tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post732841486834199161..comments2024-03-27T02:18:35.808-07:00Comments on LAS ARMAS DE CORONEL: Venezuela 2012: mediocrity and fear are the signs of the timesGustavo Coronelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048121984705082839noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-50466101382043024082012-10-18T09:49:24.094-07:002012-10-18T09:49:24.094-07:00Gustavo, I agree with your repeated mention of han...Gustavo, I agree with your repeated mention of handouts causing dependence and not letting people stand up for themselves when the handouts stop. In fact, I think it can't be said enought.<br /><br />It seems, however, that we differ in what constitutes a handout. To me, stolen money that is partly given back to the victim does not constitute a handout, as opposed to collected tax that is given sporadically and conditionally to some citizens and not others. <br /><br />I see money from oil as stolen money. This makes it difficult for me to understand your moral calls to cry out against certain government actions, yet you never address the crux of Venezuela's petrostate: oil belongs to the citizens, so oil money not given to them is graft. Instead of calling to end the graft, you keep suggesting how the grafters should better spend it! <br /><br />I think stolen money has to be given back in cash to its rightful owners. They may or may not spend it as wisely as you or I would hope, but is it not theirs to spend? <br /><br />Aside from that, here's a question to which no one has ever replied: Even if we assume taht it is the government's role to spend the oil money in name of its people, then is it still not a regressive spending? By this I mean, if out of 30million barrels of oil one of them corresponds to the poorest Venezuelan and one to the richest Venezuelan, then the poorest Venezuelan is pitching in a much, much, much higher percentage than the richest Venezuelan in any spending of that oil's revenues. Is that the basis of the solution you mentioned in the earlier comment to me?<br /><br />--torresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-81501754510763327842012-10-18T08:33:28.166-07:002012-10-18T08:33:28.166-07:00One thing is certain: as the citizenry becomes eve...One thing is certain: as the citizenry becomes ever more inured to shortages, there seems to be no threat of a shortage of muertos to jurungar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-9747643100805105462012-10-18T07:05:11.498-07:002012-10-18T07:05:11.498-07:00Actually I think that what we call "comeflore...Actually I think that what we call "comeflores" suffer from a kind of Stockholm Syndrome. They regret, they are sad, they would wish, that things were better and ask for dialogue and reconciliation. <br />Some poeple who have been kidnapped have actually given thanks to their captors for having been "well treated" while in captivity. Going home at night in one piece is something to be happy about. Pangloss se quedó pendejo, pués. Gustavo Coronelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00048121984705082839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-42762881471842051662012-10-18T06:57:31.408-07:002012-10-18T06:57:31.408-07:00Excellent post GC!! I finally find a kindred spiri...Excellent post GC!! I finally find a kindred spirit in seeing the Venezuelan reality of today.<br /><br />I am horrified by the lack of upfront honesty in the people's reaction to the elections.I am horrified by the passivity and self hatred among the opposition, and I think that the world should know what is going on in Venezuela.It could happen anywhere.<br /><br />I have heard it said that people are suffering from a a kind of Stockholm syndrome.Could this be true?Though if so, I think I have seen a variation of this in Venezuela for many years, when people stayed quiet in the offices of the CANTV for example- even when they knew their workers were stealing from the people.When I would rise up in clamor, people would cower and tell me to shut up!! Shocking!<br /><br />Passivity seems to be equated with morality among many there( though I would suppose this is nothing but a defense mechanism....and the same people who demand passivity are quick to accept and excuse aggression on the part of the powerful : The perfect recipe for a dictatorship.<br /><br />Gracias Gracias!<br /><br />firepigette<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />firepighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15158275219887987252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-7718205170487854422012-10-18T03:23:18.510-07:002012-10-18T03:23:18.510-07:00plob500:
I try to answer this question in The Road...plob500:<br />I try to answer this question in The Road less Traveled, one of my earlier posts. There is no short cut to the attitudinal transformation that our people will have to go through, in order for the arawaks to become chibchas. Gustavo Coronelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00048121984705082839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-45424408344687467652012-10-17T18:50:53.138-07:002012-10-17T18:50:53.138-07:00All so true, but what can the Chibchas do? We go a...All so true, but what can the Chibchas do? We go and vote and we vote and we vote again but the Caribes devour our votes, but they don't get stronger - they just get richer.plob500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-57662654007866901042012-10-17T12:21:38.994-07:002012-10-17T12:21:38.994-07:00Not indispensable but it helps to be old.A time of...Not indispensable but it helps to be old.A time of reckoning and final balances. Time to leave nothing unsaid. Gustavo Coronelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00048121984705082839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8125355648059480100.post-34912196386070732902012-10-17T11:56:58.297-07:002012-10-17T11:56:58.297-07:00Magistral y triste.Sera que es necesario llegar a ...Magistral y triste.Sera que es necesario llegar a los ochenta para tener su lucidez?Sad truths in sad times,Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com