Greatest Scams

lukin2006

I started a thread on banking as the greatest scam on earth ... It got me to thinking, what are people's top 5 great scams? Mine are ...

1. Religion, the biggest bullshit scam all-time

2. Banking

3. Insurance

4. Government/Politicians

5. Consumerism ... This is kind of appropriate since we are on the cusp of Xmas shopping.


I have more but as of now these are my top 5.

Anyone else ... Discussion.

Honorable mention is the bullshit war on marijuana.

brianlux

Great thread idea, lukin2006. First, my response to your list:

"1. Religion, the biggest bullshit scam all-time"

Yes, especially fundamentalist and highly dogmatic religion.
"One Life at a Time, Please". -Edward Abbey

"2. Banking"

The way banks are run, definitely a scam. I can envision fair banking the same way I can envision the end to all wars: a wonderful concept that is unlikely to ever happen.

"3. Insurance"

It's a huge scam but foolish to have none.

"4. Government/Politicians"

Same answer as #2. A long personal letter from Senator Alan Cranston that I received many years ago is my one reason to have hope that it is possible to have good, decent, honest politicians.

"5. Consumerism ... This is kind of appropriate since we are on the cusp of Xmas shopping."

The ultimate self-inflicted scam. More like an addiction than a scam.

"Honorable mention is the bullshit war on marijuana."

Absolutely right on.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
And my five- not necessarily my top five but like answering questions on a test, the first answer that comes to mind is often the best:

1.Global Warming/Environmental Crisis/Limits to natural resources Denial

We will probably always have wars, injustice, slavery of one form or other, greed, etc, but we only have one home planet and by trashing it and pretending we can wish the problem away or zap it with the latest technology... well, you've heard all this from me before.

2. Consumerism

See above.

3. Political boundaries, especially ones that give no consideration to geographic and bio-regional boundaries.

Another scam involving human ignorance of natures ways. Out political boundaries make no sense to me. Bio-regionalism makes all the sense in the world.

4. Fundamentalist Religion

Delusional thinking at best.

5. Digital Music

As Neil Young once put it, "A huge rip off." As an issue, maybe not essential to our survival but then one of my mottoes has long been, "Analog love songs can change the world."

polaris_x

1. Economics
2. Bottled Water
3. Industrialized Farming
4. Processed Food
5. Mass Media

lukin2006

brianlux wrote:

Great thread idea, lukin2006. First, my response to your list:

"1. Religion, the biggest bullshit scam all-time"

Yes, especially fundamentalist and highly dogmatic religion.
"One Life at a Time, Please". -Edward Abbey

"2. Banking"

The way banks are run, definitely a scam. I can envision fair banking the same way I can envision the end to all wars: a wonderful concept that is unlikely to ever happen.

"3. Insurance"

It's a huge scam but foolish to have none.

"4. Government/Politicians"

Same answer as #2. A long personal letter from Senator Alan Cranston that I received many years ago is my one reason to have hope that it is possible to have good, decent, honest politicians.

"5. Consumerism ... This is kind of appropriate since we are on the cusp of Xmas shopping."

The ultimate self-inflicted scam. More like an addiction than a scam.

"Honorable mention is the bullshit war on marijuana."

Absolutely right on.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
And my five- not necessarily my top five but like answering questions on a test, the first answer that comes to mind is often the best:

1.Global Warming/Environmental Crisis/Limits to natural resources Denial

We will probably always have wars, injustice, slavery of one form or other, greed, etc, but we only have one home planet and by trashing it and pretending we can wish the problem away or zap it with the latest technology... well, you've heard all this from me before.

2. Consumerism

See above.

3. Political boundaries, especially ones that give no consideration to geographic and bio-regional boundaries.

Another scam involving human ignorance of natures ways. Out political boundaries make no sense to me. Bio-regionalism makes all the sense in the world.

4. Fundamentalist Religion

Delusional thinking at best.

5. Digital Music

As Neil Young once put it, "A huge rip off." As an issue, maybe not essential to our survival but then one of my mottoes has long been, "Analog love songs can change the world."

Digital music ... that's interesting and a good scam ... considering (unless its changed) you don't really own it from what I understand, could books be included as well.

lukin2006

polaris_x wrote:

1. Economics
2. Bottled Water
3. Industrialized Farming
4. Processed Food
5. Mass Media

yes bottled water on 2 fronts imo ... 1. most of it is probably tap water 2. the amount of plastic bottles that end up in our lakes, rivers and waterways yearly.

Jason P

A paid lottery system to get tickets. :geek:

brianlux

lukin2006 wrote:

Digital music ... that's interesting and a good scam ... considering (unless its changed) you don't really own it from what I understand, could books be included as well.

I'm somewhat hypocritical when it comes to digital because I do have CDs of things I can't get or won't pay the astronomical prices for (i.e. Riot Act) in analog. I'd rather hear RA or No Code digitally than not at all though I'm often frustrated knowing I'm not hearing those records in their full warm analog glory.

I love books- the experience of them, the smell, the look, the feel of them in my hands, so as for digital books, I try to quell my prejudices. I'm told e-books are great for traveling and sometimes I consider that certain books are not worth the paper they would otherwise be printed on... but that's another prejudiced I have to hold down.

lukin2006

brianlux wrote:

lukin2006 wrote:

Digital music ... that's interesting and a good scam ... considering (unless its changed) you don't really own it from what I understand, could books be included as well.

I'm somewhat hypocritical when it comes to digital because I do have CDs of things I can't get or won't pay the astronomical prices for (i.e. Riot Act) in analog. I'd rather hear RA or No Code digitally than not at all though I'm often frustrated knowing I'm not hearing those records in their full warm analog glory.

I love books- the experience of them, the smell, the look, the feel of them in my hands, so as for digital books, I try to quell my prejudices. I'm told e-books are great for traveling and sometimes I consider that certain books are not worth the paper they would otherwise be printed on... but that's another prejudiced I have to hold down.

I agree about books ... but I get the digital from library ... saves me a trip.

I thought you were referring to digital downloads ... i'm not as concerned about CD's myself, I get why people like them.

Last-12-Exit

1. The Fed
2. Income taxes
3. Insurance
4. The electoral college
5. College/Universities

fuck

Nationalism

mikepegg44

1. That democrats and republicans are completely different
2. electronic voting
3. The US education system and its problems can be fixed with more money spent

JimmyV

The cost of college and the loans many students are forced to take out to pay for it.

Jason P

Our next POTUS ...

pjhawks

a few to add
1 - the Inheritance Tax
2 - Personal Seat Licenses at Stadiums
3 - Fruit flavored beers

JimmyV

Vinyl