Post: #201

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

Post: #202

(02-05-2016 05:28 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

I do not think people are questioning the quality of life and infrastructure. In general, those are very good in the E.U. Streets, food etc were all better in France than what I see in most the U.S.

It's about self determination, minimal government interference. For some people that is more important.

Euros will never really understand that, you have a completely different history and grew up under a different government type.

Post: #203

(02-05-2016 05:28 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

No one can take these arguments about Europe seriously anymore.

"We live a great place" as you're invaded and raped silly. I mean it's obvious your "great living standards" had a huge hidden cost of a totalitarian government and zero military to protect the people.

Speakeasy:

Quote:True, but there's no political solution to out of wedlock births.

False. There has been a solution since the 1960's. It's called birth control. If the government wanted to stop a ballooning welfare state, they would enforce birth control in exchange for welfare benefits.

Post: #204

(02-05-2016 05:28 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

I certainly don't think this. But I do know the European countries are living on borrowed time due to their economic situation.

I also know that for a guy like me, that craves financial security over working a job, the USA is a far better place.

Post: #205

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(01-25-2016 11:13 AM)Fast Eddie Wrote:  

(01-25-2016 11:06 AM)zatara Wrote:  The average Joe in Alabama does not live a better life than the average Hans in Germany, that's fairly obvious to anyone who's been to both countries. The top 10% or so of Americans however do live a far better lifestyle than their equivalent in Europe, mostly due to lower taxes and less state regulation on business owners/workers rights for the working class. America is probably the best country in the world to be wealthy in, all things considered (a combination of safety/taxes/public services etc).

The bottom 90% in America though would be far better living in a European social-democratic state due to free university education, free healthcare, legally mandated paternity/maternity/sick leave, minimum weeks of holiday leave, generous unemployment benefit etc. Social mobility is much higher, quality of life is better and the social safety net is a very real thing.

The problem with this is that most Americans see themselves as "temporarily embarrassed millionaires" (to quote Steinbeck). The majority of Americans think they're upper middle class, or will be, when statistically they both aren't and will never be. Its a country-wide self delusion that shows itself in working class people voting for lower income tax rates (which primarily benefit high earners), being anti-union etc.

The upper class in America have done a wonderful job since the 1960s of demonizing the poor, which deflects attention from themselves. For the average American reading this forum its not minorities on food stamps you should be angry about, its Paris Hilton or Dan Bilzerian paying negligible amounts of income tax.

It is better to live your life with the strident hope that you will make something of yourself one day than to wallow in complacent, state supported mediocrity like a pathetic turd.

Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I was describing what I think of certain mentalities, not making a global statement about the personal worth of Europeans. For me, the freedom to make something of my limited time on earth and shoot high is more important than having a safety net that borders on being a safety couch. I do think a bit less of people who prefer the idea of living under a system where the floor may not be that low, but the ceiling is also not very much higher than the floor. Whether they are Europeans or not is besides the point. There are plenty of those people in every part of the world.

Post: #206

(02-05-2016 05:55 AM)GlobalMan Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 05:28 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

I do not think people are questioning the quality of life and infrastructure. In general, those are very good in the E.U. Streets, food etc were all better in France than what I see in most the U.S.

It's about self determination, minimal government interference. For some people that is more important.

Euros will never really understand that, you have a completely different history and grew up under a different government type.

I just tend to think that sometimes, this "freedom" is more imagined than real, specially nowadays with the PC culture and all. What freedom do you really have, if you can be fired or sued for saying the "wrong" thing. In most of Europe (maybe with the exemption of Germany, with their silly and subjective "Volksverhetzung" laws) you can say whatever the fuck you want and it´s pretty much impossible to loose you job because of it.

Sure some stupid leftits may not like it, but who gives a shit what they think anyway. I don´t mind pissing off a few libtards in fact I enjoy it. If they don´t want to talk to me again, because they think I´m a raaaacis, I don´t really care and most people with balls don´t either.

