X-Message-Number: 19736
Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 12:50:53 -0700
From: Olaf Henny <>
Subject: I like you, John, but...
References: <>

In Message #19723 John Grigg" <>
wrote in part:

>Subject: Gotta love the French!   :)

>... .I think the next time the U.S. builds some cool piece of
>technology, we should keep it well away from the French.  This
>would force them to invent their own stuff, and not just steal
<it from us...  Talk about rude behavior!!!

John, I like you and your generally positive posts, but where
does
that crap come from?  (And who is rude?)

I presume, that has its roots from your indoctrination from
preschool on, that the US is the greatest country in the world,
and if we all just could pattern ourselves after the American
system, the world would be a wonderful place to live in.

It probably is all that by American standards, which emphasize
science and technology (good for us cryonicists), martial skills
and unbridled entrepreneurialism and which makes them world
leaders in all those categories.

However other nations  priorities lie more in humane treatment of
_all_ members of their societies, and in that aspect the US is
not only the taillight of the G7, but it lags behind the other 6
and behind all the members of the EU by a wide margin.  Instead
of the universal right to bear arms all the others hold up the
right to universal health care.  Nobody gets bumped from the
right to health care because of extended chronic illness.  They
all have abandoned capital punishment as barbaric and unbecoming
to a civilized society.

It is the emphasis on preservation of life and health, which
should
give that set of values appeal to cryonicists.

I am not saying that one system is superior to any other
(although I do have a preference), but I do say, that the
universe does not exactly revolve around the American system of
values.  That has evolved out of American history, is indigenous
to
the US and has a rightful place there.  But that does not mean,
that the rest of the world has to follow the US example.

Now we come to the point, which raised my blood pressure:  Just
because the US is the world leader in most fields of science and
technology, that does not mean, that the rest of us are STEALING
it from you.  There is a universally accepted patent system in
the world, which is recognized and adhered to by all developed
nations.  If we are using American technology, we pay good
royalties for it.

Best,
Olaf

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