Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

ruggedjackal46 said:Oh, come on now, 🤣

First off, ecology doesn't give a damn about national borders. The causes of environmental disasters aren't tied to whatever specific country they happen in, and nature isn't particularly concerned with the political system of the community it’s about to ruin. Glaciers don't melt just because someone at the North Pole is being messy; it’s not localized to just the polar regions.

And if we want to talk about strictly local environmental conditions, things are usually at their worst where capitalist manufacturing has been kicked out of the neighborhood. It’s pretty easy for Germany to enjoy crisp, clean air when all their heavy industry was outsourced to China.

I used to worry about the environment a bit, I guess, but then I had this realization... basically, who cares about ecology as long as things don't go totally south while I'm still breathing? After that, honestly, the planet can go straight to hell for all I care. Even if most people think differently—and hey, they probably wouldn't act the way they do if they didn't think that way—whatever.
Our grandparents felt the same way, though I guess they were more eco-conscious since they’d occasionally give their bodies back to Mother Earth as much biological material as she needed. Anyway, you made a good point at the end, except even in Germany, they're breathing dirty air. They're arguably one of the biggest polluters in Europe and huge globally too. The only thing they're actually good at when it comes to the environment is talking big.
Their plans to cut down emissions always seem to fall apart because they'll probably see an increase again this year. Plus, I don't really get what they'd achieve by cutting back if developing nations just make up for it tenfold. Developing countries aren't gonna slow down their growth just because they're worried about how much gas they're pumping into the atmosphere.
It's just these pressures being pushed on them by developed nations that are massive polluters themselves. I've noticed that the biggest polluters are usually the biggest hypocrites, except maybe for the US under Trump, who just openly says what everyone else is thinking: he just doesn't give a crap.
When I hear Chinese officials talking about how much they're investing in green tech, and there's all this debate over how much money is actually going into it and how much they "care" about the future, I just want to start screaming.🤣 They say they care, but they're planning to ramp up emissions through 2030. Honestly, it's kind of funny hearing these "green" types talk about how humans are going to save the planet. Such arrogance, right? Like the planet needs our help to survive. It's been through way worse than us, and if we try to lecture it, it'll just shake us off like a dog shakes off fleas. We "saving the planet"? If a massive asteroid heads our way, the only thing we could do is pray.

Well, I was just sitting here waiting for the inevitable "ivory tower" argument to surface.

God, these battle-hardened capitalists and seasoned practitioners think they know it all, 🙏🙏 as if they’re all running massive conglomerates in some idealized version of the American Dream.

If you tell them eight times in a row that nobody wants more government interference, they’ll still act shocked the ninth time someone suggests it. One has to wonder if people with that kind of cognitive flexibility are actually in demand in the job market.🙏🙏

By the way, we didn't even officially abolish slavery here in the States until the 19th century.

Anthony Jackson2 said:Privatization isn't some magic bullet—it’s not penicillin, and it won't fix society overnight. Look at the private colleges here in the States—can you name one that actually holds its own against a major state university? Not a single one. They all just focus on making it easy to pass—leaking exam questions and lowering standards to turn a profit. But hey, as long as they're private, I guess it's a win. 🙏

Honestly, if you ask me, that one specific school is easily the best college in the country, based on everything my buddies and coworkers who graduated from there have told me.

Sandra Johnson58 said:I used to worry about the environment a bit, I guess, but then I had this realization... basically, who cares about ecology as long as things don't go totally south while I'm still breathing? After that, honestly, the planet can go straight to hell for all I care. Even if most people think differently—and hey, they probably wouldn't act the way they do if they didn't think that way—whatever.
Our grandparents felt the same way, though I guess they were more eco-conscious since they’d occasionally give their bodies back to Mother Earth as much biological material as she needed. Anyway, you made a good point at the end, except even in Germany, they're breathing dirty air. They're arguably one of the biggest polluters in Europe and huge globally too. The only thing they're actually good at when it comes to the environment is talking big.
Their plans to cut down emissions always seem to fall apart because they'll probably see an increase again this year. Plus, I don't really get what they'd achieve by cutting back if developing nations just make up for it tenfold. Developing countries aren't gonna slow down their growth just because they're worried about how much gas they're pumping into the atmosphere.
It's just these pressures being pushed on them by developed nations that are massive polluters themselves. I've noticed that the biggest polluters are usually the biggest hypocrites, except maybe for the US under Trump, who just openly says what everyone else is thinking: he just doesn't give a crap.
When I hear Chinese officials talking about how much they're investing in green tech, and there's all this debate over how much money is actually going into it and how much they "care" about the future, I just want to start screaming.🤣 They say they care, but they're planning to ramp up emissions through 2030. Honestly, it's kind of funny hearing these "green" types talk about how humans are going to save the planet. Such arrogance, right? Like the planet needs our help to survive. It's been through way worse than us, and if we try to lecture it, it'll just shake us off like a dog shakes off fleas. We "saving the planet"? If a massive asteroid heads our way, the only thing we could do is pray.

