tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post5004255197992421164..comments2024-02-26T00:59:26.907-08:00Comments on Ana the Imp: The Rise of the MorlocksAnastasia F-Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-31720158846677399722012-03-13T16:35:00.338-07:002012-03-13T16:35:00.338-07:00Ah, Dennis, you should have been in London last su...Ah, Dennis, you should have been in London last summer!Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-79106386853852291562012-03-13T06:14:10.610-07:002012-03-13T06:14:10.610-07:00Sociology is a perfectly respectable academic disc...Sociology is a perfectly respectable academic discipline. The problem is that, like philosophy, it attracts hordes of charlatans and what George Orwell called "shrieking poseurs", from both the political left and right. Even the opinions expressed in this post are just that...opinions, to be accepted or rejected depending on pre-existing opinions. The problems of an industrial underclass are real, but the diagnosis is overly simplistic.Dennis Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409579380626581592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-62123739455486040062012-03-08T16:00:01.162-08:002012-03-08T16:00:01.162-08:00No Rolex on the rates. :-)No Rolex on the rates. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-44295068695253392072012-03-08T15:59:20.994-08:002012-03-08T15:59:20.994-08:00Nicely put, Chris.Nicely put, Chris.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-47497799903512216912012-03-08T15:57:01.003-08:002012-03-08T15:57:01.003-08:00Very true.Very true.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-61423457609728411192012-03-08T08:56:48.842-08:002012-03-08T08:56:48.842-08:00If you look back at the establishment of the Union...If you look back at the establishment of the Union workhouse system in the 1830s, you will see that although it was a national scheme, it was operated and financed locally. Everyone paid the Poor Rate and knew who the poor were. I expect there were people who wanted immediate effortless gratification; there was just no one willing to pay for it.Michael J McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15420031175369432868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-36876165203942353882012-03-07T18:40:44.031-08:002012-03-07T18:40:44.031-08:00There is a reason why the Declaration of Independe...There is a reason why the Declaration of Independence identifies 'the pursuit of happiness' as an unalienable right, not its attainment. What socialists fail to understand is that no one can pursue it for another.Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10640148105202971907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-49463508287128240122012-03-07T15:38:39.189-08:002012-03-07T15:38:39.189-08:00Michael, your observations are consistent with ple...Michael, your observations are consistent with plenty of empirical research that shows the dynamism of individual experiences in a healthy economy and society--at all levels. In other words, many of the individuals in the top 5% economically were not in the top 5% last year, and won't be in the top 5% again next year, and the same is true of the bottom 5% and all levels in between. <br /><br />People have good years and bad years, and they migrate up and down the economic levels accordingly . . . the social (and ultimately political) problems start when rigidity sets in and the top economic group successfully prevents new entrants from joining them / displacing them (but often in the context of an overall rise in national income and wealth--viz. look how many more billionaires there are today versus 30 years ago, even taking inflation into account) and successfully preserves their position by preventing others from prospering, and conversely the question posed to Murray, which may be happening in the US, the UK and elseswhere: when the bottom economic group becomes a static, perennial underclass of the same individuals (weeded out, sadly, by early death, incarceration, hospitalisation, etc.) who never enter the workforce after being a student, or bounce back from losing a job, an illness, or a divorce--the main reasons for a dramatic fall in the income of an individual--and adopt a lifestyle based upon not working and funding themselves through government support, handouts from family and romantic partners, or crime . . .Chris Coffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16599801901347194290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-66703692911279550092012-03-07T15:22:14.929-08:002012-03-07T15:22:14.929-08:00One of Biblical wisdom, Michael. The thing is, th...One of Biblical wisdom, Michael. The thing is, though, in the past the poor were part of society and people were, by their own efforts, able to improve their conditions. Now the underclass seek immediate gratification by no effort at all.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-91491773621079742142012-03-07T15:18:52.104-08:002012-03-07T15:18:52.104-08:00Yes, Bob, it's always the case. The left does...Yes, Bob, it's always the case. The left does not deal in truth but presuppositions.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-73546188519831291492012-03-07T15:17:22.815-08:002012-03-07T15:17:22.815-08:00That's very kind of you, Anthony. Thanks. :-...That's very kind of you, Anthony. Thanks. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-83505310058783686462012-03-07T05:02:36.657-08:002012-03-07T05:02:36.657-08:00My hobby is researching my family history. My anc...My hobby is researching my family history. My ancestors were all at the bottom of the pile which has led me to some background reading. Since the reign of Henry II there have been dozens if not hundreds of Acts of Parliament regulating "The Poor". Many of them were designed to solve problems caused by previous Acts. I would guess that the percentage of the really poor has remained constant; although the actors are changing all the time. Even if we shot the bottom 10% of the population, there would soon be replacements.<br /><br />I have no answers - just an observation.Michael J McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15420031175369432868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-1789383898248005702012-03-06T23:38:18.646-08:002012-03-06T23:38:18.646-08:00The left hates Murray because he deals in cold, ha...The left hates Murray because he deals in cold, hard numbers---facts, in other words, things that cause the average progressive to begin frothing at the mouth & spewing invective at whoever has the temerity to brandish them. Like Count Dracula when confronted with a rope of Van Helsing's garlic.Bob Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13452703873713992208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-1319213853114438052012-03-06T17:02:45.294-08:002012-03-06T17:02:45.294-08:00You can emigrate to the States as you will have mo...You can emigrate to the States as you will have more places to hide until you are eventually consumed. No, you will be extended sanctuary in my tribe.anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02931330128135957439noreply@blogger.com