It´s true that we are taxed heavier than Americans and that there are a bit more regulations. But I don´t really consider that you guys are much "freer" than we are. Maybe you were 100 - 150 years ago, but it´s not like that anymore, or else this forum wouldn´t even exist. At least that´s what I sense. Let´s put it this way, apart from the refuge issue and a bit less tax, I don´t think I would enjoy much more freedom if I was born in America.

Post: #207

^ False. Do forums like this even exist in Europe? They would be shut down.

Moreover, you will lose your job in Europe. It happens all the time, and anyone who talks about it is censored. You simply don't notice your police state, like most Europeans, because the state keeps you complacent.

http://neurope.eu/article/you-tweet-too-...by-police/

Quote:Dutch police have been visiting the homes of people critical of asylum centres on Twitter, urging them to delete posts.

It was thus on a Monday, in the town of Sliedrecht, that Mark Jongeneel (28) got a very disturbing phone call. His mother was on the line, worried that two policemen were looking for him, but would not say why. As Jongeneel told the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, the police came to his office and told him: “You tweet too much. We have orders to ask you to watch your tone. Your tweets may seem seditious.”

In Sliedrecht there had been a citizen meeting about a refugee center in the region. At the end, Jongeneel had posted a few tweets. One said: “The College of #Sliedrecht comes with a proposal to take 250 refugees over the next two years. What a bad idea! “Earlier he had also tweeted:” Should we let this happen?! ”

In recent months, police have visited the homes of many more people that criticised the plans for asylum centres. In October 2015, in Leeuwarden about twenty opponents of the programs received police visits at home. It happened in Enschede, and in some places in the Brabant, where, according to the Dutch media, people who had been critical of the arrival of refugees and ran a page on social media on the topic were told to stop.

A spokesman for the national police acknowledged to Handelsblad that there are ten intelligence units of “digital detectives” monitoring in real time Facebook pages and Twitter accounts and looking for posts that go “too far”.

Citizens have even complained that it starts sounding as if the Netherlands were on the way to become “a police state.”

I would add that like Europe, most Americans are fat and happy and fail to notice their encroaching enslavement, but as I've stressed many times there is still a fighting chance in America. There are guns and a tradition of liberty. Europe has nothing.

Post: #208

(02-05-2016 07:05 AM)Samseau Wrote:  "We live a great place" as you're invaded and raped silly. I mean it's obvious your "great living standards" had a huge hidden cost of a totalitarian government and zero military to protect the people.

"zero military". I addressed the point multiple times, which you don't seem to be learning from:

/thread-51316...pid1205640

/thread-51316...pid1205581

"invaded and raped silly". Such hyperbole... Out of curiosity, what age are you Samseau? Have you ever actually traveled or worked outside of the U.S.? If so, where? It's just from your persistent comments on this thread you seem to have a very black and white view of the world, which most people who travel extensively don't have. Real life experience tends to make you see things in shades of grey.

Most of the rest of the commentators in the thread, for example, seem to be roughly in agreement that the US is better for some people (very high earners) and Europe for others (very low earners). Just with debate on the varying degrees of what percentage of the population falls into which subset, depending on their own views/values. Anyone who has been to both regions can generally see positives (and negatives) in each social/economic system.

Plus the whole way you think the only thing to do with free time is to "smoke, drink and play video games". And equate travel to playing Xbox. It seems very teenager-y.

Post: #209

(02-05-2016 11:38 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 05:55 AM)GlobalMan Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 05:28 AM)freeuser Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 12:15 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  Damn, you really think the average European is a pathetic turd? Have you ever actually been to Europe? It's not such a bad continent. Quality of life is pretty high unless you live in some shithole like Moldova.

I think a lot of people expressing their opinions here, have never been to Europe. They seem to think, we live in a bleak socialist backwater region that resembles the soviet union of the 80´s. They´d be surprised at the quality of live and the infrastructure in our continent.

I do not think people are questioning the quality of life and infrastructure. In general, those are very good in the E.U. Streets, food etc were all better in France than what I see in most the U.S.

It's about self determination, minimal government interference. For some people that is more important.

Euros will never really understand that, you have a completely different history and grew up under a different government type.

