Posted by Volker on May 14, 2003 at 17:25:31:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bad News List posted by Joe Baker on May 14, 2003 at 10:57:17:
All this is an almost philosophical subject, that we could discuss about for hours.
So I want to confine myself herewith to point out, that in theory many systems seem to be ideal. Even the historical, initial, idealistic model of communism basically was a good idea in the sense of human ethics, but how far from ideal it was in practice!
As for the right to issue your opinion to the public in our so called free world, on the paperworks all is existing, but how about those journalists for example who swam against the main stream by e.g. finding critical words against foreign politics? As far as we recently saw, they jeopardized their jobs. So, here as well: theory and real life are different - because of human nature.
As for solidarity, there are countries around here, where aged people over 65 cannot depend on a solidarity in their health insurance in case of very expensive surgeries anymore. Either they have the private money, or maybe might pass away. Not so in Germany for example. There is no age limit for a heart implantation or dialysis and other "expensive" patients.
I don't want to live in a society where human rights (also in juristical subjects) depend for a great deal on the money you have. Of course, Germany is also no exception in general concering many gaps between the constitutional purpose and real life - just on different levels.
As for orchestras: If there is only a kind of "Darwinism" on this field, the weakest part of the society, our kids and youngsters, soon won't get any chance to take classic live music into their musical taste development. If you want to transfer this to schools, then only the wealthy would learn the alphabet in future. However, schools and orchestras - both belong to the education field in a far sense, and education does not emerge big profit immediately but is a big investment in the future. The free profit oriented market
won't care for sure.
Nevertheless - peace, Joe!