You don't think advocating imperialism gets peoples' panties in a twist with all the accompanying trigger-induced seizures? Socialism is becoming the status quo, Passe, it is the Right that is now Avant-Garde.
Not in Britain, VS. Because of its peculiar history, most British people are vaguely nostalgic about the British Empire. Not so nostalgic that we would want to go through the messy and unpleasant business of re-establishing it, but still. When I was at school, I was taught that the British Empire was a great and a good thing, that it brought civilisation, commerce and Christianity (the three 'C's) to the benighted savages of Africa, Asia and the Americas. Even to this day, Tory politicians still smugly extol the British Empire as "a great force for good". This is the status quo in British society. You would be regarded as a rather dreary fuddy-duddy in Britain, VS - it's only in the hyper-liberal (in the classical sense) USA that your imperialism makes you an edgy rebel.
I suppose we could have an olympic-like game for intellectuals and see which of our views offends the most people by the mere stating of the premises? I am confident of my chances, but it would be epic either way.......(I smell a funny poll brewing in the dark recesses of my mind)..... I will keep you posted.
Offending pompous, stupid people is one of the great pleasures in life, along with fellatio and pipe-smoking.
Ouch.....but it smokes soooooo nice, I don't really care if the refugees who likely produce it in the factory suffer of alienation from their labor
I'll be honest, I'll smoke drug-store discount pipes when i'm working outside in the mud and weather, so its not that i'm picky per se, I just like things in there proper context. I'll have to check out the Ivarsson pipes more in-depth, I have heard good things, but have never smoked one. Rumor is they are tough to get and outrageously expensive.
Once you go artisan, you'll never go back to factory-made pipes again. And some of the best artisan pip-makers do not charge an arm and a leg for their work. One of Sixten Ivarsson's aims was to provide the general public with high quality artisanal pipes at a price they could afford. His collaboration with Stanwell was epoch-making. He's dead now, of course, but many contemporary artisan pipe makers have taken on his mantle. I suggest you check out the work of
Mark Tinsky. You can pick up one of his masterpieces for less than $200.
I have a bunch of little mouths to feed.....groceries or new pipe? Tough question indeed
You
need a new pipe, VS. Who needs to eat? I'm sure your starving family will sympathise with your dilemma. Lol.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Marx (Groucho)