I just tend to think that sometimes, this "freedom" is more imagined than real, specially nowadays with the PC culture and all. What freedom do you really have, if you can be fired or sued for saying the "wrong" thing. In most of Europe (maybe with the exemption of Germany, with their silly and subjective "Volksverhetzung" laws) you can say whatever the fuck you want and it´s pretty much impossible to loose you job because of it.

I get what you're saying, but that is all the private citizens doing, and happens in a lot of the Western world, and not to a great extent. What I'm concerned about is State control. Despite what you see SJW's do, we in the U.S. still have much better individual control over our lives. That is what is important to me.

I see a lot of the arguments people putting forth in favor of the socialist models center heavily on jobs. "My right to a job.... can't take my job away... stable job for life..."

I don't care about a job for life. My life isn't about a job. I have only worked for someone else 4 years out of the last decade. I'm 32 and have 3 companies. I've never gone to a day of college. I've lived and traveled the world since I left home at 19. Both my mother and father encouraged me to take risks to reap bigger rewards, only in the U.S. do I see this mentality to this extent, and I am grateful to have family that have these values and ideals.

Will that be the outcome of everyone's life in the U.S.? No, of course not...but they have an equal opportunity to try, with minimal government interference. I don't want protected equal (limited) outcomes- I want equal opportunity to unlimited potential based solely on my effort and value I bring to society. I want responsibilty for my own life, and any burdens that come with that. Let the chips fall where they may. Anything else and I'd feel slightly ashamed.

In addition, even if you want a job for life, I fundamentally disagree with the notion that any employee should have a "guaranteed right for life" to being paid by a private person/entity. Basic protections, sure (and immigration controls). But not what goes on in Europe. It creates a ridiculous barrier to entry for entrepreneurial growth.

------

My car is legally registered to an anonymous New Mexico LLC. (I live no where near NM)

There is not a piece of paper or database in existence that has my real name connected to where I sleep at night. All done legally.

I legally own firearms that do not even have a serial number, let alone recorded on any form, because it's federally legal to personally finish building firearms from an 80% finished receiver.

How possible are these scenarios in Europe?

To you and others these may seem like small things, trivial matters. But they represent the extremely important value of liberty, of freedom from government interference. These values quite simply what makes America, America.

Quote:I don´t think I would enjoy much more freedom if I was born in America.

I don't think you would either, because you're not looking for freedoms or liberty, you're looking for guarantees. And thats fine.

Post: #210

(02-05-2016 01:39 PM)zatara Wrote:  

(02-05-2016 07:05 AM)Samseau Wrote:  "We live a great place" as you're invaded and raped silly. I mean it's obvious your "great living standards" had a huge hidden cost of a totalitarian government and zero military to protect the people.

"zero military". I addressed the point multiple times, which you don't seem to be learning from:

/thread-51316...pid1205640

/thread-51316...pid1205581

And my replies to you explained clearly: European military is a joke. It's home to diversity programs and providing free shuttle service to the invading Muslims so they can rape, plunder, and leech off welfare all day.

Quote:"invaded and raped silly". Such hyperbole... Out of curiosity, what age are you Samseau? Have you ever actually traveled or worked outside of the U.S.? If so, where? It's just from your persistent comments on this thread you seem to have a very black and white view of the world, which most people who travel extensively don't have. Real life experience tends to make you see things in shades of grey.

Why should I tell you?

Quote:Most of the rest of the commentators in the thread, for example, seem to be roughly in agreement that the US is better for some people (very high earners) and Europe for others (very low earners). Just with debate on the varying degrees of what percentage of the population falls into which subset, depending on their own views/values. Anyone who has been to both regions can generally see positives (and negatives) in each social/economic system.

Too bad, Europe is getting destroyed, so all the people defending Europe are wrong.

Quote:Plus the whole way you think the only thing to do with free time is to "smoke, drink and play video games". And equate travel to playing Xbox. It seems very teenager-y.

Is this supposed to be a good troll? It's not even a good troll. You don't know who I am or what I do, trust me, it doesn't involve much of those three activities you mentioned.

