1. If economic globalisation is inevitable, it should primarily serve humanity rather than the interests of trans-national corporations.
A: Strongly Agree. First, I do not think globalisation is inevitable as it requires an immense effort to integrate conflicting cultures and overcome widespread prejudices, but I do hope it becomes reality. Second, I think the interests of trans-national corporations and the interests of humanity are complimentary (also see the answer to Question 16). Capitalism, for me, is a philosophy with its foundation being individual rights. The corporation is merely an extension of the individual, with shareholders achieving more together than they could individually. No doubt in particular cases there are corporations acting against what you or I would consider just. In light of the millions of businesses -- large and small -- in operation today, I view law-breaking companies as the exception, not the norm.
2. I'd always support my country, whether it was right or wrong.
A: Strongly disagree. No further comment. Some of these statements/ideas I am not going to comment on as I think my position is largely self-explanatory (in the context of other written material on my site).
3. No one chooses his or her country of birth, so it's foolish to be proud of it.
A: Disagree. True, the country of one's birth is a fluke. But to not acknowledge Canada is a better country than, say totalitarian North Korea, is wrong. Canada, in comparison to many countries I have seen, is a beautiful and free country, massive in size and future potential. While I am subtly proud to be a Canadian I also disclose I am not a rabid-flag waving nationalist. I view myself as a mutt, racially and culturally. In this context I view Canada as a great place to live where I can trade and pursue values freely, no matter where in the world those values may be found, to enhance the quality of my life.
4. Our race has many superior qualities, compared with other races.
A: Strongly disagree. All men and women are capable of reason and rationality; whether they choose to acknowledge and exercise this faculty of reason to the best of their ability separates the higher beings from the lower.
5. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
A: Agree. There are degrees of rationality. Joining ranks with a 'lesser evil' to combat a 'greater evil' is justifiable.
6. Military action that defies international law is sometimes justified.
A: Strongly Agree. As I despise the United Nations I also despise its so-called 'international laws.' A typically dumb idea of socialist President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the United Nations is an impotent organization that asks capitalist-individualist nations to legitimize and befriend totalitarian-communist nations. Under the 'guiding principles' of such an organization I wonder who has the most to lose and who has the most to gain. And people wonder why the UN doesn't work.
7. There is now a worrying fusion of information and entertainment.
A: Disagree. As I believe all mediums of information and entertainment to be an individual's choice, my choice is not to tune in and not to worry.
8. People are ultimately divided more by class than by nationality.
A: Strongly agree. For me money is not the definer of class. Though it may not be applicable across the board, class is representative of a degree of education and/or experience. I think individuals group according to 'kind' (or class) -- i.e., according to their degree and field of education/experience -- and have more in common due to their ability to understand and/or concretely apply abstractions. Whereas nationality, while it may serve as a commonality to eventually establish deeper relations, by itself only extends so far.
9. Controlling inflation is more important than controlling unemployment.
A: Strongly agree. Uncontrolled inflation devalues money to the point of being worthless. As a symptom of inept government action and market interference, if your currency is declining in value an increasing unemployment is bound to be another
by-product. Money-supply should not be in the hands of government; it should be privatized and put on the gold standard. Tied to hard assets (and therefore reality) financiers would then be a lot more level-headed and independently flexible in their decision making.
10. Because corporations cannot be trusted to voluntarily protect the environment, they require regulation.
A: Strongly disagree. Part of the individual's right to life is to protect the environment in which people live. If a corporation harms the environment to threaten the lives of individuals then let the latter take the former to the courts to address the situation. As I endorse a constitutionally limited government it should be beyond the scope of government action to establish laws over and above the interpretation of the courts.
11. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" is a fundamentally good idea.
A: Strongly disagree. All men are not equal in ability and one should not treat them as if they were.
12. It's a sad reflection on our society that something as basic as drinking water is now a bottled, branded consumer product.
A: Strongly disagree. No further comment.
13. Land shouldn't be a commodity to be bought and sold.
A: Strongly disagree. No further comment.
14. It is regrettable that many personal fortunes are made by people who simply manipulate money and contribute nothing to their society.
