Which modern developments harm Poland?

None. Poland has nothing to gain by isolating itself. It's been isolated for too long.


Consumerism is not immoral. More tripe from the Roman Catholic Church promoting poverty. It's all designed to keep the Rich Rich, and keep the rest of us poor.


There's been a couple of books about the Amish written recently by ex-Amish. No more happier than the rest of us. "Nostalgia for the Dirt" is just that.


What do i think? Bloody nonsense. People are no better no worse than they used to be. My father's generation didn't speak to the kids. This has changed, finally.

Thta's an interesting point. I know the upper classes not only in Britain often had limtied interaction with their offspring, relegating their upbringing to nannies, governesses, tutors and the like. But I have often also wondered about Britian's boarding-school culture. How has it influenced young people's personaltiy and behaviour? Does an away-from-home education at an early age make young Brits more independent? Does it weaken or strengthen their family ties?

This was far less common in the USA. What about Poland? Was the bursa and internat thing a marginal phenomenon?

There's a lot less of it about these days. Even back in my day there wasn't that much - maybe 3 or 4% - but yeah, the idea that it would be 'character building' and all that 'playing fields of Eton' crap were explicitly part of the package.

As to what it did to/for me, ooooooooohhhh, that's a can of worms I think I'll spare you :)

Interestingly - one modern development (well, old development that became unfashionable) has been a roaring success in Poland - that of the socially-run school.

The ones in Poznan are more or less obliterating the private schools in terms of results and achievements.

Interesting. It wasn't always thus.

Trouble is, everyone jumped on the bandwagon (the barrier to entry having been lowered by EU business development grants) and the whole private thing has become commoditised to the extent that, rather than compete on quality, the schools compete on price.

The only way to go on that particular ride is down.

I found an interesting article about it somewhere, I wonder if I can find it again. In fact, didn't the last private one (at least, Polish one running to the Polish system) close down here recently?


I wouldn't be surprised if one of the two international schools here goes bye bye sooner rather than later - neither of them are doing well from what I've heard.

(mind you, it's my dream to start something like Summerhill in Poland some day....some day)

The commercialist dilemma is one of the problems of the modern era where most eveything has become highly depersonaised and commercialised. But this is a multi-faceted problem not easily dealt with.

For instance, Poles rank amongst Europe's biggest users of over- the-counter medications, remedies, dietary supplemernts, beauty aids and the like. Many of the remedies and supplements are of little proven medical value and some may actually be harmful by preventing patients seeking prpfessional medical assistance.

But to restrict their production and sale in the name of public helath would deal a crippling blow to the economy, cost to loss of jobs and the bankruptcy of many companies in the parapharmaceutical sector.

I think people are better off now than they used to be.

But the topic of the thread does not ask that particular question.


I doubt that as you said 'restrict' not and all out ban.

This never happened actually. Never any money, including gold moneys, has become really global. All conquests were made by wars by guns. This kind of conquests by guns has been tragedies. However, it is true, all local conquests inside countries were made by money and it has even conquered the gun owners.

Sod all to do with the commercials and everything to do with a medical profession that patronises and disenfranchises its patient base with one hand while doling out the happy pills with the other. The occluded side of socialism.

in other words RICH!

- in other words Devil's servant.

As Martin Luther put it: “Money is the word of the Devil, through which he creates everything in the world, just as God creates through the true word"

Capital itself is neutral -- it's like a kitchen knife you can slice bread or trim a joint with, but can also be put to nefarious use to maim or kill.

Capital untempered by ethical relgious considerations and spiritual values means total injustice.

Of course they come back. The punishment for not embracing the Amish way is BANISHMENT-total and complete! I'd come back too.

There is 'blind religious nonsense' and 'blind consumerist nonsense'.
Anyone blinded by any kind of fanaticism, be it of the religious or political variety or the fun and creature-comfort obsessed 'born to spend' and 'live above your means' version is leading a one-track existence. There are many people who espouse the 'shop till you drop' and 'drink till you're wasted' ethic who strangely enough do not consider themselves fanatics.

Yes,and the rest of us get caught in the middle of those two's petty sqabbles all the time.....

Consumerism is a danger but the person u quoted here and his firm are some of the worst culprits. I have yet to see a priest in Poland who doesnt have a new car

Your only chance for that is to watch "Ojciec Mateusz" :D

I think that barefoot Carmelites do not need a car.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discalced_Carmelites

You misunderstood the answer. I wasn't referring to material well being. People are no more moral or immoral than they have ever been.


Money is not the root of all evil, if it was Communism would have succeeded.

No-one needs explain that a mobile phone can be a blessing when you run out of petrol on a dark country road, but the topic of this post is excessive cellphone use. Used to be that mostly women were accused of engaging in and spreading gossip, but now you see not only females constantly jabbering away over their cellphones and engaged in idle gossip. How much of the chatter is really necessary? How much of a time-waster is it? What about the damage to brain cells that excessive use reportedly causes?

@Pol3
I get the impression that if you had been born 150 years earlier, you'd have been whining about excessive use of the new-fangled postal service, with women "constantly jabbering" in letters to their friends about idle gossip and the damage to their hands from using quill pens so much...

Cellphones are enablers facilitating excessive chatter. Using a quill pen or byro or typewriter no-one could possibly communicate as excessively. Of course, one can cut down any point someone makes for the sake of sheer argument if one insists on being contradictious, but I prefer discussion. And the thread was which modern innovations can be harmful or damaging. What do you vote for in that category? Too much chemcially treated prefab food? Too many calorie-saving conveniences which lead to muscular atrophy? The dehumanising effects of excessive Internet use?

Intellectual sloth encouragedby the electronic media (people don't read much)? Or maybe you can't think of any and beleive we live in a perfect world?

Pretty much.

This forum obviously shows that we do not.
:)

...and that what makes it interesting.

So essentially a return to an older, more natural way of interacting. What's not to like?

None, because people will always remain people, no matter how conservative you want to make it sound. (Behind closed doors and all that!)

;)

It's okay.

Which modern developments harm Poland?

Kaczmarski's lyrics says it all: