Posts by Ronald Howard3

Laura Reyes3 said:There’s more red tape in the healthcare system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing hospitals altogether?

There’s more red tape in the defense department than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the military?

There’s more red tape in the banking sector than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing banks?

There’s more red tape in the legal system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the courts?

The Roman education system was pretty much what you're advocating for, and the most famous educational theorist in Rome concluded that public schools are actually a good thing...

If I don't like a specific approach or a treatment plan, I can just walk out of the hospital and seek care elsewhere—or try a different method entirely.

Our military is essentially pointless anyway since we're just playing proxy for someone else. Over the last year, we’ve handed over billions of dollars worth of weapons to a country we have zero connection with—that's nearly a thousand bucks per employee (30,000 machine guns, hundreds of mortars, 14 helicopters...).

We’re all forced to use banks to some degree, but crypto exists specifically because of the flaws in the banking system—it allows for direct transactions without middlemen or needing anyone's permission.

Our courts are such a mess that they might be better off non-existent.

Did the most famous education theorist in Rome have to deal with inspectors, endless regulations, and angry parents? Did he have to stick to a rigid curriculum and teach in one specific way, or did he have the freedom to explore topics alongside his students? Did he have the authority to remove a student who was sabotaging class or bullying others? Did he even have the right to discipline them? Just a reminder: in America, homeschooling isn't really a formal concept here—you basically have to hand your child over to "expert" strangers to be "educated."

Laura Reyes3 said:People love to claim that schools are where morality goes to die. Sure, that happens sometimes, but let’s be real—it happens just as often at home.
In both settings, you’ll find endless examples of characters being broken—or, occasionally, some integrity actually being preserved. It really comes down to an individual's innate nature and how much effort is actually put into their upbringing...

The Education of an Orator / Marcus Fabius Quintilianus. 1st Century AD.

Even so, Quintilian leaned toward the value of schools and public education.

Education before the year 2000 and the bureaucratic nightmare we’re stuck with today? They aren't even in the same universe.

Sam Martinez9 said:Are you even aware that you haven't actually written a single word about—well, education? People go to school to learn, yet you haven't specified what you actually learned, what you failed to grasp, or what you feel you could have mastered if the school hadn't stood in your way...

Does this mean today's education system is so broken that students don't even realize the purpose of an education or why they're sitting in those classrooms in the first place?

First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

wearyharbor41 said:I have written. Here. I am somewhat perplexed by the nature of your recent conduct—specifically, the way you chose to dismiss me so bluntly before pivoting into outright insults. It has become quite transparent why individuals who cling so desperately to the status quo would feel compelled to defend someone of your temperament.

I feel compelled to step in on behalf of my colleague, who clearly possesses both a conscience and a sense of reason. There is absolutely nothing hypocritical about her position; we aren't debating the merits of a liberal arts education here. We are discussing the realities of a concentration camp, which has nothing to do with academic enrichment beyond the most fundamental necessities, such as basic literacy and elementary arithmetic.

It is rather striking how much more one can absorb from two weeks of immersing oneself in documentaries than from four years spent sitting through elementary school history classes. There is a certain freedom in it; you aren't being graded on whether you correctly memorized the exact birth date or death date of some obscure figure who holds no relevance to the modern world.

It is quite obvious to anyone who possesses even a modicum of intellectual honesty, a functioning conscience, or a sense of moral integrity.

The same principle applies to all other items.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the sheer volume of wasted potential lying in our wake—all those individuals who possessed genuine talent and should have been honing their craft during those formative years, only to be thwarted by systemic brainwashing, relentless indoctrination, and the wholesale theft of their most precious resource: time.
Millions of people are being left behind because of such misguided policies and the systemic violence inflicted upon children.

By the time you walk across that stage at high school graduation, it becomes painfully clear that the curriculum has left you almost entirely unprepared for the realities of adulthood. We spend years studying abstract theories, yet we emerge without even a basic grasp of what truly matters—like how to actually maintain one's health, which is arguably the most vital asset any person possesses. We graduate knowing how to solve equations, but we remain blissfully ignorant of the fundamental mechanics behind how our government operates, what our legal rights actually entail, or what kind of practical challenges await us in the real world. It is quite a curious way to educate a generation: providing plenty of data, yet neglecting the essential statistics and life skills that would actually allow someone to navigate society with any degree of competence.