Post: #211

(02-06-2016 09:48 AM)Samseau Wrote:  And my replies to you explained clearly: European military is a joke. It's home to diversity programs and providing free shuttle service to the invading Muslims so they can rape, plunder, and leech off welfare all day.

You didn't reply with any substantive data to counter my point in my first linked post, and never replied to my second. Either way, empirical military capability statistics do not support your views.

Quote:Why should I tell you?

Is this supposed to be a good troll? It's not even a good troll. You don't know who I am or what I do, trust me, it doesn't involve much of those three activities you mentioned.

I think if you weren't ashamed of the answer to that question you probably wouldn't have a problem disclosing it. I'm not trying to be offensive/condescending to you, but people's life experience (or lack thereof) generally has a significant influence on their views. In your last 1000 posts on RooshV you have exactly 0 posts on the Travel forum. You only have 11 posts on the Game forum. The other 989 posts are all quite angry posts relating to politics/social issues. For a highly active forum member, who regularly posts, to never post on the Travel forum whatsoever it would suggest you do not regularly travel.

Additionally, on a reddit videogaming thread, you post about how you "game hardcore all the time" and have "been gaming since I was two" - https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/...gs/clh7noh

So you obviously do play quite a few video games, despite what you've just claimed. This plus your earlier statements is why it seems to me that you value playing video games over travel, which makes me wonder have you ever traveled. And it does point to being younger.

I don't mean this as a personal attack at all - I'm just telling you the reasoning behind why I asked that prior background question to you. I think your intellectual horizons would expand quite a lot if you spent less time playing video games and spent that time/money on travel, or at least other self improvement, instead.

It might make you a bit less angry about politics too!

Post: #212

You have just an illusion of privacy and freedom GlobalMan. Don´t forget that thanks to things like the Patriot Act, you can be watched around the clock by your government. I´m pretty sure the NSA knows exactly where you sleep at night, as long as you use a cellphone and a have an internet connection. And if you own a gun you´re even more of a target. Everything can be traced today, thanks to the technology governments and their spy agencies have.

Post: #213

(02-06-2016 04:56 PM)freeuser Wrote:  You have just an illusion of privacy and freedom GlobalMan. Don´t forget that thanks to things like the Patriot Act, you can be watched around the clock by your government. I´m pretty sure the NSA knows exactly where you sleep at night, as long as you use a cellphone and a have an internet connection. And if you own a gun you´re even more of a target. Everything can be traced today, thanks to the technology governments and their spy agencies have.

Agreed, so the key is to not be worth their time and effort. At the end of the day, those entities are staffed by workaday slugs just like those in our lives...and they only have so much time. Higher priorities get more attention....so, don't climb their priority list.

Post: #214

(02-06-2016 04:56 PM)freeuser Wrote:  You have just an illusion of privacy and freedom GlobalMan.

No, I don't have illusion. I gave you clear examples and facts.

Quote:I´m pretty sure the NSA knows exactly where you sleep at night, as long as you use a cellphone and a have an internet connection.

I'm pretty sure the NSA doesn't, because they're not looking. If they did look, of course they would know. Just as your government would.
The point is that my example is not even legally possible in the E.U. None of them are. And many more, too numerous to list.

My point isn't that the most powerful arm of the most powerful government can't get to me- of course it can. Not my intentions. You are taking things to the absolute extreme in an attempt to gloss over real, useful liberties.

Quote:And if you own a gun you´re even more of a target. Everything can be traced today, thanks to the technology governments and their spy agencies have.

There is no Federal firearms registry, there is no centralized record of who owns what firearm- and that is for guns bought from a licensed dealer, with background check. No record goes to the federal government when purchasing a gun- it remains with the dealer. A gun can be traced if they have the gun. They then start down a chain of contacting where it was made ending in where it was sold. There is no general federal database to look up a name and see what guns you own- such a registry is actually illegal (imagine telling that to your average Euro!). There are however name+gun databases related to criminal activity, and for guns that have already been traced due to being involved in crime, stolen, or if a dealer goes out of business the records are sent. And, a few states do have have registration. But for the sake of this argument, there is no federal record of gun ownership. When you go buy a gun, only the dealer has a record. The gun only ends up in a database in one of the ways mentioned.