Unfortunately, I suppose things are exactly as you described them. It seems impossible for it to be any other way, since on one hand, everything feels geared toward increasing consumption, yet on the other, there's all this talk about conservation. They feel totally contradictory to me, and honestly, who cares about the rhinos.

Sure, let’s be honest—most private colleges in this country feel like a total joke. But does that actually matter in the real world? Not really. Once you hit the job market, people find out pretty quickly who actually has the skills and who was just coasting. It's the performance that counts! However, when you're dealing with massive government bureaucracies, that's a different story entirely. In those huge institutions, what you actually learned often takes a backseat to whether or not you have a piece of paper to check a box. Isn't it frustrating how much it comes down to just having the right credentials to land a government gig?

Zz: We aren't talking about slavery here; we're talking about feudalism. And if you want to get technical about the timeline, even in the States, those old structures weren't truly dismantled until the latter half of the 19th century—whereas in China, they didn't really vanish until well into the 20th.

brightpilot6 said:Well, I was just sitting here waiting for the inevitable "ivory tower" argument to surface.

God, these battle-hardened capitalists and seasoned practitioners think they know it all, 🙏🙏 as if they’re all running massive conglomerates in some idealized version of the American Dream.

If you tell them eight times in a row that nobody wants more government interference, they’ll still act shocked the ninth time someone suggests it. One has to wonder if people with that kind of cognitive flexibility are actually in demand in the job market.🙏🙏

By the way, we didn't even officially abolish slavery here in the States until the 19th century.

Look, the truth is that feudalism ended back in 1848, and regardless of how people spin it, that was basically just another version of slavery. Plus, debt bondage has been a thing in Europe since Rome fell. Let's be real, we probably would've been slave owners too if we had the power, but we didn't, so we were the ones being enslaved instead. Regarding this whole debate, I think there's definitely some major miscommunication happening here.😁 Anyway, slaves wouldn't exactly agree that Americans are peaceful; it's more like we're passive until you actually force us to move. Americans were known as dangerous soldiers during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and various other conflicts. We've also been a huge factor in suppressing uprisings in places like Italy or Canada. And yeah, we have to mention the darkest chapters of our history, because let's face it, even our own side during certain eras wasn't exactly composed of saints😁. We aren't really that different from any other nations in Europe, just like they aren't that different from us. Ken made a great point about how companies from those "perfect" places where there's zero corruption can adapt to the cheating and shady dealings over here in a heartbeat. I know this firsthand because I worked with foreign contractors on railroad projects in the US, and man, they adjusted to dealing with the local scammers incredibly fast. Honestly, you just have to look at what companies from those "moral strongholds" in Europe do in Africa to see the pattern clearly.

Justin James10 said:Zz: We aren't talking about slavery here; we're talking about feudalism. And if you want to get technical about the timeline, even in the States, those old structures weren't truly dismantled until the latter half of the 19th century—whereas in China, they didn't really vanish until well into the 20th.

But man, it still exists in China today.☕

But let’s be honest, we weren't exactly special when it came to abolishing feudalism; almost every country across the West was moving in that same direction during that era.

To top it off, if you look at places like the coastal regions of the South, classic feudalism never even truly took root there.

So, really, that just isn't a valid excuse.

Justin James10 said:Sure, let’s be honest—most private colleges in this country feel like a total joke. But does that actually matter in the real world? Not really. Once you hit the job market, people find out pretty quickly who actually has the skills and who was just coasting. It's the performance that counts! However, when you're dealing with massive government bureaucracies, that's a different story entirely. In those huge institutions, what you actually learned often takes a backseat to whether or not you have a piece of paper to check a box. Isn't it frustrating how much it comes down to just having the right credentials to land a government gig?

