Posts by northernbadger4

nimblelynx7 said:And let's be honest—the legal system isn't even particularly good at the punishing part either.

Yeah, I suppose that's true...

goldeneagle8 said:Alistar overrem and his brother once absolutely laid out five bouncers at some club... if you count the first two going down instantly, then it's basically 3 against 2, which isn't a huge deal, but man, 6 against 1 would be something else entirely...

There were rumors floating around back in the day that Preskar beat the hell out of some lone security guard outside a lounge, whether that's true or not... anyone who actually knows how to fight knows you'd need at least three years of training just to stand a chance...

It doesn't really have anything to do with the ring or combat sports. Physical and mental readiness matter in those situations, I guess, but you don't necessarily need to be a professional fighter to know how to defend yourself (though it helps). But anyway, like I said, I won't go further into it. It's not the subject here, and I don't want to get off topic.

First off, I have to admit I'm shocked that the guy is about 6'3" and nearly 265 lbs (according to what they said on TV), yet he couldn't even defend himself. He just stands there taking hits until he passes out. They say he was a timid, quiet person, but still, the lack of any basic survival instinct is... incredible.

Strength and size don't make you a good fighter, though they help. His height and weight don't really change the reality of the situation.

silentpilot6 said:Man... you can't exactly expect everyone to be trained in self-defense, nor should that really be the expectation.
At the end of the day, unless you're Mirko 😬, if you get jumped by five or six idiots, it doesn't matter how much training you have...

It’s either that or you die. I'll admit, the choice isn't exactly great—it's pretty damn shitty—but if you find yourself in that spot, those are the only two options you've got. And as for being outnumbered six to one, yeah, that's definitely possible. But whatever, let's not go down that road. It's not important right now.

People need to learn how to defend themselves if they don't want to end up in a situation like this. No one else is going to step in and protect them. It's an unfortunate reality. The law can't stop these things from happening; it can only punish them after the fact. But that doesn't mean much to someone who's already gone.

Zachary Mendoza2 said:Most people carry their own complexes and flaws, but that isn't the sole driver behind the pursuit of power. Quite simply, why wouldn't one desire influence? The world is vast, filled with abundance waiting to be grasped, embraced, or claimed. There is much to enjoy. When you possess resources, you can provide for others. You have the capacity to reshape the world. It merely requires courage and the will to fight. Unfortunately, many lack this grit; they retreat into their shells and resign themselves to helplessness. It is a tragedy, as I believe many of them could make significant positive contributions if only they were capable.

Furthermore, just as the public often views those in power as corrupt megalomaniacs, many powerful individuals view those who fail as nothing more than foolish cowards.
I suspect this mutual resentment and class division misleads many honest, intelligent people. They choose to forgo power simply to avoid becoming like "them."

I agree. Plenty of people reach positions of influence only to use them for themselves rather than the common good. But, as I mentioned, there are exceptions. People aren't all built the same.

I also think that kind of hatred is misguided, though it's true that people can be anything, and some probably deserve that vitriol. It's just a pity when that anger gets directed at the wrong targets.

Power can be a curse or a blessing. I don't think it's about the power itself, but the person holding it. Power in the hands of a bad actor is definitely a problem. On the flip side, if you give it to someone with good intentions, everyone wins.

Zachary Mendoza2 said:Power equals freedom.
It is possible you have never felt that need; many people never do. Most people's actual needs are quite modest. 🤷

True enough. But to me, those types come off as megalomaniacs—always wanting more, never satisfied. If you ask me, that hunger for power, freedom, or money usually points toward deep-seated complexes or character flaws. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Anthony Garcia19 said:Now that sounds interesting! You've got me curious! 🙂

I doubt I'll have much more to say on this, so maybe just let the curiosity go.