Regardless-

There is zero record for private gun transactions between two people, which are legal federally and in most states. Once that gun is sold to someone else privately, it's a ghost.

There is zero record for finishing an 80% receiver (very easy), which is legal federally and in most states.

Please do not try to tell me things I know extremely well such as U.S. gun laws, and you know nothing of, it's insulting.

You seem to be attempting to diminish the value or usefulness of the second ammendment, implying that there is questionable value to firearm ownership, likely because you recognize you have nothing remotely approaching this vital liberty.

You proposing these extreme circumstances in which the NSA is after me, which of course I couldn't overcome, because your argument is weak. It's last gasp desperation trying deny we indeed have more freedoms than afforded to Euros.

There is no comparison, nothing approaching our most important values:

First Amendment? Nope, criminal "hate speech" that can and is prosecuted
Second Amendment? A hearty laugh, no.
Guaranteed separation of church and state? Definitely not, in fact many have state churches. Fine for today, bad for when your soul mate muslims become congressmen.

... on and on.

But, you'll reply with ..Patriot Act, NSA, any shitty thing the government does, implying these criminal actions erase the great things we do have. That some in the government have betrayed the citizens does not mean we do not hold these liberties. You are correct that there are and have been egregious attacks on our freedoms here. And if we didn't have the constitution that we do, we wouldn't stand a chance against it. But we do.

The arguments I see made from the Euros all seem to center on "I am comfortable in my daily life"- none of them seem to centered on values. While values and liberties may not seem important when everything is going to your liking, when the "right" people are in power. They will very quickly become important to you when shit starts to go south (or in your case, when the South invades you)

I've said my piece.

Post: #215

You have just admitted in your reply, that your government can get you if they want, so that´s exactly the illusion I´m talking about. As soon as they see you as a nuisance or a danger, they can squash you like a bug. Look up the Lavabit case and what your freedom loving government did to it´s owner Ladar Levison. But it´s not just cases like that, it´s also issues like the scandalous Civil Forfeiture. Or even the way the IRS works, which is more appropriate of a third world dictatorship than a western democracy. That´s why I can only laugh when somebody points out that the US is the land of the free. Europe sure has it´s fair share of problems, that´s for sure, but at least we aren´t submitted to this type of scandalous abuse.

Your government, spy agencies and sometimes law enforcement have proven in the past, that they don´t give a shit about your laws, your constitutional rights or your privacy (or that of their allies) for that matter, with their massive surveillance dragnet and indiscriminate use of its abusive power. I guess we are much more cynical and wary about stuff like this.

Post: #216

(02-07-2016 06:12 AM)freeuser Wrote:  You have just admitted in your reply, that your government can get you if they want, so that´s exactly the illusion I´m talking about. As soon as they see you as a nuisance or a danger, they can squash you like a bug. Look up the Lavabit case and what your freedom loving government did to it´s owner Ladar Levison. But it´s not just this, it´s also things like the scandalous Civil Forfeiture. Or even the way the IRS works, which is more appropriate of a third world dictatorship than a western democracy. That´s why I can only laugh when somebody points out that the US is the land of the free. Europe sure has it´s fair share of problems with at least we aren´t submitted to this type of scandalous abuse.

You government and spy agency has proven in the past that they don´t give a shit about your laws or your privacy (or that of their allies) with their massive surveillance dragnet and indiscriminate use of it. I guess we are much more cynical and wary about stuff like this.

Again, you are using the extremes to try to nullify the very real personal liberties that do in fact exist in the U.S., because you have nothing even remotely comparable in Europe, thus why you're not responding to that line of discussion.

You just keep telling me the NSA could reach me if they wanted to.

Of course they could, what's your point? I acknowledged that, and told you thats not my goal. The only reason you keep repeating this NSA argument is because you feel it's trump card that nullifies any evidence that we do in fact have greater liberty, in general, by far.

Your example, how does it negates the real, individual liberties I enjoy right now? Or are you claiming none exist, because the NSA does bad things? Because X happens Y is gone? Are you implying every citizen is Ladar Levison?

