Paul Krugman recently wrote:
"No, what you should really look for, in a world that keeps throwing nasty surprises at us, is intellectual integrity: the willingness to face facts even if they’re at odds with one’s preconceptions, the willingness to admit mistakes and change course.
And that’s a virtue in very short supply."
The paradox of authority is that those holding it more often than not feel that they cannot admit that they erred or that they were just plain wrong because to admit being wrong impugns their authority and calls their competence into question.
Impugned authority is weakened authority which is unacceptable.
And so when no WMD were found in Iraq we kept going.
And so we continue to allow big banks to play fast and loose.
And so we continue to keep health insurance in the hands of for profit insurers
And so we continue to pollute the planet with abandon
And so we wind up with the TPP after we've seen the results of NAFTA and GATT
And so we continue to blame the poor for our nation's financial problems
Should I continue?
Kirk out.