Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Pukka Sahib

Two weeks ago a Indian gentleman got on the shuttle. His people were from India originally but he was born in London. He was very educated likely a British-trained lawyer, now a commercial arbiter working for an American company in Singapore. He was very bright, very articulate, but he seemed smug and ruthless to me.

He and his family liver in Singapore where he arbitrated business or corporate disputes. I imagine that he was a very sharp and competent judge.

He was here for some alternative medical care. I asked him if Singapore was a rough or stifling place to live. he firmly denied it, commenting that the lack of civil liberties were the price that people in Singapore and many Asians were quite willing to dispense with in exchange for peace, stability, law and order but especially prosperity--all conditions that Singapore excels.

I said we need both, but he heartily disagreed. I hauled him twice, no tip, but many Europeans do not tip.

Certainly in our constitutional republic we cherish and desire peace, stability, law and order and civil society. Authority must be respected and obey where necessary.  At the same time a virtuous, liberty-loving generation of anarchist-individuators, that cut their teeth on liberty and supercitizenship, would not tolerate the police state in Singapore for more than a few minutes without revolting.

To maverize we need law and order, but we need maximum legal liberty to optimize our talents and growth efforts.

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