Your whole argument is that the U.S. government has attacked/chipped away at the rights and liberties of citizens (therefore we have nothing??), yet you in Europe don't have any similar constitutional rights to begin with. It's absurd.

Millions across Europe seeking out guns to protect their families because they face real threats, only to find they have very limited privileges to do.

Marches, protests, journalists, citizens being stopped, silenced, charged, jailed for opposing the narrative.

Governments covering up mass violence and rape to protect the muslim soul mate narrative.

Listen to the Republican candidates in the U.S., look at the polls and huge support- You'll sooner see pigs fly to the fucking moon before you'll hear widespread opposition to mass illegal migration like that from European politicians.

You're hanging your hat on supposed greater protections, while your government literally controls with threat of law what you can and can't say, down to fuckin' tweets man! Controls what any news program can say about taboo topics (see recent German tv executive story)...

Yet you keep saying "NSA!", while literally every part of your life is at the mercy of your government- and not in the "NSA gunna get ya!" way you apply to me, but in a real, direct, daily life way. But you're protected and free? Ok

Post: #217

(02-06-2016 12:56 PM)zatara Wrote:  

(02-06-2016 09:48 AM)Samseau Wrote:  And my replies to you explained clearly: European military is a joke. It's home to diversity programs and providing free shuttle service to the invading Muslims so they can rape, plunder, and leech off welfare all day.

You didn't reply with any substantive data to counter my point in my first linked post, and never replied to my second. Either way, empirical military capability statistics do not support your views.

I think if you weren't ashamed of the answer to that question you probably wouldn't have a problem disclosing it. I'm not trying to be offensive/condescending to you, but people's life experience (or lack thereof) generally has a significant influence on their views. In your last 1000 posts on RooshV you have exactly 0 posts on the Travel forum. You only have 11 posts on the Game forum. The other 989 posts are all quite angry posts relating to politics/social issues. For a highly active forum member, who regularly posts, to never post on the Travel forum whatsoever it would suggest you do not regularly travel.

Additionally, on a reddit videogaming thread, you post about how you "game hardcore all the time" and have "been gaming since I was two" - https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/...gs/clh7noh

So you obviously do play quite a few video games, despite what you've just claimed. This plus your earlier statements is why it seems to me that you value playing video games over travel, which makes me wonder have you ever traveled. And it does point to being younger.

I don't mean this as a personal attack at all - I'm just telling you the reasoning behind why I asked that prior background question to you. I think your intellectual horizons would expand quite a lot if you spent less time playing video games and spent that time/money on travel, or at least other self improvement, instead.

It might make you a bit less angry about politics too!

Quote:So you obviously do play quite a few video games

Quote:it seems to me that you value playing video games over travel, which makes me wonder have you ever traveled.

Quote:I think your intellectual horizons would expand quite a lot if you spent less time playing video games and spent that time/money on travel, or at least other self improvement, instead.

Zatara,
While Samseau doesn't need anyone speaking for him, I found your comment to be ridiculous.

Do you ever watch films? Tv? Browse the internet?

Can you explain how those leisure activities are different from the leisure activity of playing video games?

Further, can you explain how those leisure activities prevent knowledge and experience being gained in other areas?

Quote:In your last 1000 posts on RooshV you have exactly 0 posts on the Travel forum. You only have 11 posts on the Game forum. The other 989 posts are all quite angry posts relating to politics/social issues

You also won't find dozens or hundreds of other long time members posting much in the Game forum these days. You also won't find Roosh write much about game these days. And you won't find me posting much in the Game forum either.

Why? Well I can't speak for other people, but for me it's just not something I spend much time contemplating at this time. I've been practicing game for a decade. It's just part of who I am now. Do I know all there is to know or have nothing to gain further? Of course not, far from it. Learning never ends. But- there just aren't many contemplations I have on game now. While I still enjoy chatting about it and contributing, it's just not a huge intellectual pursuit I have these days.

This fact says zero about a guys experience or abilities.

Further, your attempt to control the frame on what parts of the forum are of most value is pitiful. Guys are interested in some areas more than others at different times in their lives.