It is an absolute disgrace that we find ourselves in this particular era. Given our unprecedented technological leaps, one might have expected this civilization to finally demonstrate some semblance of genuine humanity or moral virtue. Instead, history will likely record that we are the first society capable of such profound sophistication only to prove ourselves monstrously wicked across every conceivable field, deliberately and with full intent, dismantling the lives of individuals on a global scale. ☕

It is only natural that those of us who possess some understanding of what awaits beyond this life find a certain quiet solace in the thought of accountability. There is a small, perhaps somewhat cynical, comfort in knowing that those who have meticulously engineered society to serve their own ends—those who systematically strip away freedoms and stifle human potential—will eventually face the consequences of their actions in the eternal realm. I suppose my only true satisfaction lies in the belief that there exists an inescapable justice, one that cannot be evaded by any amount of earthly maneuvering. 👋

Speaking for myself, my schooling definitely had a negative impact. Between dealing with bullying, intimidation, threats, and physical fights... I probably would've handled it better if I'd had any support from my parents. You can just tell when someone's been flying solo and had to scrap for everything they have. Besides, they teach you to submit to nonsense—to work and study things you know are useless just because you're being "graded." If you don't bend to the absurdity, you're labeled "bad."

Linda Harris59 said:There is actually some logic to it. If a virus keeps mutating indefinitely, eventually it’s going to lose its edge and its core properties.

The whole "self-destructing virus" theory in Japan doesn't quite sit right with me. It makes more sense that we've hit a tipping point where enough people have immunity that the virus hasn't managed to mutate fast enough to bypass it. That isn't the virus killing itself off—it's just how our natural defenses work.

placidnomad87 said:The point isn't actually about breathing; it's about how a government agency is defending its right to bar entry to schools when they were the ones who mandated the rules in the first place.

The government uses its own tools and puppets to claim it’s perfectly acceptable to cast aside a child simply because they refuse to enter a building while masked. They'll turn around and slap parents with fines or pursue them relentlessly. All over a mask!? It seems the state becomes incredibly efficient the moment a directive comes down from their committee. 😁

For three years now, they've been messing with these kids, and most of the time, you see epidemiologists looking at children as if they are the primary culprits behind spreading the virus. As if children are the ones constantly interacting with grandparents, even though grandparents can just as easily pass it on to their grandkids.

Just let people try homeschooling and the whole thing would be solved. But of course, that's not something they'd ever consider.☕

mistybadger2 said:The guy spelled it out perfectly. Most banks set everyone's limit to zero and swapped the permitted amount for whatever was considered the standard limit back before the decision at end of 2017.
Basically, they pulled the same shady stunt on everyone.
The few people who caught onto the game—the minority—negotiated a legitimate permitted overdraft. Everyone else is stuck dealing with the unpermitted mess.
Most people didn't realize that behind all this jargon, they were essentially getting fleeced for an extra 30%.
Meanwhile, that snake of a Governor has been smirking about it for four years.
You really have to watch out for these banking bottom-feeders. Given how easily Americans can be misled and the sheer corruption in our government, these guys have found themselves a gold mine that most criminals could only dream of.

How has the American financial regulator failed to notice that 90% of account overdrafts are sitting in some gray area with insane interest rates for four whole years?! It’s just like how nobody flagged the massive issues at Walmart until it was "post festum" and everyone claimed they "knew all along."☕

The e-passport is going to be linked up with the Ministry of the Interior, Civil Protection, the IRS, Social Security... just wait until they link everything to phone tracking—we’ll turn into a total fascist wasteland. For instance, what were you actually doing at your cabin last week working the farm? Run a small business? Better write an explanation to the IRS... Or why did you show up at the office on Saturday if your hours are strictly Monday through Friday? Oh, you just stopped by to tidy some paperwork because you couldn't make it during the week? Here, have an e-ticket for illegal overtime work... Have a lovely day...☕

When you hand modern technology over to those North American-communist zombies... there are no limits.☕

Angela White2 said:I hope I’ve posted this in the right section; let me know if I need to move it.

Basically, I’m 19, and my main issue is a genuine fear of physical confrontation. I just can't bring myself to stand up to anyone. It's always been this way—I was a peaceful kid from the start, and that isn't the problem. The problem is that I've been a victim of continuous bullying for two and a half years now.

