NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.tvshowcentral.net/tvshows/newsradio/newsradio_show_jimmy_sml.jpg
(Mr. James)

"Welcome to the James Report," Mr. James said, as he sat in a chair, behind a desk, in the middle of the stage. "I'm your host James James, the man so nice, they named him twice, but you can call me Jimmy. But you all know me, let's get to know today's guest, Cecily Lockhelm." He looks offstage.

One would be quickly impressed by the looks of the guest. Even all the make-up and alike provided did not remove entirely the appearance of someone who had an entire week with any hour of sleep, but however this individual seemed very disposed and did not show any signs of laziness as she walked towards the seat. She was dressed in a quite simple, working class manner (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Woman_with_cntfai_flag.jpg), and nobody would ever imagine such person was a head of State, for she seemed to lack arrogance, or any aloof behavior.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Cleyere.jpg

It was a bit... complicated for her. Face-to-face with one of those types, known in her lands as the "capitalist pigs". She tried to ponder if participating was foolish, but to avoid impatience, although demonstrating some uneasiness, Cecily went with full professionalism as she addressed him. Somehow she was still worried as she never participated into something like this before

"Hello, as my name was already told, Jimmy, I... I am just a specialist in politics and military, and... excuse me, but this is my first time in a talk show and I am not good in presentations. I hope I can answer any doubts people have about me or my homeland, Third Spanish States, thus, without further ado, we should get to the interview itself."

"Well, let's get down to it then," Jimmy said. "First of all, I'm going to tell you a little bit about myself, just so you know who I am, and maybe feel a little more comfortable, then why don't you tell our audience about your nation. I am a cipher; a cipher, wrapped in an enigma, and smothered in secret sauce! Now it's your turn."

"If you are the cipher, I am its password", she said, trying to improve her mood a bit so she could say good things on her country. She was never instructed for this type of public relations, and thus all she spoke was purely based on intuition and guesswork until now.

"Well... Third Spanish States would at a quick glance be no different from the usual for western democracies. It has business, it has a free market, it has democracy and people enjoy many personal freedoms. However, the details make a huge difference.

First almost all its business are cooperatives ran through workers self-management. Second, most of our consumer base wave red flags with sickle and hammers or black and red flags in one of moment of their lives and consider how the wealth is distributed inside the company they are buying from more important than the cheaper price attained through sweatshops, for example.

Our democracy is a direct democracy run through a local nation-wide Network, and is so decentralized that the closest thing the Confederacy has to a government would be an union of cities with independent governments, or arguably it could be said it has no government at all as virtually all of our needs are provided by that unique sort of free market and there are no taxes, and our level of personal freedoms would be initially unsettling to more conservative societies.

Or basically, our society is virtually hierarchy-less. Thus, I am just a direct representative, and I have no power to make decisions without having first the approval of the people. Yes... it is different, at first glance unbelievable and utopian, but that is how things work there. Yes, and I know it is difficult to believe, but our economy is a socialist free market in a tax-less society"

"Well, that is very interesting. I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask, how do you feel about Che Guevara?"

Cecily clenched her right fist as he asked the question:

"He was a deluded puppet of a would-be dictator named Fidel Castro that later also became a murderer and quasi dictator, and would serve as a source of inspiration for the totalitarian People's Republic of Spain, our current enemies... I am not sure about his motivations, maybe he was pure of heart initially but power corrupted him. But they should have already learned with the utter failure of the idea of achieving socialism through tyranny in Soviet Union, like Bakunin and Emma Goldman predicted."

"Before we move on, I know this is probably burning you up inside, and you want to say it, but don't want to insult me, so I'll say it my self. I am a Capitalist Pig, and proud of it. Why shouldn't I be?"

Cecily became impressed at how Jimmy seemed to be very frank, rather than those typical CEO types that hid all and pretended everything was fine. Probably because when you are that rich, there is no need to lie, and replied, apparently amazed on how he was open about it:

"The basic idea is that resources are inevitably scarce, and as altruism is pure fallacy, one would rationally want to have as much as possible to himself to ensure his future and the future of his family. But the truth is quite different, When there is an inefficient allocation of resources, when food will rot because one cannot purchase it or because there is not enough information to determine demand while many starve, then money loses a part of its utility. Finally, the society tells you to buy as much as you can, and that greed is good. It becomes deep into the cultural roots of the individual, and so strong that the belief imprinted by society makes the act of consumerism pleasurable, even when one is purchasing something to just gather dust in a closet. While for example, let's say a primitive who lived in an entirely communal society, who never had any contact with our society, except for being taught our language, and thus still having its cultural roots intact, is brought to a shopping center and given money. Do you think he would behave like the usual consumerist of a capitalist society? Or would he go straight to the hunting gear store instead to buy things based on utility rather than concepts of status and brand?