Quote:I don't mean this as a personal attack at all

Quote: I'm not trying to be offensive/condescending to you

Post: #218

I´m not saying you have nothing, I´m just trying to point out to you, that while all the cases that I mentioned above keep happening, your constitutional rights are not being truly respected by your government. It´s not just about the NSA, it´s about the flagrant abuse of power of your multiple government agencies. Those things I mentioned are things that could never happen in Europe. But you keep insisting that because you can buy guns more easily or register your car to an anonymous New Mexico LLC. that these things don´t seem to matter. But freedom and being able to live without the state fucking my life up looks different to me. By the way, you can buy guns in Europe too (at least in the countries where I lived and know of), if you´re not a retard or a criminal.

And in Europe we have politicians like Marine Le Pen, Geert Wilders, Frauke Petry, Jarosław Kaczyński, Viktor Orbán saying whatever they want about Muslims and other migrants (Trump is pretty much a copycat of these leaders). Their parties and others like the Sweden Democrats, Finns Party, Lega Nord, Danish People's Party or the ÖVP in Austria are gaining momentum, sometimes amassing massive power and even dictating government policies. Things are changing in Europe.

And it´s to be seen if Trump will win the primaries let alone the Presidential election (very unlikely) or you´re going to be ruled by Hillary Clinton or even better, Bernie Sanders in a few months.

Quote:while literally every part of your life is at the mercy of your government- and not in the "NSA gunna get ya!" way you apply to me, but in a real, direct, daily life way.

This is just absolute nonsense and it probably applies more to you, thanks to your corrupt criminal just system. Just look at how many times cops just kill "accidentally" suspects, that pose no real threat to them, specially when they´re black. Shit like that just seems absolutely unreal here over the pond. And most of the time the cops don´t even get indicted, after something as horrible as this happens. It´s an absolute travesty of justice. Talking about being at the mercy of the state.

Post: #219

@Globalman I stated that it seemed to me that Samseau's posts indicated that he likely had little travel experience - and that this lack of experience directly influenced his negative views on other cultures/peoples that he was so vehement about in this thread. He questioned why, so I provided evidence to explain the logic behind my views. It really isn't meant as a personal attack - I do genuinely believe if he had direct personal experience of other regions it would benefit him intellectually; he would start to see things in shades of grey instead of such inflexible black and white.

I wasn't questioning his lack of posting on the Game forum. I was referencing his lack of posting on the Travel forum as one of the factors tying in to my belief he likely hasn't traveled extensively.

In terms of the quality of hobbies, playing video games is no worse than watching Reality TV or some such no - everyone has some hobbies that are effectively intellectual/physical timesinks. But my issue with Samseau's video game playing is more that a) he denied doing it here, while admitting being a "hardcore gamer" elsewhere and b) he claimed that "Traveling, while fun, is usually just as much as a frivolity as playing a game". By comparing the utility of playing video games to travel it suggested to me a lack of travel experience - I don't think anyone who's done both would compare them.

I'm focusing on travel experience in relation to opinions in this thread because I think anyone who has lived in both the U.S. and Europe can see both societies have inherent positives and negatives. People who disparage either system as being completely wrong are just showing their ignorance/lack of experience.

Post: #220

No contradiction was said by me. I am a hardcore gamer. I still spend less than 5% of my time on it though. I am top-ranked in any game I choose to play.

Post: #221

Delete.

Not worth it. He won't get it

Post: #222

(02-07-2016 08:51 AM)zatara Wrote:  @Globalman I stated that it seemed to me that Samseau's posts indicated that he likely had little travel experience - and that this lack of experience directly influenced his negative views on other cultures/peoples that he was so vehement about in this thread. He questioned why, so I provided evidence to explain the logic behind my views. It really isn't meant as a personal attack - I do genuinely believe if he had direct personal experience of other regions it would benefit him intellectually; he would start to see things in shades of grey instead of such inflexible black and white.

I wasn't questioning his lack of posting on the Game forum. I was referencing his lack of posting on the Travel forum as one of the factors tying in to my belief he likely hasn't traveled extensively.

