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Thoughts XXIV - More Quotes



Here we offer three quotes from Will Durant's, "The Story of Civilization." This is a multi volume opus, thick with pages and loaded with insights.  It is marvelously well written.  While they were applied to civilizations past, they seem to apply even today.
A. On socialism: Individualism is the snake in the socialist paradise.
B. On citizenry: The dole weakens the poor while luxury weakens the rich.
C. On Roman emperor Gaius Caesar (Nero): Having been educated with smattering of philosophy, it was enough to free his intellect but not enough to moderate his judgment.
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In a sense, a college education leaves a person uneducated and vulnerable, as it often quiets natural intuitions and replaces them by short one-line talking points. Such folks are wide open to a better talking point.  No thought or common sense is needed, the narrative being key. 
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In the beginning, there was the "alien," a person in a country temporarily but not a citizen.  It is a universal term of long historical standing.  Afterwards, new definitions were augured in.  The earliest and most popular is the"illegal  alien" or  "undocumented alien," roughly the same thing but softened a little to indicate only a technical differentiation, say like their visa has expired. The word "alien" was pesky and demeaning.  This was altered to the "undocumented immigrant," again the same thing, but indicating an actual immigration status without official papers, suggesting simply the lack of conference.  

 The next step is imminent if only implicitly.   Soon we will hear of the "undocumented citizen." This confers citizenship to certain groups of aliens (the original term) lacking only tiresome paperwork. It is simplistic to understand this advent by the "tells."  Many are conferred sanctuary in diverse localities. Many gain driver's licenses upon request. With current voting regulations, many do vote. A latest example, a number of undocumented citizens have sued the University of Georgia for free tuition.  Can they win this suit?  Most certainly.
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For some, the only lasting and true relations are those best described as occasional.  Constant communication leads to the discovery of constant, fatal flaws, leading to a relationship deterioration.

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