Basically, you asked me why not to be a "capitalist pig", and I am saying you that you cannot simply stop being one, for you were prepared to be one since childhood, and the values your society printed on your personal identity cannot be magically erase, unless through force or a very serious incident. As I find it impossible for you to lose your wealth, I doubt that is going to ever happen. That was the mistake of all those "commies", people can't be forced to change, our nation is as it is like now because of a huge incident that led people to rethink the values society imprinted on them, and not because a bunch of people who did read Karl Marx or Bakunin wanted it to happen.

Now tell me James, if it would not be a problem, do you have any idea of which rough percentage of your monthly income you actually spend with personal goods, and of which rough percentage of what you purchase you actually use with frequency?

"I will answer your questions, but first, let me correct you. I am a business man, and as such, letting food rot in the storehouse is bad for business, as that food equals a loss of profit. Worst case scenario, I would donate the food to the homeless, in order to receive a tax write-off. Now back to the point at hand, how I spend my income. I can give you a full break-down of what my income goes to, 75% I reinvest through the purchase of other companies, or the starting of new companies, 20% goes into savings, and the remaining 5% I spend on personal goods, you do not get to be as rich as me spending frivolously. I would also say that 95% of what I buy, I use frequently. I'm a very busy man, and us my private jet to get around quite often. I spend at least 1 weekend a month on my yacht. I know the value of a Nokka, I worked my way up from the bottom. I didn't have the best anything when I was a kid, my dad was an alcoholic, who was never sober enough to hold a job, and my mother worked as a waitress at an all night diner. I'm proof that everyone has a chance to make it in this type of economic system, I bet that goes against everything they taught you back in you nation about the Capitalist system, doesn't it?"

The reply was quick, as Cecily sought to point the primary reason why capitalism was unjust:

"It is what we know as the exception to the rule, and it combines struggle and luck, but the sheer majority never gets out of poverty because the chance is slim, and this is particularly commonplace in less developed countries, where the level of education the poor can afford is completely mediocre, if not totally useless for them to attempt going up. Now don't you think your son would have an infinitely larger chance of becoming rich, considering that he will be born rich, than you? Do you think it would be fair that while you had to climb all the way up here, your son would just have to keep it, which is usually much easier?"

"I don't have a son, and if I did, he would not get any breaks. My son would not be one of those rich snobs who look down on everyone else. He wouldn't see on cent of my money, till he worked for it. If I just gave him all my money, I would be on of the worst fathers in the world. Money is power, and power, with out wisdom, and responsibility, will only lead to pain, and suffering. If I had a son, that money would be locked away, until he makes at least his first million. I would also put a time limit on it, say he has until he's forty-five, and if he didn't, I would have the money split up, and donated to charities. As you can probably tell, I've already planned this out, and even talked to a lawyer about it, all I need is a son to think I'm crazy, and hate me, until he sees that I did what I did because I care about him, and want him to be raised right."

"Then you are not an authentic 'capitalist pig', if everyone thought like you then capitalism would already be different", she replied, smiling.

"But I suppose this political discussion is starting to get a bit old, maybe it is time for us to move on with another subject"

"Yes, yes, don't want to bore the good people out there. Why don't you tell us about another aspect of your nation, no related to politic or economics?"

Scratching her forehead, Cecily was a little bothered, but such sensation was in no manner transmitted by her gestures, or at least she thought so, and soon she would suggest on how to continue such interview, as some sort of sense of ego began to stroke her, with memories of her accomplishments quickly coming in:

"I think that most of the audience still know little about me, and now I am at a more open mood to answer questions, but James, I do not see any sense on asking questions to myself, then, as maybe you might be curious as well, ask away anything you want to know about me, I don't mind."

"Call me Jimmy, we're all friends here. Do you own a gun?" Jimmy asked.

Smiling widely, looking at the face of James, she immediately replied:

"In the city where I was born, it was easier to find a gnome than to find an unarmed citizen. I have an assault rifle, two pistols, a submachinegun, and also I bought recently a guided missile launcher. Guns are one of my passions, and I am a collector too. But I never could find a German Mauser from 1943 anywhere. It would be ironic enough for my tastes to have one"

"Ohh, then boy do we have a surprise for you," Jimmy said. "Bring it out boys." Two men emerged from back stage, carrying a wooden box. Jimmy opened the box, inside was an American made Stoner 63A Automatic Rifle. "You know what that is?" Jimmy asked.

http://home.comcast.net/~sfischer397/stoner/stonerpics/63aar.jpg
(Stoner 63A Automatic Rifle)

"Yes, it is the one that should have replaced the meek M-16, a forerunner of the ideas of projects like the XM-8 with its modularity. All-in-one light machinegun, rifle and carbine depending on how it is issued. Just like the RBA."

"Yes, it is the one that should have replaced the meek M-16, a forerunner of the ideas of projects like the XM-8 with its modularity. All-in-one light machinegun, rifle and carbine depending on how it is issued. Just like the RBA."

"Do you want to try it out?" asked Mr. James, as the men pulled one of the tapestries from the wall reveling a target.

"No, ours are better than this one, still as unreliable as a M16, and you are a 'capitalist pig', I don't think I could resist the urge", she replied, making a sinister smile, as she pondered whether he would be smart enough to get it was a joke or not.