A simple thought... Every so often people do not know what is the better thing for themselves. What would be the right thing to do? Let them do what they want or force them to do the right thing with violence?

A simple thought... Every so often people do not know what is the better thing for themselves.

That's so true. But it's also true that it's better that THEY make that determination for themselves, and not someone else doing it for them.

Or is that just some silly-assed liberal idealism? ...and we'd all really rather be told what to do and how to do it and what to think? Perhaps ignorance really is blissful, huh?

Algeria? We can't know what would have been ...it's no different to fantasy dreaming or writing.


... Let them do what they want or force them to do the right thing with violence?

In any civilized society, aren't we all "forced" to do the "right" thing? Aren't we required to follow gazillions of laws and rules? And isn't the threat of violence (or at least jail time?!) held over our heads? Would Algeria have been any different?

Baron Max

That's so true. But it's also true that it's better that THEY make that determination for themselves, and not someone else doing it for them.

Or is that just some silly-assed liberal idealism? ...and we'd all really rather be told what to do and how to do it and what to think? Perhaps ignorance really is blissful, huh?

They can do what they want unless I'm not concerned... Let's suppose that I'm France and Algerians don't want me in their land, I know that if I'm going to remain it would be a good thing for Algerians in the long term since I'm a developed and democratic country and I don't want to leave either since I have economic interests in the area, so I crush the rebels by any means... Am I wrong?

Ignorance is the worst enemy of a democratic system.



In any civilized society, aren't we all "forced" to do the "right" thing? Aren't we required to follow gazillions of laws and rules? And isn't the threat of violence (or at least jail time?!) held over our heads? Would Algeria have been any different?

Baron Max

Yes, but I was talking about breaking laws in an extraordinary situation... The French Army didn't follow rules during the battle of Algiers in order to defeat the FLN terrorists and they succeeded... After all, handing a country to a terrorist organization is never a good thing.