RichardY Posted May 5, 2016 Posted May 5, 2016 God said take what you want/will and pay for it. A useful proverb?
shirgall Posted May 5, 2016 Posted May 5, 2016 God said take what you want/will and pay for it. A useful proverb? An authoritarian telling people it's okay to be a bully? I'm not sure who that would assuage and I don't think I like who it would motivate. 1
dsayers Posted May 5, 2016 Posted May 5, 2016 To exchange value for value is just. This is a useful guideline in terms of FDR podcasts for example, which are released freely. In terms of an actual exchange, consent and the terms need to be determined in advance. In some contexts, "take" could be viewed as doing so without consent. 1
RichardY Posted May 6, 2016 Author Posted May 6, 2016 An authoritarian telling people it's okay to be a bully? I'm not sure who that would assuage and I don't think I like who it would motivate. I could see how someone might be more interested in the take bit, but a charismatic speaker who emphasises the pay bit could cause the listener to act differently. Kind of a Karmic justice. Live by the sword, die by the sword. Or Sméagol/Gollum from LOTR.
shirgall Posted May 6, 2016 Posted May 6, 2016 I could see how someone might be more interested in the take bit, but a charismatic speaker who emphasises the pay bit could cause the listener to act differently. Kind of a Karmic justice. When I saw the first posting, I was immediately reminded of eminent domain, thus my reaction. I guess it really matters who sets the price and how.
Des Posted May 6, 2016 Posted May 6, 2016 "Take what you want - and pay for it, says God" is a nice punchy line, which Google tells me may be a Spanish proverb. If you've heard of the Spanish Inquisition, you may think to enquire what price God has set, for what you want. I think people who understand about paying (almost every person with a brain), is capable of grasping that a price may be too high, for example if you must pay with your life. This proverb is about a reality of the universe: there are many things (tangible and intangible) that a person may be able to take, and there may be costs associated with taking any thing. If you haven't even estimated your payment before you take, you are one of those with a poor grasp of the universe (and of this proverb). Common sense would suggest that if the thing is owned, you would ask the owner what you must pay, if you take it. Edit: That said, clearly many people either underestimate the cost or don't really grasp the principle, or there would be a lot less crime.
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