use more intelligent essays like this one to understand what's going on. But we need more of them, from different angles.

-- Ed Huntress

The adage: "Revenge is a dish best served cold" would seem to apply.

Get the emotion out of it, then rationally consider whether it will accomplish any good. Most of the time, I'd say, it won't.

I'm beginning to think _everything_ can have unintended consequences. Handling them is the real test of a government, military, whatever. Some folks think Iraq's UTs are being handled well. Others disagree, and the debate can get pretty (AHEM) robust at times.:)

Agreed. When killing someone is under consideration, I want every possible doubt removed. If there can be any "reasonable"* doubt, don't.

*That the accused could have been under thought control from alien invaders, the Gubmint, ZOG, De Debbil, etc. don't seem to be "reasonable" doubts. :)

Unusual? Yes. But not intentionally vengeful, just thinking of some ways to make a prison stay something no reasoning being would _ever_ want to repeat. Of course, some prisoners wouldn't be _able_ to repeat.

Being stuck by oneself with no social contact or, worse, within one's own mind, for a time might be very convincing.

My favorites are still Outlawry and Coventry. If otherwise,leave them conscious, alive, and fully aware they have really screwed the pooch and a second time will be much, much worse.

Goodnight, Chet Goodnight, David. Goodnight, Goliath.

Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.

Heh!

I saw the original shows, and I wasn't "very young"------although Ed was.

Harold

Blink. Blink.------How so? That was some of the finest humor, without any vulgarity, that one could ask to watch. Great stuff------

Or am I just showing my years? :-)

Harold

Well thank you Ed. You are exactly correct. I'm not into converting anyone. The measure of strenght in any endeavor is the ability to pause. The measure of ignorance is a rush to be active. Being able to move quickly is important but when you grow up you realize that setting the pace counts for something as well.

Cause we are lazy and vindictive Ed. What other reason would there be?

Yeah! You know, somehow society has lost sight of the fact that we used to regard prisons as a penal institution. Sort of reaping the reward the criminal has earned. We've turned prison into a vacation for the vast majority of these guys---weight rooms, great food, color TV, and all the time they need to compare notes in order to become even better criminals. Stay in prison should be something that leaves such a bad taste in one's mouth that they would go far out of their way to avoid repeating past behavior, in order to avoid returning.

Frankly, I don't get it. Society provides more protection to and for criminals than it does for upstanding, law abiding citizens. This whole damned system is badly broken.

Harold

Very subtle torture it is, too, John.

I wonder how many people have really thought about why we punish criminals?

Agreed! And that's its value in today's society. Showing folks that there is a more gentle way---we can laugh without vulgarity, without such bullshit shows as the current "reality" shows, that have nothing, even remotely, to do with reality. Our society is sick----and getting sicker. We need things that bring a smile without heavy implications.

, that I wouldn't watch it now except for

Yep-----and weep for the loss to society of kinder, more gentle days.

I really miss the 50's------and can only imagine how nice it might have been to have lived during the swing era, a time of ultra-polite music.

Sigh!

Harold

Yes.

It was good humor. But it was so broad, and so obviously the product of a more innocent and naive time, that I wouldn't watch it now except for nostalgia's sake.

-- Ed Huntress

And why do we mete out life-long punishments for serious crimes, John? Why do you support the death penalty (as I do, in principle, if not in practice)?