Islamic States of America v Union of the Socialist States of America

[afleitch]

Option 1.

The USA becomes a taleban style Islamic State, with an unelected Supreme Ayatollah as head of state. All women are banned from working, girls are removed from schools and are forced to cover up. Men are banned from shaving. Press becomes meagre and state controlled, television and internet access are banned as being un-Islamic. Christian, Jewish and other non-Islamic places of worship are bulldozed.

Option two.

Communists seize control of government. Farms are colelctivised. TV and Internet along with the press become state owned and censored. America develops an isolationist economy with state produced cars and electrical goods, household goods and food produced from within the USSA. Full employment is achieved but wages are low.

Two of my (and no doubt your) nightmares....only one choice. Go ahead

Option 2 for me. Better Red than Green!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Option 2 of course. Does it still have strip clubs?

[Everett]

Does it still have strip clubs?

Is that ALL you care about?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Does it still have strip clubs?

Is that ALL you care about?

it's more of a running joke

Still option 2 is far superior.

[Everett]

Does it still have strip clubs?

Is that ALL you care about?

it's more of a running joke

Still option 2 is far superior.

If it's a running joke, it's not very funny.

And for once, I agree with Option 2.

[John Dibble]

Option 1 has a better chance of me getting a regular meal into my belly, and I think that there is also a better chance of organizing a rebellion.

[DanielX]

Frankly, in either case, I would either be dead or part of the rebellion.

[Everett]

Frankly, in either case, I would either be dead or part of the rebellion.

Sounds like what I would do...

[Storebought]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

[WiseGuy]

Frankly, in either case, I would either be dead or part of the rebellion.

Me, too.  However, I pick option one for the reasons stated by John Dibble.

[opebo]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

Um.. what the hell do you think American Capitalism does?  Have you looked at a Walmart, a fast food franchise, or a strip mall lately?  They're utterly homogenous prisons, just as much as the soviets apartment blocks were, and they're far more effective at wiping out good food, decent lifestyles, etc. 

[Everett]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

Um.. what the hell do you think American Capitalism does?  Have you looked at a Walmart, a fast food franchise, or a strip mall lately?  They're utterly homogenous prisons, just as much as the soviets apartment blocks were, and they're far more effective at wiping out good food, decent lifestyles, etc. 

What do you think Chinese Communism does, then?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'd be better off getting political asylum in a safe country methinks

[opebo]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

Um.. what the hell do you think American Capitalism does?  Have you looked at a Walmart, a fast food franchise, or a strip mall lately?  They're utterly homogenous prisons, just as much as the soviets apartment blocks were, and they're far more effective at wiping out good food, decent lifestyles, etc. 

What do you think Chinese Communism does, then?

The same thing.  My point, everett, was that both Soviet (or Chinese) communism and American capitalism do the same thing in terms of quality of life, architecture, etc.  What's teh difference between an American strip mall and a communist apartment block?  Both are unbelievably hideous and hostile to human enjoyment.

Speaking of this - here in the inner, older suburbs of St. Louis Walmart has finally penetrated, and the two I have recently visited are in strip malls named 'Commons' - the 'Kirkwood Commons' and the 'Maplewood Commons', after the respective municipalities that paid for them with tax rebates.  This seems disturbing doublespeak and a slap in the face to citizens to call a hideous strip mall that exists for solely the owners profits a 'commons'!  Shouldn't a commons be a park, a library, a community center with pool and so forth?  Disgusting.

[Cubby]

Option 2

Religious theocracies are the most evil form of government.

Better secular and nationalist than stone age- religious.

[King]

Option 2 as Islamic States would be hard to rebel against as the government would play the 'Allah says not to rebel" card while a piss poor socialist economic and civil status would be easier to overthrow.

[Everett]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

Um.. what the hell do you think American Capitalism does?  Have you looked at a Walmart, a fast food franchise, or a strip mall lately?  They're utterly homogenous prisons, just as much as the soviets apartment blocks were, and they're far more effective at wiping out good food, decent lifestyles, etc. 

What do you think Chinese Communism does, then?

The same thing.  My point, everett, was that both Soviet (or Chinese) communism and American capitalism do the same thing in terms of quality of life, architecture, etc.  What's teh difference between an American strip mall and a communist apartment block?  Both are unbelievably hideous and hostile to human enjoyment.

