Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/21

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Subject: Re: the morality of owning a Leica
From: JayPax@aol.com
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 02:02:35 -0500 (EST)

In a message dated 97-03-22 00:11:43 EST, you write:

<< Now there you are folks the moral issue is over. Rush out, spend as much
money
 as you can on new Leica R8's and M6's and the taxes will go to the third
world
 countries and you'll all feel better doing the honorable thing knowing you
have
 made contributions to your fellow man's well being! :)
 
 Like that? :)  Thought you would. :)))
 
 ted 
 Victoria, Canada
 http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
 
 Ted:

I wholeheartedly agree with your analysis.  :)   It really isn't a moral
issue at all.  To characterize it as a "moral issue" is silly.  The false
supposition of liberalism (which is the philosophical underpinning of those
who would say that "to have Leicas is to impoverish others" etc.) is their
view that everything is a "zero sum gain."  In other words, your or my
prosperity is always at the expense of another human being or another
society, etc.  This is pure nonsense, and totally devoid of truth.  Economic
wealth is something that is potentially unlimited, and is created by hard
work and resourcefulness.  When those qualities are applied, the potential is
unlimited.

The best example of that in modern times is Japan.  From the defeat of WWII,
and with few natural resources, Japan has been and continues to be an
economic miracle, primarily the result of the hard work, resourcefulness and
the creativity of their people.  I would venture to guess that in countries
where economic poverty has held a grip on the people for generations, those
character qualities are in short supply.
 
The fact that one is able to enjoy a hobby that is expensive in relation to
the standard of living of others does nothing to impoverish or hurt another
person or society, any more than I should not eat tonight because there are
starving people somewhere in the world.  My self deprivation would do nothing
to put food in the mouths of hungry people.   The solution for the less
prosperous people in the world is for those who are more blessed to share the
knowledge of how to produce wealth with those who are less blessed, including
the qualities of character and spiritual virtues that build a healthy and
prosperous society.

So, let the liberals rail against the "immorality" of owning Leicas, etc. To
see the flurry of controversy this issue has created has been entertaining!
 The illogic of the notion falls under its own weight.  As the Latin phrase
goes "Res ipsa Loquiter":    "The thing speaks for itself."
 

JayPax@aol.com
  >>