I mean, maybe they are, or maybe they aren't. I guess you could argue that high schools in America are kind of useless too... like, my sister and younger brother didn't even want to deal with them because they couldn't stand the early mornings and the commute, so they ended up doing night school instead. She finished business school, and he did engineering, and both crushed it with great grades despite being surrounded by kids who were way ahead of them from those fancy prep schools. Now, they're both working in Germany making serious money. Basically, everything just comes down to the person, you know? Like, how much you're willing to grind and sacrifice, plus a little bit of luck, I suppose. So, realistically, you could graduate from a random community college and become a total boss, or you could totally fail—and honestly, the same goes for getting an economics degree from a big state university.

Sandra Johnson58 said:Maybe economics is even less than a fifth of social life, but... I don't know, without a solid economy, all those other topics kind of become irrelevant. It's only because we live in these economically prosperous societies that we can even afford to debate these things as major issues instead of just passing comments.
Besides, the kind of perfect society you're dreaming of doesn't exist anywhere.☕ Even in places like Scandinavia, there are people who aren't fans of gay folks or who look at abortion or, you know, "freaks" with total disgust. Sure, the percentage is lower, but I think I read recently that in Sweden, like, a quarter of the population thinks abortion is immoral—they wouldn't ban it, obviously, but they clearly don't view it positively. And honestly, I doubt anyone's gonna stare at a woman after an abortion mostly because, let's be real, hardly any woman is gonna brag about something that’s probably pretty traumatic. Personally, I think women who have abortions are being stupid—not because of the act itself, but because they let themselves get into a situation where they have to risk their health with such an aggressive process that leaves lasting effects. And for those who do go through it, I'd almost say they shouldn't reproduce so they don't pollute the gene pool with their stupidity. I mean, imagine being in the 21st century in a Western country having multiple abortions when you have access to every single type of birth control out there. As for everything else... most people don't give a damn, but there will always be those little groups of people who judge you and throw shade, so I guess my advice is just to get used to it. People used to give me crap because I'm tall, stocky, and have red hair, but I just laugh it off and move on. Like that old saying goes: it doesn't matter what's said, it matters who's saying it. My sister actually lives and works in Germany, and she has this coworker there who constantly asks her when she's getting married since she has a boyfriend. Just to be clear, the coworker is German.

I’m totally on board with that, though I’d argue that all those other topics actually become even more important when you have a solid economy, rather than becoming irrelevant.
Because look, when people are actually thriving and living well, they don't give a damn about identity politics or whether someone is Black, gay, a punk, or a trans woman—all that stuff just fades into the background when everyone's got food on the table and money in the bank.

Justin James10 said:But let’s be honest, we weren't exactly special when it came to abolishing feudalism; almost every country across the West was moving in that same direction during that era.

To top it off, if you look at places like the coastal regions of the South, classic feudalism never even truly took root there.

So, really, that just isn't a valid excuse.

I guess some countries ditched it earlier, but whatever. It didn't exist in those coastal areas because they were under the influence of the Venetian Republic—and honestly, just the name tells you everything you need to know about how they ran things. But even under them, people were being exploited like crazy; it just had a different name, I suppose.
European nations used to have slavery too, they just mostly kept it tucked away in their colonies, kind of like how today we use all this nasty industry that pollutes and trashes developing nations. It's basically out of sight, out of mind. I'm not saying we're any better or worse than anyone else, really... just that we're pretty much just like every other country in the West.

Jessica Gonzalez said:Nowadays, shifts in worldview happen incredibly fast, and I don't think our society is particularly backward or primitive. In fact, in some respects, we are quite civilized and advanced. For example, here, even after the war when everyone had weapons, we have very little gun crime today, and people voluntarily handed over rifles to the police whenever they could. Despite the horrific bloodshed in the North America during the 90s, there is almost no terrorism between the warring factions here now, which is nearly a phenomenon. Terrorism has occurred in the UK, Spain, Russia, and Germany, even though they had far fewer political problems and conflicts compared to the former America. But here, there is none after the war. Americans are actually a very peaceful people, perhaps too laid back and overly self-critical, maybe too afraid to clear out things that aren't working. Even demonstrations like the ones in Greece aren't really possible here because the people aren't violent. On the other hand, in America, where most modern fads start, the right to carry a weapon is as much a right as going to a bakery is for us. Slavery was abolished here back in the 12th century.

I won't even mention the riots with gas canisters on main streets or the clashes with police, nor the intense protests down by the waterfront. It's not that Americans aren't peaceful; it's just that this more aggressive segment of the population finds these chaotic situations useful for their own interests...

