Consisting of the Musings of a Disordered Mind
QUOTE OF THE WEEK - "The moral paradigm of Austrlian society in 2005 dictates that the rich are, in fact, more deserving than the rest of us. This worldview, of US origin like much in our society, is based on the attempts of the Franco-Swiss theologian John Calvin to provide a respectably Christian justification for aggressive capitalism. Dismissing the "Camel and the Eye of the Needle," Calvin asserted that being wealthy is not merely NOT a barrier to salvation, but a sign of Divine Favour, an indication that the well-heeled have evinced great virtue by being energetic in accumulating the necessities of life and restrained in defraying the resources thus gathered. Moreover, since virtue is its own reward, affluence derived from the virtues of industry and thrift attracts more affluence, and so the wealthier people are, the "better" they are in moral terms. Of course the converse is also true - the poor "deserve" to be poor because they have not worked hard enough or saved enough. So, don't blame "the system," girls and boys - it's YOUR fault if you can't find a job, or afford adequate health-care." - N Wilkinson