[MD] Down the road of mediocrity

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Platt]
Excuse me. Where does Pirsig say calculus is an intellectual activity and
designing football plays is not?

[Arlo]
So driving a delivery truck is an intellectual activity. Pretty much everything
is I gather, including organized religion (which requires as much organization
as a football team).

[Platt]
... those who work for a living are more moral than those who live off the work
of others.

[Arlo]
No. Those who value human life more than wealth are more moral than those who do
not.

[Platt]
Considering that civilization depends on the wealth creators, not the parasites,
I think it's the only state of affairs that makes moral sense.

[Arlo]
Let's take a scenario. Joe works all his life as a miner in West Virginia. One
day, the mine closes and he is unemployed. He takes a job as a cashier at a
local Gas-N-Sip, but doesn't earn enough to afford medical insurance. Soon
after, his daughter is diagnosed with cancer. Should she or should she not
receive medical attention?

Change the scenario. He lands a new job that does provide health insurance, but
his daughter's cancer was previously diagnosed and his new insurance won't
cover existing illnesses, so her coverage is dropped. Should she or should she
not receive medical attention.

[Platt]
Without guns, no government has power. Mobs are the least reliable source for
forming governments.

[Arlo]
A government derives its mandate from the people. Those who live therein
voluntarily abide by its laws... laws that are socially-derived. Or you could
move away...


[Arlo previously]
Which does not change the fact that _I_ subsidize _YOUR_ expenses  when your
claims outweigh your contributions. I don't _want_ my  premiums to go up, but
every time someone takes more out than they  put in, I get the bill. Once
again, you're welcome.

[Platt]
Guess you have a hard time telling the difference between a voluntary and a
forced association.

[Arlo]
Well, in that case taxes are voluntary too. You could choose not to partake in
the economy, as Case suggests, or you could simply move away. No one is forcing
you to stay in America? Or forcing you to partake of our economy? Are they,
Platt?? Seems to be you are quite free to become a hobo or move to another
country.

[Arlo previously]
There's nothing voluntary about supporting our armed services either, is there?
But I gladly do it...

[Platt]
To preserve freedom, you bet. 

[Arlo]
And I voluntarily (and gladly) support our social safety net as well... to
preserve the value of human life.