In terms of the quality of hobbies, playing video games is no worse than watching Reality TV or some such no - everyone has some hobbies that are effectively intellectual/physical timesinks. But my issue with Samseau's video game playing is more that a) he denied doing it here, while admitting being a "hardcore gamer" elsewhere and b) he claimed that "Traveling, while fun, is usually just as much as a frivolity as playing a game". By comparing the utility of playing video games to travel it suggested to me a lack of travel experience - I don't think anyone who's done both would compare them.

I'm focusing on travel experience in relation to opinions in this thread because I think anyone who has lived in both the U.S. and Europe can see both societies have inherent positives and negatives. People who disparage either system as being completely wrong are just showing their ignorance/lack of experience.

I lived in both sides of the pond.

I have seen alot of poverty in America, that would shock alot of people.

I have seen alot of poverty in Europe as well.

We will see some big changes in the next few years, no point gloating.

Post: #223

I am in TOTAL concert with zatara on his recent post. I am one of the few members on this forum that has lived as a working adult in both in Europe (one country but the only Anglo Saxon country there) and TWO of the main North American countries, Canada AND the United States. Due to my nature, I go to a variety of cultural events and make friends that lend to a richer experience. I used to hang out with quite a few Danes in the UK, Asians from South Asia (Indians/Pakistanis), Asians (Orientals). I went to an Oriental club called Red Square where I was the only tanned fellow there. I also went to another Asian club in Toronto and pulled a South Korean chick (again, I was the only tanned fellow there). I loan these experiences to show that I'm not an insular traveller, some cats travel and they operate the same way they do on their own turf, in a homogenous bubble.

I pride myself in an unbiased assessment of places I have been and an outlook on life.

I am in America because there are benefits that I feel I can reap from who I am despite the dangers and injustices that exist. Europe has its pros but it has its cons, depending on the ideology one wishes to adopt. The realities are there on both sides and even a casual traveller would be able to lend to it.

Without travel, one is severely capped on an outlook on anything beyond their own nose. I would even say that a traveller can actually tell a person who has never actually left their own city more about that city cos a traveller has a keen sense of observation. I've been in cities where I have dredged up opportunities or opened a link that people who have lived 30 plus years in that one city can not tell me of. A travelled person would have a more intimate understanding of their own environment because it enables one to step outside their own skin by having OTHER experiences to use as a measuring stick. It is IMPOSSIBLE to gain the same experience about a country that one has never lived in or been to from browsing sites and firing up YOUTUBE. You can't even imagine the rubbish I hear from people in the UK about the US and vice versa from people here about Europe. Anyone who is even actually trying to debate that online browsing and YOUTUBE trumps real life experience is doing what term in London as GAZING. And I mean, you are PROPER gazing.

Post: #224

^ To Moma's point, I have met guys in the UK living in council flats (government apartments) who told me they would not live in America because of the crap they have seen on the TV show The Wire.

I also met another kid in Hungary, who thought if he got to live in America. He would own a Escalade and live in a big house in the suburbs, as if it were that easy.

Not all of us travel for poon, I am a avid photographer and like to take landscape pictures. I also like to interact with the locals to get a better understanding of the country I am visiting. To say that travelling is a waste of time is very narrow minded, travelling is a great form of education.

Post: #225

Samseau, I agree with the forum members who believe that travel is an important educational experience.

Serious offer: if you buy your own plane ticket and arrange your own visa (I can assist you with information on how to do this), I'll cover your expenses in Beijing for up to two weeks here in Beijing. I'll provide you with comfortable housing, a kitchen and groceries at your disposal and spending money each day.

You'll be able to see several once-in-a-life-time historic sites, including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. I'll share with you my proven online dating method for Beijing, which should get you set up with enough dates with English speakers to pretty much guarantee you get laid. The housing I will provide you with offers just about the best logistics available any where in China.

On the weekend, we can hit the best clubs and you can show me your proven dance game method.

Normally, people would spend up to $10K on the vacation experience I'm offering you, but you can have it for the cost of an airline ticket and a visa processing fee.

You just have to say yes.