May 13, 2008

Comparative advantage has its dangers. If you let one of your native industries die and become completely dependent on imports of that product, what would happen if your supplier suddenly decides to stop trading with you? (Maybe they had a natural disaster, maybe civil war broke out over there, or maybe they're pissed because they feel your country has been oppressing people of their religion.)

If the product is vital to your country's survival, then you'll have to ramp up production of it incredibly fast (which may be difficult) or you may be forced to invade the other nation in order to take control of their industry - which would probably end up with many deaths on both sides.

Never forget, Whiskey, never forget.

The meaning of the word compassion is "to suffer with".

There was a time, six months or so ago, when you really did crawl into a whiskey bottle and watched everything go down the drain, feeling yourself unworthy and unable to care about anyone else, or anything else, even yourself.

The fact that yesterday hollowed you out, and none of it happened even remotely directly to you, means YES, you are compassionate.

There's someone around you who doesn't feel that pain. Who will not and cannot feel that pain.

Rejoice that you were wrong, and they were right, and you are a compassionate person, even though it hurts.

Because the alternative is horrible.