Re: OT Atlas Shrugged.

[JoeRaisin <JoeRaisin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

RLB wrote:
> On Aug 27, 7:09 pm, JoeRaisin <JoeRai...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Robert L Bass wrote:
>>> "Bob La Londe" wrote:
>>>>> You realize of course that the story, while interesting, is a fiction?
>>>> It?s a parable.
>>> Just so we all understand it had nothing to do with Obama.
>> But what do you think of the analogy?
>>
> I think it misrepresents what Obama is about as well as what socialism
> is in the modern age.

Taking Obama out of the equation (since I already acceded that his
inclusion was a load of crap) you do not believe the scenario
illustrates socialism.  In what ways do you believe socialism to be
different from the example?

I believe it shows how the fruits of everyone's labor is collected in a
general pool and the results distributed evenly.  It further shows the
effect this has upon the work force.

That effect was illustrated when the Berlin wall came down.  After a
while the business owners in Germany were loath to hire those from the
former communist regions as their work ethic was horrendous.


>>>> ... Ever heard of grading on a curve.
>>> Yes.  Some teachers do it when a test or assignment appears to unfairly
>>> reward or penalize a significant portion of the class.  However, that
>>> has nothing to do with grading everyone in the class the same,
>>> regardless what they do.  The story is a fiction.  It doesn't happen in
>>> real life.
>>>> Makes for some of the worst classes I have ever taken...
>>> I've had instructors who graded on a curve and others who did not.  When
>>> my work was the best I got higher marks, regardless which system was
>>> used. Students who did poor work gor poor grades either way.
>>>> Usually by the laziest professors who teach the least amount of useful
>>>> information.
>>> Grading on a curve takes more effort than the standard method.
>> The actual determination of individual grades takes a little more work
>> but it covers up crappy (lazy) instruction.  If I'm not mistaken, that
>> was the point being made by use of the term 'lazy'.
>
> I know you believe that but grading tests on a curve is in fact more
> complicated than straight percentages.

I agreed with that point.  My point (and, I believe, Bob's as well) was
that it allows lazy *instruction* to be camouflaged.

I have known lots of very lazy folks who were not adverse to short
stints of hard work to enable overall slothful habits.

So the lazy comment was directed at the actual course content rather
than the figuring of GPA's.