Ask a Reactionary

[Senethro]

Even if you feel that his positions are odious just insulting him will hardly contribute to debate...

What kind of person says they know harm is being caused but won't say how? An insincere one or a bad one.

Its one thing to say "Maybe things could be better under some circumstances if we had kings" which is strictly hypothetical but its another to say "I know a way in which the medical profession is harming people". The second is the sort of position that gets people killed if not very careful. Yes, I'm absolutely serious about that. Children have started dying of measles in Western Europe again because of anti-vaccine nuts.

 

[Tahuti]

Male warriors are rare in agrarian society. Most men don't come anywhere near a war, and if they do, it's as conscript soldiers or at most volunteers, not as "warriors" in any meaningful sense. Settled societies in which the typical adult male has any substantial degree of military skill or experience are very rare, and generally found in contested frontier regions, not the sort of place which tends to give rise to today's political leadership.

I'm not saying most males are warriors, but the other way around.

 

[Traitorfish]

I'm not saying most males are warriors, but the other way around.

So you're saying that most men are unfit for political office?

...But I suppose you do say that, actually, don't you? So I guess that's a harder line of reasoning to quarrel with.

How how would you propose that the martially virtuous be distinguished from the rest of the male population? Directly, through military service, or by some more indirect means?

 

[Tahuti]

So you're saying that most men are unfit for political office?

...I suppose you are, actually, aren't you?

Well yes.

 

[Old Hippy]

Being in charge of everything is not the same as superiority. Being in charge also is a handicap in many aspects.

if men were given the role of being in charge of everything, wouldn't this mean that most men would end up being subservient?...

so one would wonder exactly what gender has too do with it.

 

[Tahuti]

if men were given the role of being in charge of everything, wouldn't this mean that most men would end up being subservient?...

Well, yes. Positions of leadership are entrusted to a tiny minority of men and an even more tiny minority of women.

 

[Flying Pig]

How how would you propose that the martially virtuous be distinguished from the rest of the male population? Directly, through military service, or by some more indirect means?

What's wrong with the current approach of letting people volunteer and making them do arbitrary and painful tests which correlate with their ability to be taught how to do useful and painful things later on? I certainly don't think that you need to restrict yourself to men in such a model - after all, you've got a certain number of volunteers to fill a certain (smaller) number of jobs, and it may well be that the best women in the sample are better than the worst men. That's not to say that they should serve together, but that's more because people make a big issue out of gender which would weaken the integration of those units. It's a bit like the racial argument: there's nothing wrong with soldiers from different ethnic groups serving in the same units unless they're starting off with a culture that makes them likely not to work properly as a team. There's only so far you can beat that out of them: you can make them go through the motions of teamwork, live and drill together, but you can't force them to be a well-knit team.

 

[Tahuti]

How how would you propose that the martially virtuous be distinguished from the rest of the male population? Directly, through military service, or by some more indirect means?

Though military service is the most obvious means, rendering service to a monarch involving physical risk may be another route. Cathelineau's family was ennobled after he martyred in guerilla operations against the French revolutonary government.

 

[HannibalBarka]

Though military service is the most obvious means, rendering service to a monarch involving physical risk may be another route. Cathelineau's family was ennobled after he martyred in guerilla operations against the French revolutonary government.

that wouldn't be the most common way to get in IIUC, as most of the Elite will just be born so, am I mistaken?

 

[Tahuti]

that wouldn't be the most common way to get in IIUC, as most of the Elite will just be born so, am I mistaken?

That's true, though I assumed TF's question explored how commoners could receive this status.

 

[luiz]

For what it's worth in the Empire of Brazil the only hereditary nobility titles were those of the Imperial Family. All others were granted due to services rendered to the nation, and died with the person who received them.

In many ways our Empire was more meritocratic than our early Republic. And certainly more democratic.

 

[Tahuti]

For what it's worth in the Empire of Brazil the only hereditary nobility titles were those of the Imperial Family. All others were granted due to services rendered to the nation, and died with the person who received them.

In many ways our Empire was more meritocratic than our early Republic. And certainly more democratic.

Traditionally, most lower noble titles (but not necessarily most nobles) were non-hereditary. Dutch knighthood was always non-hereditary and still is to this day.

 

[luiz]

Traditionally, most lower noble titles (but not necessarily most nobles) were non-hereditary. Dutch knighthood was always non-hereditary and still is to this day.

In the Empire even Dukedoms were non-hereditary. There was no hereditary nobility whatsoever, just the Imperial Family. The titles were very much like medals and other such stuff in Republics, only more prestigious.

 

[Tahuti]

In the Empire even Dukedoms were non-hereditary. There was no hereditary nobility whatsoever, just the Imperial Family.

Were the Dukedoms in Brazil anywhere as powerful as in Medieval Europe, where Kingdoms were highly decentralised?

 

[luiz]

Were the Dukedoms in Brazil anywhere as powerful as in Medieval Europe, where Kingdoms were highly decentralised?

Not exactly. Though by the time a Dukedom was bestowed the person receiving it was already a huge power within the Empire, certainly comparable to European Dukes if not more powerful. In fact the Empire only had one Duke, this guy:

Spoiler :

He was born to a family without any noble ancestry, which highlights how meritocratic the regime was for the time. By the time he became a Duke he was certainly the most powerful person in Brazil other than the Emperor himself (and maybe more powerful, though he was always extremely loyal to the Crown), having lead the Brazilian troops to victory in Paraguay, quelled several rebellions while the Emperor was still a kid, and served as head of government (President of the Council of Ministers, like a PM). He was first made a Baron (without Greatness), then Count, then Marquis (by the time of the Paraguayan War) and finally Duke (after he captured Asunción).

While he was the only Duke (and by far the most powerful nobleman of the Empire), there were several Marquises and they were also pretty powerful, certainly more so than say their 19th Century English counterparts.

 

[Tee Kay]

Question

Have you ever been to Thailand?

What do you think of its reverence for the monarchy and respect for elders and traditional authority?

 

[Tahuti]

Have you ever been to Thailand?

No, unfortunately.

What do you think of its reverence for the monarchy and respect for elders and traditional authority?

Always good things to have.

 

[Takhisis]

Then, if older posters told you to 'stop with this nonsense, young man' then what would happen?

 

[Tahuti]

Then, if older posters told you to 'stop with this nonsense, young man' then what would happen?

Probably not much. All my ideological changes in the past were because I personally weighed the cons and pros and concluded the cons outweighed the pros.

 

[Agent327]

Well, yes. Positions of leadership are entrusted to a tiny minority of men and an even more tiny minority of women.

While your argument about men being more able than women is circular, what do you think of Nietzsche?