A: Strongly disagree. No further comment.
15. Protectionism is sometimes necessary in trade.
A: Strongly disagree. Definition: free as a transitive verb -- 1a: to cause to be free, b: to relieve or rid of what restrains, confines or restricts, c: disentangle. Now, in the context of free being used as a verb, say free trade. Free trade is an extension of an individual's right to life, the right to exchange one's property as one sees fit without government coercion. Protectionism is old-school mentality and benefits a select minority at the expense of many others (taxation).
16. The only social responsibility of a company should be to deliver a profit to its shareholders.
A: Strongly agree. The driving ideal of a corporation is to provide a service and/or product that is of value to potential buyers. Profit reflects a valued service and/or product purchased by individuals to enhance the quality of their lives. Thus 'social responsibility' and self-interest are compatible for by trading to mutual advantage everybody benefits.
'Social responsibilities'? As capitalism is a culture where individuals trade to mutual advantage, if a corporation treats its employees badly they will vote with their feet (i.e., leave and join the competition). If a corporation harms people or the environment with short-sighted business practices then I expect individuals to take legal action to address the situation. Thus, in a free market, by delivering profits to shareholders a company has to think of a lot more than simply 'bottom line'. That is, if a company does not consider all aspects of its business, a free market can severely punish / discipline it in a variety of ways should individuals disagree with its business and/or philosophy.
17. The rich are too highly taxed.
A: Strongly agree. Not only the rich, we are all too highly taxed.
18. Those with the ability to pay should have the right to higher standards of medical care .
A: Strongly agree.
19. Governments should penalise businesses that mislead the public.
A: Strongly agree.
20. A genuine free market requires restrictions on the ability of predator multinationals to create monopolies.
A: Strongly disagree. Monopolies are impossible in a free market unless the company provides a service and/or product of extraordinary value to individuals. If that is the case then individuals have voted the monopoly into being. But look out should a competitor offer a better service, product and/or deal.
21. The freer the market, the freer the people.
A: Strongly agree.
22. Abortion, when the woman's life is not threatened, should always be illegal.
A: Strongly disagree.
23. All authority should be questioned.
A: Strongly agree. And no, I am not an anarchist.
24. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
A: Strongly disagree.
25. Taxpayers should not be expected to prop up any theatres or museums that cannot survive on a commercial basis.
A: Strongly agree.
26. Schools should not make classroom attendance compulsory.
A: Strongly agree.
27. All people have their rights, but it is better for all of us that different sorts of people should keep to their own kind.
A: Strongly disagree.
28. Good parents sometimes have to spank their children.
A: Strongly agree.
29. It's natural for children to keep some secrets from their parents.
A: Strongly agree.
30. Marijuana should be legalised.
A: Strongly agree. And no, I do not smoke. It annoyingly dries my eyes and makes me stupid. The only high I dream about is climbing to the peak of Mount Cotopaxi (5897m) in Ecuador.
31. The prime function of schooling should be to equip the future generation to find jobs.
A: Disagree. The prime function of (early) schooling should be to teach students a philosophical context of life and reasoning skills. Finding a job is an important, though secondary, result.
32. People with serious inheritable disabilities should not be allowed to reproduce.
A: Strongly disagree.
33. The most important thing for children to learn is to accept discipline.
A: Strongly disagree. I disagreed with this because 'accepting discipline' can be understood as being obedient to authority. If the statement would read: 'The most important thing for children to learn is the discipline of thinking' I would strongly agree.
34. There are no savage and civilised peoples; there are only different cultures.
A: Strongly disagree. All cultures are not equal and one should not treat them as if they were.
35. Those who are able to work, and refuse the opportunity, should not expect society's support.
A: Strongly agree.
36. When you are troubled, it's better not to think about it, but to keep busy with more cheerful things.
A: Disagree. Only through thought do all things become possible. I only disagree (not strongly disagree) because of Scarlett (Gone with the Wind). When things went wrong for her she would say "I'll think about it tomorrow. After all,
tomorrow is another day." Allowing turbulent emotions to settle, through delay she gained objectivity on the matter troubling her.
