"My point is that when governments go looking for solutions to problems, they frequently end up creating new ones. Biofuels, which cost a bomb, are sending food prices through the roof, and far from benefiting the environment seem to damage it even further, are a case in point." So says Jeremy Warner. Or, as North Jr says, "without a grounding philosophy, all government is whack-a-mole".

View full article here

Discuss (3000 words).

Our government nourishes a self-serving ethos. Does that count as a philosophy?

I have a problem with the quote. Not sure I'd trust governments which stuck to a philosophy any more than a person with one. Do you distinguish fascism, communism and greenism from one's preferred variety? Rather the government didn't have anything to do with them.

I'd change the quote to read: "all government is whack-a-mole." That really gets down to it!

I would prefer whack-a-gumment

Graphic and accurate.

I don't know why I'm laughing though.

Is that Scouse-Mex fusion cuisine? Like the Chip Burrito.

"Philosophy" is something of an overworked word.

What's the software design philosophy of this order management system?

Logical Positivism.

If by philosophy you mean a Eutopian dogma, then I'd rather governments didn't have them, or pretend to have them.

I take "grounding philosophy" to mean a set of principles which are clear, practical, they are not afraid to explain and defend and include honesty and carrying out their constitutional duty. With reference to these principles they can explain what they mean by "fairness" for example, rather than bandying the term about, knowing that people will assume it means something vaguely good and no one is going to argue for more unfairness, leaving it's actual meaning as whatever they want it to be as occasion demands. The principles are something they more or less live up to, even when it's inconvenient.

Comet, I do like the final paragraph and it sums up this current shower admirably, unpricipled and greedy for power. I tend to think that this "social justice" actually means injustice for all since it is somewhat muddled as to what they do mean.