It's the Demography, Stupid

[William Joyce]

Mark Steyn is a pretty dedicated neocon, but this article slips over into some "forbidden" issues:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110007760

Not a bad read, actually, and sorry if someone else has posted this before (I think Kathianne might have). Worth another look.

Nice chunk:

The progressive agenda--lavish social welfare, abortion, secularism, multiculturalism--is collectively the real suicide bomb. Take multiculturalism. The great thing about multiculturalism is that it doesn't involve knowing anything about other cultures--the capital of Bhutan, the principal exports of Malawi, who cares? All it requires is feeling good about other cultures. It's fundamentally a fraud, and I would argue was subliminally accepted on that basis. Most adherents to the idea that all cultures are equal don't want to live in anything but an advanced Western society. Multiculturalism means your kid has to learn some wretched native dirge for the school holiday concert instead of getting to sing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" or that your holistic masseuse uses techniques developed from Native American spirituality, but not that you or anyone you care about should have to live in an African or Native American society. It's a quintessential piece of progressive humbug.

 

[Mr.Conley]

The reason No ideology wants you to know what the capital of Bhutan (Thimphu) is because its the most useless peace of information of all time. The only time anyone has asked me about Thimphu (or Bhutan) was in a geography bee finals. For all intents and purposes it just a province of India. Its the most isolated, backwater country in the world. They have no real exports and they're so backwater they want to stay that way. Even though the king is trying, actually trying, to change the government from hereditary monarchy to a parliamentary democracy the people won't let him.

Anyway, I find multiculuralism isn't such a terrible thing. Societies that are open to other people and ideas can adapt the good from those other cultures to improve themselves. There is a lot that is good about our country, but we could also benefit from other cultures, especially the Chinese ( Who are Chinese first, Chinese second, Chinese third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and Communist maybe 73rd) Other cultures could also benefit from us, especially if we are more open to them and allow a greater exchange of culture

 

[nosarcasm]

in the world of Hearts of Iron this is critical information.

 

[Mr.Conley]

in the world of Hearts of Iron this is critical information.

Hearts of Iron is good, but I prefer Civilization 4. I think it a better simulation. HoI is just conquer, conquer, and conquer some more because if you don't than someone will conquer you. Civ has a nonwar side, although the diplimacy options are a bit limited.

 

[William Joyce]

Anyway, I find multiculuralism isn't such a terrible thing.

That's because you're in all-white Cambridge where "multiculturalism" is the cute ethnic restaurant around the corner.

 

[USMCDevilDog]

Thought it's not modern times, try out Rome: Total War. That game is very very good on political and war issues, I love that game.

 

[Mr.Conley]

Thought it's not modern times, try out Rome: Total War. That game is very very good on political and war issues, I love that game.

I live for Rome: Total War

I'll respond to Willim Joyce later, when I have less work.

 

[Hobbit]

Thought it's not modern times, try out Rome: Total War. That game is very very good on political and war issues, I love that game.

I LOVE Rome: Total War (but I suck at the expansion), and yes, it's good at handling the issues. Check it out. When a city is incorporated into your empire (usually through conquest), the biggest source of dissent is going to be...cultural differences. Eventually, the people of the town will assimilate, eliminating the problem. Now, imagine if, due to a bunch of lobbyists, those penalties never went away. Actually, don't. It will give you a massive headache.