37. First-generation immigrants can never be fully integrated within their new country.
A: Strongly disagree.
38. What's good for the most successful corporations is always, ultimately, good for all of us.
A: Strongly disagree. Other individuals have the freedom to vote (i.e., buy) ideas & products I may not like (and vice versa). As example, I think McPuke's is stinky garbage yet billions line up to pay good money for it.
39. No broadcasting institution, however independent its content, should receive public funding.
A: Strongly agree. If individuals are unwilling to pay for broadcasting that cannot survive on its own merit, so that it needs public funding (i.e., tax money) to survive, that should say something loud and clear.
40. Our civil liberties are being excessively curbed in the name of counter-terrorism.
A: Disagree. I am a Canuck, not a Yankee. Canada has its curbs, sure, but not excessively.
41. A significant advantage of a one-party state is that it avoids all the arguments that delay progress in a democratic political system.
A: Strongly disagree.
42. Although the electronic age makes official surveillance easier, only wrongdoers need to be worried.
A: Strongly disagree. I take this statement in context of government ('official') surveillance proposals. Just say no.
43. The death penalty should be an option for the most serious crimes.
A: Strongly disagree. Government is an agent of defence, not offence. It is to protect citizen's lives, not take them.
44. In a civilised society, one must always have people above to be obeyed and people below to be commanded.
A: Strongly disagree.
45. Abstract art that doesn't represent anything shouldn't be considered art at all.
A: Strongly disagree.
46. In criminal justice, punishment should be more important than rehabilitation.
A: Strongly disagree.
47. It is a waste of time to try to rehabilitate some criminals.
A: Strongly disagree. Garbage learned can be garbage unlearned. I would prefer tax money to be spent on rehabilitation than indefinite imprisonment.
48. The businessperson and the manufacturer are more important than the writer and the artist.
A: Strongly disagree.
49. Mothers may have careers, but their first duty is to be homemakers.
A: Strongly agree. If a female chooses to give birth to a child I expect the child to be of more importance than a career.
50. Multinational companies are unethically exploiting the plant genetic resources of developing countries.
A: Strongly disagree.
51. Making peace with the establishment is an important aspect of maturity.
A: Strongly disagree. Fight! Fight!!
52. Astrology accurately explains many things.
A: Strongly disagree. Hmmm, but I have noticed orgasms are stronger when Jupiter is aligned with Mercury. Could mean something.
53. You cannot be moral without being religious.
A: Strongly disagree.
54. Charity is better than social security as a means of helping the genuinely disadvantaged.
A: Strongly agree. Individuals of capitalist nations are the most generous on earth. Private charities are far more efficient than government programs.
55. Some people are naturally unlucky.
A: Strongly disagree.
56. It is important that my child's school instills religious values.
A: Strongly disagree.
57. Sex outside marriage is usually immoral.
A: Strongly disagree.
58. A same sex couple in a stable, loving relationship, should not be excluded from the possibility of child adoption.
A: Strongly agree. I originally hummed and hawed over this until my pro-gay sister's mouth dropped open and said "What? If there is a loving gay couple who wants to adopt one of the millions of homeless children in the world you would say no?!" "Well," I replied to she, "if a stable loving gay couple raises a child would not the child by example have a greater chance of becoming gay?" I continued, "However, as I think sexuality and gay marriage are not be regulated by the state, it is a natural extension of individual rights -- which are blind to color, race, sex, etc. -- for gay individuals to be able to adopt a child, regardless of my own personal feelings."
59. Pornography, depicting consenting adults, should be legal for the adult population.
A: Strongly agree.
60. What goes on in a private bedroom between consenting adults is no business of the state.
A: Strongly agree.
61. No one can feel naturally homosexual.
A: Strongly disagree. Read the answer to question 58 above. If I can feel naturally heterosexual I'm sure another individual can feel naturally homosexual. In any case, I am not one to regulate otherwise. And neither is the state.
62. It's fine for society to be open about sex, but these days it's going too far.
A: Strongly disagree.