Justin James10 said:But let’s be honest, we weren't exactly special when it came to abolishing feudalism; almost every country across the West was moving in that same direction during that era.

To top it off, if you look at places like the coastal regions of the South, classic feudalism never even truly took root there.

So, really, that just isn't a valid excuse.

From what I recall, mountainous regions weren't considered part of those feudal estates, so plenty of people chose to live out in the Rockies or similar areas just to escape that whole peasant lifestyle...

Jessica Gonzalez said:I feel like everything should be privatized. I guess there isn't a single part of the economy that wouldn't benefit from it, including things like healthcare. Maybe even the education system would see some improvements if we had more private alternatives available.

We have to be extremely careful with healthcare, though, so we don't end up with an American model where those with money get treated while everyone else suffers in silence at home😁. We shouldn't change things that work; healthcare should maintain its social foundation, but we need to purge the corruption and politics and implement smart management instead...

I haven't really noticed education getting better just because of private business schools; it feels like it just resulted in more useless degrees being handed out...

restlesssurfer97 said:I’m totally on board with that, though I’d argue that all those other topics actually become even more important when you have a solid economy, rather than becoming irrelevant.
Because look, when people are actually thriving and living well, they don't give a damn about identity politics or whether someone is Black, gay, a punk, or a trans woman—all that stuff just fades into the background when everyone's got food on the table and money in the bank.

Maybe I phrased that a little weirdly. I mean, I agree that in places with a crappy economy—and usually a super inefficient government too—those issues are probably a lot more pressing than in rich, developed countries. In those spots, minority groups barely have any rights or protection, so they're usually the first ones getting screwed over when things go south because, well, they're minorities. What I was trying to say is... I guess people only really start worrying about marginalized rights once they're comfortable. Once people are doing okay, then having the freedom to be themselves and do whatever becomes a massive topic in society. That’s usually when those big social movements start popping up to fight for them. But on the flip side, in countries where you're just worried about surviving until tomorrow? Man, you don't care about those rights. You might even just join the mob and stone those people because they feel fake or just... I don't know, they just annoy you.😁.

Sandra Johnson58 said:I guess some countries ditched it earlier, but whatever. It didn't exist in those coastal areas because they were under the influence of the Venetian Republic—and honestly, just the name tells you everything you need to know about how they ran things. But even under them, people were being exploited like crazy; it just had a different name, I suppose.
European nations used to have slavery too, they just mostly kept it tucked away in their colonies, kind of like how today we use all this nasty industry that pollutes and trashes developing nations. It's basically out of sight, out of mind. I'm not saying we're any better or worse than anyone else, really... just that we're pretty much just like every other country in the West.

Let me let you in on a little secret: most colonies weren't actually profitable. 😉

That's why they eventually let them go. It wasn't some sudden burst of humanitarianism; it was simply that maintaining colonies became far too expensive.

Take Germany, for example. Out of all their overseas territories, only places like Togo or those small Pacific islands really made financial sense.

Sandra Johnson58 said:Maybe I phrased that a little weirdly. I mean, I agree that in places with a crappy economy—and usually a super inefficient government too—those issues are probably a lot more pressing than in rich, developed countries. In those spots, minority groups barely have any rights or protection, so they're usually the first ones getting screwed over when things go south because, well, they're minorities. What I was trying to say is... I guess people only really start worrying about marginalized rights once they're comfortable. Once people are doing okay, then having the freedom to be themselves and do whatever becomes a massive topic in society. That’s usually when those big social movements start popping up to fight for them. But on the flip side, in countries where you're just worried about surviving until tomorrow? Man, you don't care about those rights. You might even just join the mob and stone those people because they feel fake or just... I don't know, they just annoy you.😁.

It reminds me of that old saying: "Nationalism is a topic for when you're making under $3,000 a month. That's the story they feed people. Once your paycheck hits $5,000, the conversation shifts to fashion and dining out. When it climbs past $10,000, suddenly everyone's talking about organic food, summer vacations, and ski trips. But once you clear $40,000, all that nonsense stops. People just want to talk about the weather and love"

He also pointed out 😁 "Anyway, why are you even bothering me with this? Did we have democratic, multi-party elections back in the nineties? Didn't we all pretty much vote for capitalism? We voted for nationalism and for letting churches dictate our lives while capitalists took everything right from under our noses. So, what is it you want now?"

