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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 25, 2023

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Just look at how much damage the perception of such immunity has done to American politics.

Perception of immunity only happens when there's actual immunity. If there was a true system of personal responsibility, that would be great, near-ideal. But since there isn't, immunity and special privileges should be distributed outside the elite.

Even if we don't call it a class, class is still there. In the US, there are the Harvard and Stanford people, people with connections.

And isn't there this whole cult of veteranhood in the US, how soldiers get discounts on certain goods? Don't they get cheaper education and preferences in employment, in some places? Isn't there Veteran's Day, (like we have ANZAC day)? It seems like they're a class with positive privileges. I simply propose the negative privilege of not having the predominant, load-bearing echelon be harassed or insulted by their leaders.

A man does not have himself killed for a half pence a day or for a petty distinction. You must speak to the soul in order to electrify him.

Napoleon is right IMO. Soldiers aren't just an economic product, they need some kind of ideal to fight for. If there's one lesson from the Middle East, it's that money is secondary to will. The hatred, fanaticism and self-confidence of the Taliban overcame our firepower and funding.