It all started back in late 2015/early 2016, and it hasn't stopped since. It's been a traumatic, horrible stretch of time, and everything has gone downhill because it feels like everyone is either trying to push me around or messing with my head. Since early 2016, this one guy and his group of friends have been harassing me daily. It's been two and a half years of this, and I haven't had the guts to do anything about it because I don't know how to fight, nor do I ever want to. Secondly, I lack the courage to take a stand or confront an aggressor. I've always been the type to stay quiet and just take the crap rather than speaking my mind and demanding respect. Third, whenever I face these guys or get into any kind of heated argument, I just freeze. I get so overwhelmed by fear that my mind goes blank and I start stuttering. I end up acting like a complete coward, and it eats at me. It makes me feel less masculine and undignified because I can never shut down a provocation.

Because this has been going on since 2016, the issue persists. I run into these bullies almost every day since I live in a small town, so avoiding them is impossible—especially in the summer when everyone is out and about. Every single time, I freeze up and react like a coward. I'm looking for any way to solve this.

Over these last two and a half years, I've thought about this constantly, and it's turned into serious anxiety, which has caused other issues for me.

Because of this, I've never had a girlfriend. It feels like girls are only attracted to those "tough guys," and I feel like I'm not man enough. I constantly imagine walking through town with a girl and someone starts messing with her, and I'd just stand there like a loser, unable to do anything because I can't fight and I can't stand my ground. That would be the ultimate embarrassment.

I simply don't have that fighting instinct in me, and that's the core of the problem.

I don't know how to fight, I'm afraid to stand up for myself, and I can't handle provocations. I've even been slapped a few times, which is incredibly humiliating.

I've thought about talking to my parents or reporting this to the local police, but I hesitate because I don't want to look like an even bigger wimp or a snitch.

Does anyone have any advice?

How can I develop that fighting instinct? How can I find the nerve to respond to provocations, whether they are verbal or physical?

Any advice at all would be appreciated and helpful.

What's your relationship with your parents like? Can you lean on them for support? There might be some deeper stuff at play here...

The comparisons between farming and renting out vacation rentals always crack me up. I have this buddy who inherited some acreage from his old man—a tractor, some gear, the whole bit—and spent a few years running wheat, corn, and sunflowers. Back in the day, maybe ten years ago, you could actually see a decent return on your time and investment even with smaller plots. Nowadays? It’s basically peanuts. He finally just gave up and started leasing his land out instead. If you don't have the cash upfront for supplies, you're stuck signing IOUs. Plus, when harvest hits, you're glued to that tractor for 36 to 48 hours straight—you need serious stamina for that. When he actually crunched the numbers, the "profit" was so pathetic his hourly rate ended up being way lower than what a college kid makes working in a warehouse—and that wasn't even factoring in the depreciation on his equipment. It’s all too easy to work yourself to the bone only to realize you're actually losing money.

It’s funny how people say it—solid companies do well, and great ones do even better. But here in the States? It feels like the solid ones just wither away while the greats are barely hanging on by a thread. You see it all the time with those "nice story sunday" features—profiles on some business that’s somehow managed to stay afloat for twenty years without going under.😁

vivideagle91 said:"Do you actually think Tim Tim has a realistic shot at pulling off a comeback?"

A question for the OP here. Why on earth do you think that? I mean, what exactly is giving you the impression—what's your actual basis for believing they even want to, or have any intention of, doing something good for this country? Wake up.

Well, let's just say they *are* acting in good faith—which, by the way, isn't even a given.😁

Let me offer my take on this...

Objectively speaking, I don't see any real chance for a fundamental turnaround. These problems have been festering far too long and they're just too tangled—plus, the price tag for a fix is something most people simply won't stomach. For instance, our colleague Shadow suggested analyses implying we need to significantly lower labor costs. But let's be real: slashing wages is basically impossible without messing with the exchange rate. Messing with the currency leads straight to a banking collapse, wiping out savings and tossing retirees into poverty. Given our demographic shift—where seniors will soon outnumber workers and would sell their own mothers for $33 higher pensions—that’s political suicide. Not to mention, tanking wages would just accelerate the brain drain to other parts of the European Union.

I suspect we'll hit a breaking point once the timing and circumstances align—and we likely won't have to wait long. In short, way too many people benefit from the status quo, which means there's zero political will to actually change anything. People don't want to grind for fifteen years to enjoy a better life later; they want it right now, and they expect someone else to foot the bill.

Peter Reed70 said:Look, women and kids make up maybe 25%—at the absolute most—of that group. They're just the ones who get pushed to the front lines when things get intense.

The other 80%? It's mostly male doctors and med students.

p.s.
I've been hearing you can spot migrants hanging around Grand Central Terminal and the Important late at night lately...

Doctors Without Borders!😁🙄