Sandra Johnson58 said:Maybe I phrased that a little weirdly. I mean, I agree that in places with a crappy economy—and usually a super inefficient government too—those issues are probably a lot more pressing than in rich, developed countries. In those spots, minority groups barely have any rights or protection, so they're usually the first ones getting screwed over when things go south because, well, they're minorities. What I was trying to say is... I guess people only really start worrying about marginalized rights once they're comfortable. Once people are doing okay, then having the freedom to be themselves and do whatever becomes a massive topic in society. That’s usually when those big social movements start popping up to fight for them. But on the flip side, in countries where you're just worried about surviving until tomorrow? Man, you don't care about those rights. You might even just join the mob and stone those people because they feel fake or just... I don't know, they just annoy you.😁.

Too bad history has proven you wrong like 892 times already. Economic status has nothing to do with caring about "others." Honestly, you should probably pick up a book on history or anthropology. The folks living across North and South America long before Christians showed up didn't have these massive identity crises over gender and sex; you could pretty much be a woman in a man's body in certain communities without anyone blinking. And yeah, those people didn't know where their next meal was coming from either.

Of course, the dream is to have a healthy nation guided by an intellectual, moral, and professional elite—people who actually understand how to manage vital economic and social levers with the competence of a seasoned CEO...

But let’s be real: the odds of that happening here in the next century are roughly the same as a bottom-tier minor league baseball team winning the World Series in that same timeframe.

That’s why, in this country, at this specific moment in history, I find myself siding with privatization. If we could just privatize everything—or at least most of it—maybe we could finally break this entrenched culture of cronyism and the broken value system that plagues our society. People love to blame the corrupt politicians and the shady tycoons, but isn't the systemic rot itself the real issue? Perhaps a shift toward private ownership might actually pave the way for a functional future.

Justin James10 said:Let me let you in on a little secret: most colonies weren't actually profitable. 😉

That's why they eventually let them go. It wasn't some sudden burst of humanitarianism; it was simply that maintaining colonies became far too expensive.

Take Germany, for example. Out of all their overseas territories, only places like Togo or those small Pacific islands really made financial sense.

Germany was never really a major player in the colonial game. Honestly, even the British were probably losing money on North America. I'm curious though, what data are you using to claim that most colonies were unprofitable?

The reality is that being a modern economic powerhouse is incredibly lucrative if you look at the margins foreign banks and telecom giants pull in compared to their initial investments...

James Anderson5 said:I won't even mention the riots with gas canisters on main streets or the clashes with police, nor the intense protests down by the waterfront. It's not that Americans aren't peaceful; it's just that this more aggressive segment of the population finds these chaotic situations useful for their own interests...

From what I recall, mountainous regions weren't considered part of those feudal estates, so plenty of people chose to live out in the Rockies or similar areas just to escape that whole peasant lifestyle...

We have to be extremely careful with healthcare, though, so we don't end up with an American model where those with money get treated while everyone else suffers in silence at home😁. We shouldn't change things that work; healthcare should maintain its social foundation, but we need to purge the corruption and politics and implement smart management instead...

I haven't really noticed education getting better just because of private business schools; it feels like it just resulted in more useless degrees being handed out...

Actually, their healthcare isn't even that bad—like, it's not bad at all, really. They probably have the most cutting-edge treatments and do way more medical research than anyone else, and honestly, it's pretty convincing how much work goes into it here in the States. If you actually take a second to look into it, it’s not even that crazy expensive because you can find decent insurance plans for totally reasonable prices. A lot of people over here don't have coverage just because, well, if you aren't working, you can't pay for it, but also a bunch of people just choose not to have it since they have that option. But unlike back home where people might help you out even if you're uninsured, it's a bit more of a headache here. You basically have to hit up a free clinic or somewhere that has a budget for those pro bono treatments or surgeries. And honestly, almost every major hospital in a big city has a massive amount of money set aside for stuff like that from donations. When I say massive, I mean like, astronomical numbers, especially in huge cities like New York or Los Angeles. I think I read somewhere that Cedars-Sinai had like 300 million in donations specifically for pro bono care and surgeries. The biggest issues with the system are just how insanely complicated everything is, the way insurance companies treat people like they're nothing—which is a regulation issue—and the fact that your insurance might not cover you if you're out of state, which is a legal mess. People back in my old country often don't even realize how much they're paying for health coverage. For me, they used to take $667 out of my check every single month, and I still ended up having to pay for heart checkups privately because I couldn't wait as long as they wanted me to—it was like, over four months of waiting. When I look back at the kind of service I got from the American system for the money I handed over... man, it honestly makes me want to cry.