Speaking of this - here in the inner, older suburbs of St. Louis Walmart has finally penetrated, and the two I have recently visited are in strip malls named 'Commons' - the 'Kirkwood Commons' and the 'Maplewood Commons', after the respective municipalities that paid for them with tax rebates.  This seems disturbing doublespeak and a slap in the face to citizens to call a hideous strip mall that exists for solely the owners profits a 'commons'!  Shouldn't a commons be a park, a library, a community center with pool and so forth?  Disgusting.

Then complain to the government if it's so 'disgusting'. I'm not the government, don't live there, don't care if you have to suffer, and don't care if you think that you are obviously too good for everything. And besides, if you're that wealthy, then you can simply 'buy' action from your local politicians or move permanently to Thailand, where the quality of life must be a hundredfold better (considering that people actually die from the common cold and lack of water there, your paradise must be quite a haven for maggots and the like). Don't spew meaningless hyperbole in my face when it's completely unrelated to my question.

[opebo]

Men actually have a deal in the Islamic state, if you know how to grease the system (ahem, Rafsanjani).

Communism, OTOH, is unmitigated, purified EVIL. Communism obliterates entire cultures, only to replace them with a prefabricated red-and-grey cinder block prison. It's like they've declared war on humanity itself.

Um.. what the hell do you think American Capitalism does?  Have you looked at a Walmart, a fast food franchise, or a strip mall lately?  They're utterly homogenous prisons, just as much as the soviets apartment blocks were, and they're far more effective at wiping out good food, decent lifestyles, etc. 

What do you think Chinese Communism does, then?

The same thing.  My point, everett, was that both Soviet (or Chinese) communism and American capitalism do the same thing in terms of quality of life, architecture, etc. 

Then complain to the government if it's so 'disgusting'. I'm not the government, don't live there, don't care if you have to suffer, and don't care if you think that you are obviously too good for everything. And besides, if you're that wealthy, then you can simply 'buy' action from your local politicians or move permanently to Thailand, where the quality of life must be a hundredfold better (considering that people actually die from the common cold and lack of water there, your paradise must be quite a haven for maggots and the like). Don't spew meaningless hyperbole in my face when it's completely unrelated to my question.

Your question showed a misunderstanding of my previous post.  My point was precisely that both communism and capitalism lead to hideous physical suroundings.  Why you brought up china I have no idea - obviously it would fit under the communist heading in the past, and the capitalist heading now.  And yes, itis very hideous.

As for my finances, they're not that good.  I can avoid work, but the budget is fairlylimited.  That said, I return to Paradise in less than two months!   And your health information about Thailand sounds very inaccurate - certainly the general level of health there seems similar to that of the non-rich in America, if not better. Certainly less obscenely obese.

[Speed of Sound]

option 2

[John Dibble]

What's teh difference between an American strip mall and a communist apartment block?

In the capitalist system you have a choice to go elsewhere if you don't like the store or the products it sells - communism has one set of products, one set of stores, no choice whatsoever.

[opebo]

What's teh difference between an American strip mall and a communist apartment block?

In the capitalist system you have a choice to go elsewhere if you don't like the store or the products it sells - communism has one set of products, one set of stores, no choice whatsoever.

Um.. where would I go to avoid strip malls in the US?  The place is nothing but a sea of bad architecture and repulsive chains.  But I suppose by leaving the country I'm excersizing choice.  Alas, I fear that the whole world will be Walmartized and Americanized before I die.

[Everett]

What's teh difference between an American strip mall and a communist apartment block?

In the capitalist system you have a choice to go elsewhere if you don't like the store or the products it sells - communism has one set of products, one set of stores, no choice whatsoever.

Um.. where would I go to avoid strip malls in the US?  The place is nothing but a sea of bad architecture and repulsive chains.  But I suppose by leaving the country I'm excersizing choice.  Alas, I fear that the whole world will be Walmartized and Americanized before I die.

Why don't you shoot yourself in the face right now? Then you won't have to see anything happen, you intolerant prude.

[KillerPollo]

Option 2 of course. Does it still have strip clubs?

[bgwah]

Two!

Communist countries don't even last a century, Islamic states...well, I think they could last a lot longer.

[Erc]

Option 1, because it would collapse in approximately five hours.

Whereas Option 2 would hold on for a couple years or so.