They say: "Buy land. They ain't making any more of it."
It's a cute saying, and catchy. But it's bull. The planet is chock-full of land which is practically worthless and will stay so for generations. For all practical purposes it is an unlimited resource. Even in the USA, which is a highly developed country, there are many places you can drive for hours without seing any people or buildings. And that's just in the areas where there are actually roads.
If you want cheap land, go buy it in deep Sebiria or Sahara. Great deals for sure.
No, people don't want land... they want land where there is civilization and other people. It is people which is the resource.
The planet is chock-full of land which is practically worthless and will stay so for generations.
ReplyDeleteQuite true. Depends also what the owner wants to use it for? In Manhatten it's so high that one must be a millionair to purchase a part of the "big apple." But take Idaho or Wisconsin and you nearly have to give it away.
The golden clusters lay within Ohio, Penn, California, Texas. Also in the far eastern US there's Boston, New Hampshire so forth, land is extremely pricey.
Location is everything. Florida floats back and forth. IMHO it isn't worth a dime an acre.
Oh, Eolake, it sounds a bit "funy" (or rather quite distorted) to read somebody saying anything about buying/owning a land. Well, I know this is a reality of our times, however, it is a sign of our egos' inflation if we view Earth/land this way. No. Land shouldn't belong to anyone particular. Land is here for us all to share, not to own... I can quite understand the feelings and thoughts of Native people about this arrogant attitude of us, "whites", who indulge in this crazy obsession of owning everything...
ReplyDelete"The planet is chock-full of land which is practically worthless"
ReplyDeleteAnd it doesn't TASTE like chock-o-late either! ):-P
(Please, don't ask me how I know. P-tooey!)
I wouldn't buy in California. The Big One is coming. Don't know when, but it's definitely coming SOME day, and taking all the land with it. Not a smart place to invest in the long term.
Besides, I have a personal hunch it might be closer that expected. The San Andreas rift is up to something.
Bad news are also to be expected around the Himalayas. It's gonna shake big time one of these days. Indra have mercy!
DreamingWolf,
I was just daydreaming yesterday about how strange (and very interesting) it would be, if some day the Native Americans could and did prosecute the regime of the White Man for stealing most all their land and committing what has to be called a genocide on their people.
Highly improbable in the "real world", but it WOULD be absolutely fair!
Yes, Pascal, the ancient Europeans and their mission to spread Christianity and seek freedom and explore the world in fact made them worldwide stealers of territory.
ReplyDeleteNative Americans have been stolen their land and killed by people who were intruders. In most Wild West films the Cowboys were good, and the Indians were the rats. And I believed it when I was young and saw the films. Today, however, I know better, and I feel ashamed of being white. Imagine Europe were invaded by aliens from space and they'd take possession. It's the same fact on a larger scale.
Israel, U.S. may shun Palestinian gov't By LAURIE COPANS, Associated Press Writer
ReplyDelete31 minutes ago
JERUSALEM - The U.S. and Israel agreed ahead of a three-way meeting with the Palestinians to shun any new Palestinian government that does not renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept existing peace agreements, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday.
This has been a piece of land most valuable between Israel and Palestine for decades. Incredible isn't it? Yes, Mr. Stobblehouse there are issues with civilization
at hand.
I'm not quite sure if Palestine will ever be recognized as a legitmate government? But I do know that Israel will always be there regardless.
Today, however, I know better, and I feel ashamed of being white. Mon. Beep said.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say is true. Their land was stolen but not by me but by my ancestors. I'm not ashamed I'm white. I take pride in my race. But I am ashamed of my ancestors for doing what they did. (I have Indian blood in my family. So don't judge me too harshly.)
On the other hand it is impossible to find a person or a people who have not been wronged many times in the past. I think the biggest aspiration we can have is working on simply letting it go and get on with our lives.
ReplyDeleteMonsieur Beep said...
ReplyDelete"Today, however, I know better, and I feel ashamed of being white. Imagine Europe were invaded by aliens from space and they'd take possession. It's the same fact on a larger scale."
A very apt comparison.
I am reminded a bit of the Shoah : some crimes are impossible to compensate to the victims.
