# Has pathological greed destroyed the Occident? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876 "2016-08-15T04:46:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/101 "2016-08-22T19:04:38Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > [Noman’s Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomans_Land_(Massachusetts)) [![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__ZC6F3SCITU/S2nhjl_TXlI/AAAAAAAAB7w/_P5WknoAyr8/s320/IC+NOMAN.bmp) ](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__ZC6F3SCITU/S2nhjl_TXlI/AAAAAAAAB7w/_P5WknoAyr8/s320/IC+NOMAN.bmp) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/102 "2016-08-26T02:43:31Z")
Short words good; sesquipedalian verbalizations undesirable… I vote for performance art. Should look good in his portfolio. ---
**Author:** ![iLemming](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90db22/32.png) [@iLemming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iLemming)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/103 "2016-08-26T08:30:51Z")
‘_The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without conflict._’ -Sun Tzu > [@](#): > > ‘_…He moved his factory to China and the state send him a cheque for 17% of the net exports he makes – he’s being paid by the Chinese. > - **But, Donald Trump does the same thing, right?** > That’s how the game works._’ [PBS _NewsHour_ Economic Correspondent Schools Trump’s Economics Adviser On How The Economy Works](http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/08/25/pbs-newshour-economic-correspondent-schools-trumps-economics-adviser-how-economy-works/212681) One would be forgiven for thinking that a nation which is so irreparably disillusioned with the historical course it is charting, that it is on the cusp of beatifying a dimwit as its despotic dictator - on the backs of its pitchfork-wielding, inbred, sub 90-IQ, disaffected, young, white male, Internet meme -reared constituency, no less - should be a smidgen more concerned about the steep declination of its direction towards degeneration. Witnessing such abject nihilism, first-hand, and in real-time, is truly a sight to behold. Seeing this ‘curious case of Benjamin Burger’ _devolve_ at such a rate, is akin to viewing life in fast-rewind – surreal, confusing, yet utterly and morbidly enthralling. The power of ingrained arrogance, discursive denial and inculcate ignorance, all working in clockwork-like symbiotic concert, in order to curate this cannibalistic and cretinous creature of cravenly conceitedness, is indubitably gob-smacking to grant audience to. We all know full well that the U.S. hegemonic empire opportunely manifested, _faute de mieux_ from the rubble of World War 2. Verily, we know just as well that the front of ‘greatness’ this capitalistic capitol of global greed has never been more than a tatami-thin facade, hiding a quintuple chinned, morbidly obese, self-soiling, timorous man-child; clinging fretfully to his ‘boomstick’ and bible, lest the earth open up and swallow him and his earthy resource engorging self into condign perdition. Yet, despite being accoutred with this knowledge - with these irrefutable, _gospel_ facts - this organism-like-no-other, seems blissfully dumb and blind to its immanent fate. Know thyself and you will know your destiny. Choice is indeed an illusion when one does not believe in its notion. Upon one’s death bed, fate always reveals herself to be karma. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/104 "2016-08-26T08:54:15Z")
Jesus, enough already. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/105 "2016-08-26T11:04:07Z")
> [@iLemming](#): > > ‘_The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without conflict._’ > -Sun Tzu Yes, but you at least have to _try_. > [@](#): > > One would be forgiven for thinking that a nation which is so irreparably disillusioned with the historical course it is charting, that it is on the cusp of beatifying a dimwit as its despotic dictator Do you understand how polls work? Do you accept that reality plays a part in predicting the future? > [@](#): > > on the backs of its pitchfork-wielding, inbred, sub 90-IQ, disaffected, young, white male, Internet meme -reared constituency, no less - should be a smidgen more concerned about the steep declination of its direction towards degeneration. Your bigotry—racial, chronological, cultural, and gender-based—is on full display here. I can only imagine you’ll fail to see how you could _possibly_ be bigoted for hating all the right people, but the fact remains that you’re a hateful exponent of the worst pseudo-intellectualism has to offer. > [@](#): > > Witnessing such abject nihilism, first-hand, and in real-time, is truly a sight to behold. Seeing this ‘curious case of Benjamin Burger’ Add sizeism and utter ineptitude with a literary metaphor to your sins. > [@](#): > > The power of ingrained arrogance, discursive denial and inculcate ignorance, all working in clockwork-like symbiotic concert, in order to curate this cannibalistic and cretinous creature of cravenly conceitedness, is indubitably gob-smacking to grant audience to. What the Hell did English ever do to you? > [@](#): > > Verily, we know just as well that the front of ‘greatness’ this capitalistic capitol of global greed has never been more than a tatami-thin facade, hiding a quintuple chinned, morbidly obese, self-soiling, timorous man-child; clinging fretfully to his ‘boomstick’ and bible, lest the earth open up and swallow him and his earthy resource engorging self into condign perdition. You wrote this and I bet you _still_ see yourself as an open-minded and anti-racist sort of fellow. Self-delusion is a terrible thing, kids. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/106 "2016-08-26T17:11:52Z")
Why can’t the OP just say, “I wish the world wasn’t full of people who, either through ignorance or selfishness, are contributing to what I see as the destruction of humankind by greed. Wouldn’t it be great if they instead contributed to the betterment of mankind through good works, charitable giving of time and money and caring? This documentary I saw on the History Channel made me think. What are other peoples thoughts on this?” Cuz that would make more sense. But then the expensive thesaurus on his desk wouldn’t get any use and the coding provided on this message board would probably rust away from neglect. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876/107 "2016-08-26T18:07:07Z")
Dear Distinguished **iLemming** , The imbecilic didacticism of your cumbrous and ponderous harangue tends to lead a personage towards rapid regurgitation of their most recent refection. Verily. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pathological-greed-destroyed-the-occident/762876.md?page=5)