Susan Lewis2 said:I suspect that even Bill Gates and his associates wouldn't be in any position to engage in this kind of large-scale philanthropy if they hadn't first amassed such staggering fortunes.
I suppose one must possess significant resources before they can even consider extending a hand to others.
In my view, the entire discussion feels somewhat misguided from the outset; rather than questioning how one should manage immense wealth—whether it is ethically sound to hoard it all or if there is an obligation to assist those in need—the conversation tends to focus solely on that specific segment of society that accumulates vast sums only to indulge themselves endlessly.
I imagine there will always be such individuals, regardless of which country you look at in the US or elsewhere.
The crux of the matter, I think, is that we cannot simply assume every wealthy individual is inherently malevolent or corrupt just because they spend their money on luxury cars and estates while others struggle; being poor doesn't automatically make someone virtuous.

It seems to me that those who are wealthy and also morally bankrupt were perhaps once quite impoverished themselves... whereas, on the other hand, there are many who have acquired wealth through honest work, inheritance, or marriage, yet remain entirely decent people who neither steal nor lie for profit.
Just as there are honest people living in poverty, there are certainly dishonest people in poverty who would likely seize any opportunity to grab wealth instantly, becoming just as predatory as those who currently hold it and continue to exploit the system.
One really cannot afford to generalize in matters such as these.

Solid post. I agree. 🙂

Andrew Sullivan8 said:I’m posting this here in the spirituality section, too, since I’m not really sure where it fits best... 😉

"Every single day, you open the papers and see more scandals involving millions of dollars in fraud. It seems people will go to any lengths to get rich—stealing, killing, cheating, just committing any kind of crime imaginable...

What's interesting is that almost all these dishonest schemes are pulled off by people who don't actually need the money to survive. We aren't talking about someone on the brink of starvation or someone who can't afford basic clothes and is struggling to stay alive. It's usually the middle class or the wealthy elite—people who have plenty, but simply never have enough. So much for that idea that greed is driven by necessity...

Sometimes these folks have so much wealth that three generations of their descendants couldn't spend it all, yet they still pull dirty stunts just to stack up even more.

There's something deeply tragic about money, isn't there? How it manages to ruin so many lives..."

Most of them probably just have deep-seated issues or complexes. Personally, I don't see the point in owning three yachts... or ten cars, five vacation homes, etc.

Though, if I actually had $100 billion, I know exactly how I'd spend it. 🙂 I certainly wouldn't waste it on cars, motorcycles, boats, or houses I don't need.

briskpuma23 said:It’s because they care about you and worked their tails off just to put food on your table.
The fact that most people today just expect a meal to appear without a second thought shows how much we've lost perspective.
So, have some patience and empathy; their intentions are coming from a good place.

I get that they care, but when you tell them a million times you don't want anything... I mean, who do they think they are? -_- It's the same deal with my grandma, and honestly, it drives me insane. Weirdly enough, my other late grandmother never did this. This one asks me if I want to eat basically every five minutes. Like, give it a rest...

I agree with you; people definitely take food for granted. Still, it’s an interesting observation that this seems mostly driven by women rather than men. It points to some kind of issue in the female psychology, though I'm not sure how to label it. Regardless, it isn't normal for someone to ask the same question all day long and fail to grasp that you aren't hungry, even after being told a hundred times. It's not quite right. And it mostly happens with women, at least most of the time.

Same here. My old lady drives me crazy with those mindless questions. Every time she calls my cell—since she's traveling abroad sometimes—she always asks if I've eaten... such a pointless question. No, I haven't eaten, I decided to go on a hunger strike and just starve to death because I'm curious to see how it goes -_-

I hope nobody takes my comment the wrong way or sees it as chauvinistic. If anyone did, I apologize; that wasn't the intent. I was just pointing out certain observations. I hope no one is offended; I'm not a bigot or anything like that, as I respect everyone regardless of gender, religion, or race. 🙂

Angela Wright18: Society doesn't really have much tolerance for anyone who stands out from the crowd. I can only tell you this—if you aren't just like everyone else, you're screwed. Maybe they'll tolerate you, but they won't actually accept you. If they can't force you to conform, they'll just toss you aside like trash. It's a harsh reality, I guess.