Friday, July 12, 2013
Gresham's Law Applied to American Institutions
Gresham's Law stated in its simplest form is: "Bad money drives out good".
Although this is a maxim from economics, there is overwhelming evidence that Gresham's Law has far wider application. It its simplest form "Bad actors drive out good."
Bad elements springing up in or inserted into anything – society, governments, neighborhoods, student bodies, families – drive out the good. And that can only be attributable to the individuals who pursue deviations that lead to the decadence. For Gresham's Law applies also to the way attributes of the individual may change as he goes through life, affecting character, integrity, perseverance, courage – really an endless list where there can be chinks in his armor.
Wherever man forms groupings, even where strictures have been put in place to prevent decadence, it appears that debasement only can be forestalled. Some groups will succumb sooner than later. And if any one of those earlier groups already has, or can garner just the right kind of power, they will – in keeping with Gresham's Law – accelerate the collapse of other groupings. It is done it by seeing to it that both criminal and civil law, and merely the threat of great expense, are used to compel the removal of restrictions that protected the longer-lasting institutions.
You name the once prestigious and honorable institution staffed by man, and you don't need to be a cynic to see how far it has wandered or been torn away from its stated goal.
And there, my friends, is how America got to where she is today.
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All parasites. there's a parasite called Leucochloridium paradoxum that infests snails. It grows inside their heads, controls their brains to make them climb to within reach of birds, who eat them, and spread the eggs in their birdshit. The parallels are uncanny
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/EWB_COSUXMw
Malthus would have loved Leucochloridium paradoxum. It makes the host spread it's evil by committing suicide.
Thank you Og. I will undoubtedly make use of this extended version of Gresham's Law to warn of the dangers from those whose moral perspective, a product of Neo-Malthusian indoctrination, is diametrically opposed to this country's founding principles and especially to the individual's fundamental right to life.
DeleteSimplest form: There goes the neighborhood!
ReplyDeleteWe already have Og's parasite in place. With the all but total corruption of our educational system, the media (print, radio, and tv), and the majority of at least the state and federal government (and associated agents and agencies), the "hosts", when presented with facts and or logic, are prevented from accepting or absorbing same...by the parasite residing inside them...hence the resounding "LA LA LA LA LA, I can't hear you!!" and or the muffled version of same coming from their heads planted up their a...err...in the sand.
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, this is why we are now at the point where trying to convert or save same is an exercise in futility...they are already infected...it is too late.
Guy S.
Guy, in light of your comment, please read my post on Zombies.
ReplyDeletehttp://ed-bonderenka.blogspot.com/2013/07/zombies.html
Pascal made some comments there.
I see Gresham's law as a confirmation of the lack of character existent in today's world. While certainly true as you describe it, we were warned about what would happen when you educate a man of low moral character. Gresham's law proves this point from my perspective.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. What has immensely contributed to society's decline is seen in that lack of character. I hope you see the paradox in my short description of Gresham. Bad actors driving out good is because the bad actors were good at acting hurt when accused of nefarious intent. That acting ability allowed them to persevere against those who witnessed their bad actions but could not prove it sufficiently to those who had to decide who to remove from further advancement. Those in authority who meant well may have infrequently judged incorrectly which was the bad person: the accusers or the accused. Invariably the bad persons knew who each other was and could live with them, even if adversaries, because each had the dirt on the other. But with good people who were wrongly removed, they were simply cast out.
DeleteOver time, such miscarriages have got to add up to the decline of the institutions. Hence, whatever institution man creates will always be subject to such declines, because man is not sufficiently omniscient to judge correctly each and every time.
In my younger years I could not understand why people looked to the Divine level in order to pray for ultimate justice. Human experience proves we simply are going to be gradually whittled away from keeping just institutions as I just laid out in summary.
edit to add
DeleteThose in authority who meant well may have infrequently judged incorrectly which was the bad person: the accusers or the accused. [But it was and is never infrequently enough.] Invariably...