Once again, I worry that there is the desire to conflate things to make sense of them.
It's absolutely possible to hold multiple things as true.
Notice in the conversation, on one hand, Charlie and Alex are berating (mildly of course) Joe Rogan for not taking the next step in "recognizing the truth" about one conspiracy while he's saying that there is another, when if you forward "the tape" on this very intro, both of them are complaining about how silly "Flat Earthers" are, and they would be saying the same thing.
I continue to suggest that this is evidence of two things:
1. Americans have a very circular logic about their government and the free market system specifically. For example, Alex agrees there needs to be regulations but then points out that the only alternative is... North Korea? Really?
That's like telling your kids. Brush your teeth three times a day with Crest toothpaste or your only alternative is that you'll lose all your teeth when you're a teenager and die from infection to your jaw. What? How did we get there? We know there are MANY different models of social democracies that both work and don't work. Those who know it can work, point to my own country of Canada and the Nordic model and those who say it doesn't work, point to South America where it doesn't matter WHAT government you put in there, it is corrupt and destructive
The Canadian constitution requires "peace, order, and good government" as opposed to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Certainly, the first one is more collectivist values that ensure individualist capabilities, while the latter makes a good bumper sticker but provides no expectation for the government to hold up their end of the bargain.
2. Alex's success in life has cut him off from some possible alternatives I think. Is it not fair to say that extreme poverty provides some form of perspective as does extreme wealth? I'm not suggesting Alex has or hasn't experienced either or, or both, but when you don't need to worry about making ends meet each month, paying for gold-level healthcare isn't something you worry about. You don't even have to DEMAND for a democratic government that makes certain that equity happens between peoples. Certainly, it's true that the government and EVERY organization or individual with power, money and influence can start to take a paternalistic attitude towards everyone else. Those beliefs very quickly start coming up with patterns that you are SURE are what's REALLY happening.
But I would respectfully suggest that Charlie's puzzle set argument is wrong. He's assuming we all have the puzzle pieces, but only the government holds them away from us. Nonsense. We DON'T have all the puzzle pieces by design. We're operating with a 10,000 piece puzzle that can complete it's own pictures in 150, 300, 500, 1000, 3000, and even 5000 pieces that look to be the entire picture to us.
But, no human being from the beginning of time- to our knowledge- NO MATTER what government or lack of government is involved has ever put together the 10,000 pieces this side of the veil.
They've only convinced themselves that their "completed" part of the puzzle was all you needed to know.
J