Who needs the Original Sin, when some very matter-of-fact historical sins are so close to us? I don't believe we are born guilty of the wrongs of the past (a baby is always born innocent), but when we grow up and become responsible individuals, we pick up the responsibility of that which we should try to repair... or at least avoid repeating!
I'm "white" too (sort of speaking), but I feel that I only have one skin color : mirror-silver. Meaning that whoever I am with, I feel I'm a reflection of them. Whether we like it or not, the Native American spoliation and genocide was, basically, a fratricide.
We differ by culture, by education, by history, by interest... and ONLY in that. Circumstances. Not in nature or birth. It can be a difference between two continents, or two neighboring villages, or houses, it's only subjective perception, it's strictly what we make of it. Humans are the same in nature, spirit and feeling.
The other day, I had a discussion with my mother. She is 100% anti-racist in terms of discrimination or worth, but she wouldn't readily believe that human races are nothing more than an artificial construct, a scientific scam. Of course, it was official science in HER days, half a century ago. But to support my arguments (which you'll find in this blog's archives), I had a last trump that finally convinced her: "Supposing the aspect differences DO represent different races, whose reference work can you rely on to define those? Race theoricians were racists, so none of them are reliable."
[Typical example : nazi theoricians defining Jews through their more frequent blood group B, arbitrarily labelled "impure".]
In reality, the differences in outer features (and similar "race" criteriae) have boundaries that can become blurry at will. Hair, skin tone, nose and lip size, eye shape... Go on the field, travel a bit (or simply watch National Geographic), and you'll see it's about as clearly defined as the instant that separates day from night. Just as subtly blurry as being tall, fat, smart, hairy...
I've noticed that more and more Americans today are from mixed African/Asian couples, according to their facial features. I like that, because it proves that some communities have "invisible walls" separating them no more. And none too soon.
I also like it that I still have no idea what the woman I'll one day marry will look like on the outside. I only know that anything is possible.
It's so nice to feel free. :-)))
reporter cupp said...
"This has been a piece of land most valuable between Israel and Palestine for decades."
Valuable, I don't know. But undoubtedly very costly. In lives. :-(
eolake said...
"I think the biggest aspiration we can have is working on simply letting it go and get on with our lives."
I don't need to ask "why's that?" when the wise man speaks. I tip my white hat to you with wide eyes and I'll whine not.
If everybody lived by the rex talionis ("an eye for an eye, etc."), the world would be full of blind people wearing dentures. Even God's Law� 3.5 (commonly known as the Levitic Edition) needs updates on occasions. When our own Mentalities� OS and Society� hardware have evolved.
eolake said...
ReplyDelete"I think the biggest aspiration we can have is working on simply letting it go and get on with our lives."
I totally agree with you eolake. Well said :)
Wow, folks, I did not intend to trigger the discussion in the direction of a blame/guilt for taking the land from natives... I just wanted to stress the point of us always wanting to OWN everything (buying it, selling it, trading it), including such thing as land, or water (shall we trade with the air someday?)... But I am happy for the reactions - at least, we have become aware of the issue and that is fine. Thanx, my friends!
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of that beautiful song in Pocahontas, "Colors of the Wind"...
ReplyDelete"You think that every land you land on
Is just another dead thing you can own..."
"You think that every land you land on
ReplyDeleteIs just another dead thing you can own..."
First off, the land isn't dead, secondly, people do own land, thirdly, the lyrical writer was in la-la- land by their idealism.
DreamingWolf said...
ReplyDeleteWow, folks, I did not intend to trigger the discussion in the direction of a blame/guilt for taking the land from natives...
Mr Wolf,
It was a great discussion. Made people think.
...and fourthly, these movie makers have no idea how easy their dumb job is, compared to the challenge of being a critic
ReplyDeleteSuomynona in Los Angeles (L.A.) land
"People, we have landed!"
ReplyDeleteAnd since nobody has paper deeds to this nice place, I hereby declare it ours in the name of the Queen. Who's up for a hunting party? Mr Smith?
Fine sir Anonymous, you're a man to my liking.
Arable land, that which can grow crops, is probably what the phrase is referring to.
ReplyDelete