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June 16, 2006

Should Dogs or Cats Rule the World?

Okay, here's a little humor for a Friday.

Anyone who has owned a dog or cat will see the humor in "pets' diaries" immediately. But, as I received this via email, as a policy wonk is bound to do, I couldn't help but think about worldviews and how they translate into the way we govern, who would be more likely to govern for freedom, and who would be more likely to govern for control. I began thinking about Thomas Sowell's book "A Conflict of Visions" where he discusses those with a "constrained view"--we are inherently limited (by knowledge, experience, etc.) in what we can accomplish--and those with an "unconstrained view" (like pogressives who think we know enough to accomplish a lot through government and public policy). I also thought of Viginia Postrel's excellent book, "The Future and Its Enemies" and whether those embracing the dynamism would be better than those who value stasis at governing in a free society.

So, even if you've seen this, it's fun to read and now you have the opportunity to ponder the larger questions about whether dogs or cats would value individual freedom in our system of Constitutional and representative democracy. Are you a dog or a cat?

EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DAILY DIARY: 8:00 a.m. Oh, boy! Dog food! My favorite! 9:30 a.m. Wow! A car ride! This is a blast! 9:40 a.m. A walk in the park! Ate some crap...Delicious! 10:30 a.m. Getting rubbed and petted! I'm in love! 12:00 p.m. Lunch! Yummy! 1:00 p.m. Playing in the yard! I just love it! 3:00 p.m. Staring adoringly at my masters feet...they're the best! I'll wag my tail in joy. 4:00 p.m. Hooray! The kids are home! I'm bouncing off the walls! 5:00 p.m. Milkbones! Great! 7:00 p.m. Get to play ball! This is too good to be true! 8:00 p.m. Wow! Watching TV with my master! Heavenly! 11:00 p.m. Sleeping at the bottom of my master's bed! Life is soooooooo great!
EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DAILY DIARY:
Day 683 of My Captivity:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They
dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or
some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations
perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my
strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an
attempt to disgust them, I once again vomited on the floor.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I
had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly
demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending
comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity!!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed
in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could
hear the noise and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due
to my power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it
to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my
tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this
again tomorrow-but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The
dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released-and he seems more
than willing to return! He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an
informant-I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am
certain that he reports my every move. The captors have arranged protective
custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe....... For now.

Posted by samstaley at June 16, 2006 11:58 AM

Comments

I can't be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don't have anything to say recently. I haven't gotten much done recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about.

Comment by: Sten55651 at January 22, 2007 01:20 PM

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I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning. My life's been pretty unremarkable these days. Eh.

Comment by: Sten56781 at January 26, 2007 07:05 PM

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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.

Comment by: Sten76652 at January 27, 2007 04:32 AM

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I haven't been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Such is life. What can I say? Pretty much not much exciting going on to speak of. I haven't gotten much done lately, but I don't care.

Comment by: Sten80395 at January 27, 2007 06:32 AM

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Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.

Comment by: Sten79298 at January 27, 2007 06:37 PM

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My life's been basically bland today. More or less nothing seems worth thinking about. My mind is like an empty room. I've more or less been doing nothing to speak of. Not much on my mind recently.

Comment by: Sten34504 at January 27, 2007 11:30 PM

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Not much on my mind. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me , but shrug. Whatever. I feel like a void.

Comment by: Sten84853 at January 28, 2007 01:22 AM

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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.

Comment by: Sten20879 at January 28, 2007 04:36 AM

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I haven't gotten anything done recently. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I haven't been up to anything these days, but it's not important. Today was a total loss.

Comment by: Sten43978 at January 28, 2007 09:05 AM

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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten40349 at January 28, 2007 10:35 AM

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I can't be bothered with anything these days, but such is life. I don't care. So it goes. More or less nothing seems worth thinking about. I've just been hanging out waiting for something to happen, but that's how it is.

Comment by: Sten15858 at January 28, 2007 06:29 PM

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I just don't have much to say recently. Such is life. I've basically been doing nothing. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. Oh well.

Comment by: Sten73056 at January 28, 2007 07:55 PM

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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen. Whatever. Not much on my mind lately. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten33895 at January 28, 2007 10:46 PM

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I haven't been up to anything today. I don't care. I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. Basically not much happening right now. Maybe tomorrow. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten45191 at January 29, 2007 01:00 AM

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I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. What can I say? I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning, but pfft. Not that it matters. Pretty much nothing exciting happening to speak of. I haven't been up to much these days.

Comment by: Sten45719 at January 29, 2007 05:45 AM

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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten19794 at January 29, 2007 03:29 PM

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Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.

Comment by: Sten90146 at January 29, 2007 06:39 PM

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Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.

