17 Comments
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Nadine's avatar

Mind blowing perspective 🤯 👏🏼

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Baird Brightman's avatar

Thanks for reading and commenting Nadine!

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Neela 🌶️'s avatar

You make a particularly compelling point about how power itself isn't inherently good or bad - it's a tool whose impact depends entirely on who wields it and how. But there's an important nuance here: power tends to change those who hold it. Even someone who starts with good intentions can be gradually transformed by the experience of wielding power over others. This is why systems of checks and balances are so important.

Another good read Baird.

Happy New Week.

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Baird Brightman's avatar

Such a good point Neela. Power brings out the narcissism in all of us. Oversight and term limits are a must.

Hope you enjoyed the film clip of the puffed up CEO!

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Neela 🌶️'s avatar

I did, but honestly, I see this too often lol

I am changing this in 2025 Baird.

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William McGimpsey's avatar

And Adam Smith also sounds like a communist. Maybe the New GOP should get some new heroes - oh, yeah our president-elect is their hero. Better than Lincoln - he was loser.

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Michael's avatar

Why, Lincoln sounds like a communist! How dare you all disparage our consumers' paradise (for after all, citizenship is a passé idea). We shouldn't ever question the corporate state with its two-tier society, the highest achievement of human evolution! Yes, I know.. Lincoln would never dream of voting for our soon to be Maximum Leader. But that's because he's from the pre-corporate era- practically a bone-gnawing caveman! In closing, let me quote Weatherford: "Of all the forms of money, slavery proved to be one of the least reliable because of their high mortality rate and their tendency to escape.". Not so, now! There is no place to escape to! We, your corporate masters have achieved total control of the masses at last! Kneel!

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Baird Brightman's avatar

Don't hold back Michael. Tell us how you really feel! 😉

(Nothing like a good snarky rant to free the soul, right?!)

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Michael's avatar

I hope it was as good for you as it was for me! 😉

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Baird Brightman's avatar

It was! 👌

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Julie Benezet's avatar

Network is an encapsulating film. If only they'd re-release it. Better yet, they re-release it and people watch it.

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Baird Brightman's avatar

The Ministry of Good Think is already deciding which movies will get funded/made in the next few years ...

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William McGimpsey's avatar

Peter Finch, Ned Beatty, Bill Holden, Faye Dunaway. One of the best movies and movie casts ever made. Not sure that the corporations would let that movie be made now.

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Baird Brightman's avatar

Yes, a scary amount of talent packed into one film! It was made just a few years before another movie actor was elected US president and moved the center of political and economic gravity back to its "normal" setting.

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William McGimpsey's avatar

'Labour was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased. ' Adam Smith

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Baird Brightman's avatar

Thanks for adding that just right quote Grant! Labor, first and foremost.

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Michael's avatar

As my Wobbly forebears said, "Nothing's too good for the working class.". Unfortunately those soon coming to power have rewritten that to "Nothing is all the workers are worth."

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