News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Unlearning the myth of American innocence. Parent comment

Re:Unlearning the myth of American innocence by ivanbakel on Tuesday August 08, 2017 @09:03AM (#14957361)
Well, any number of historical reasons: slavery; violence against indigenous people; colonial sources, such as exporting of natural resources; the actions of a state, which might not be recognised as an authority; or simply inherited property from a time of aristocracy.

Equally, people might reject systems of ownership out of hand, and consider the gulf of wealth causes by those systems to be the product of immoral behaviour.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Unlearning the myth of American innocence by vcjohnson on Tuesday August 08, 2017 @09:27AM (#14957572)
Ah I see what you mean. I suppose I do identify with both the arguments then. Grateful to be born into a society that is as prosperous and free as the one I live and also cognizant that it was at least partially obtained using ventures that were, by today's standards, morally reprehensible.

Kind of a double edged sword though. Any society that currently allows the gratitude probably has a fairly checked past, even those outside the U.S. Not sure where one line begins and another ends.

[ Parent | on HN ]