Comment by: Sten54255 at January 30, 2007 12:30 AM

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I just don't have much to say recently. Such is life. I've basically been doing nothing. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. Oh well.

Comment by: Sten64032 at January 30, 2007 12:37 AM

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I haven't been up to much today. I've just been letting everything happen without me. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I just don't have anything to say right now. More or less nothing happening.

Comment by: Sten22522 at January 30, 2007 06:50 AM

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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.

Comment by: Sten80580 at January 30, 2007 01:41 PM

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I haven't been up to anything today. I can't be bothered with anything recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't gotten anything done recently, but oh well. Not much noteworthy going on worth mentioning.

Comment by: Sten50856 at January 30, 2007 03:16 PM

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I haven't been up to much these days. Today was a loss. Nothing seems important. I've just been letting everything happen without me these days.

Comment by: Sten24873 at January 30, 2007 09:35 PM

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I just don't have much to say recently. Such is life. I've basically been doing nothing. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. Oh well.

Comment by: Sten93842 at January 30, 2007 09:59 PM

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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.

Comment by: Sten70846 at January 30, 2007 10:12 PM

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I haven't gotten anything done recently. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I haven't been up to anything these days, but it's not important. Today was a total loss.

Comment by: Sten27900 at January 31, 2007 09:31 AM

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I feel like an empty room, but eh. Nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done today.

Comment by: Sten18551 at January 31, 2007 09:41 AM

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My life's been pretty dull recently. Shrug. My mind is like a void. I haven't gotten anything done lately. I can't be bothered with anything recently.

Comment by: Sten86101 at January 31, 2007 02:40 PM

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I feel like a complete blank, but I don't care. Pfft. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.

Comment by: Sten26015 at January 31, 2007 03:40 PM

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I can't be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don't have anything to say recently. I haven't gotten much done recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about.

Comment by: Sten16241 at February 1, 2007 12:16 AM

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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.

Comment by: Sten88904 at February 1, 2007 03:30 AM

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I haven't been up to much these days. Today was a loss. Nothing seems important. I've just been letting everything happen without me these days.

Comment by: Sten33239 at February 1, 2007 03:50 AM

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Comment by: Sten95258 at February 1, 2007 10:14 AM

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I feel like a complete blank, but I don't care. Pfft. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.

Comment by: Sten69455 at February 1, 2007 10:29 PM

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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten71641 at February 2, 2007 02:04 AM

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I haven't been up to much these days. Today was a loss. Nothing seems important. I've just been letting everything happen without me these days.

Comment by: Sten44391 at February 2, 2007 03:39 AM

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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen, but I don't care. Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I can't be bothered with anything recently.

Comment by: Sten32101 at February 2, 2007 04:43 PM

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Not much on my mind. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me , but shrug. Whatever. I feel like a void.

Comment by: Sten82639 at February 3, 2007 05:41 AM

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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten88451 at February 3, 2007 12:26 PM

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My life's been pretty dull recently. Shrug. My mind is like a void. I haven't gotten anything done lately. I can't be bothered with anything recently.

Comment by: Sten13215 at February 3, 2007 04:58 PM

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I haven't been up to anything today. I don't care. I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. Basically not much happening right now. Maybe tomorrow. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten93964 at February 3, 2007 09:33 PM

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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen. Whatever. Not much on my mind lately. I guess it doesn't bother me.

Comment by: Sten54468 at February 3, 2007 10:45 PM

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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.

Comment by: Sten67011 at February 4, 2007 12:09 AM

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I feel like an empty room, but eh. Nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done today.

Comment by: Sten35454 at February 4, 2007 03:10 AM

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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.

Comment by: Sten89422 at February 4, 2007 03:33 PM

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I've more or less been doing nothing worth mentioning, but eh. My life's been really bland today. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me these days. That's how it is.

Comment by: Sten66037 at February 4, 2007 08:35 PM

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I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I guess it doesn't bother me. Shrug. I haven't been up to anything. I haven't gotten much done today.

Comment by: Sten15477 at February 5, 2007 12:32 AM

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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.

Comment by: Sten24562 at February 5, 2007 09:52 AM

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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.

Comment by: Sten47926 at February 5, 2007 04:26 PM

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Comment by: Sten92476 at February 5, 2007 07:05 PM

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I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I guess it doesn't bother me. Shrug. I haven't been up to anything. I haven't gotten much done today.

Comment by: Sten23076 at February 5, 2007 09:13 PM

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I haven't been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Such is life. What can I say? Pretty much not much exciting going on to speak of. I haven't gotten much done lately, but I don't care.

Comment by: Sten92746 at February 6, 2007 03:25 AM

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