Thread: Libertarians: jetway for the human spirit or goat path to feudalism?

As stated before, some elements of libertarianism make perfect sense to me, especially the opposition to military adventures and some social issues. But the prevailing mood among some libertarians (or, übertarians) is that all public interests are wasteful and, even, immoral.

On the one hand there is the Randian fictional account of the daring auteur/entrepreneur who, if left to his inherent inspiration without regulations and government largess, would change the world for everyone's best interests. A land where profit is the best motivator for every endeavor.

On the other hand, there is the sense that with a purely libertarian system the public itself would cease to exist. All property would become private. Most, if not all, institutions would be contracted out. Since the "public interest" would be believed to be best served by individual interests...sounds good until you realize the individuals' desires go to the highest bidder.

Which is it?

I am of a firm belief that one of the things that has lended to America the flexibility to weather the many storms we've faced in our short history is a healthy mix of ideologies in play.

What's silly is that before PH, I'd never come across so many people who were so single minded about what ideology will save/destroy the country. Before signing up here, I thought pretty much every thinking adult understood that any one pure -ism would sink this country.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

As stated before, some elements of libertarianism make perfect sense to me, especially the opposition to military adventures and some social issues. But the prevailing mood among some libertarians (or, übertarians) is that all public interests are wasteful and, even, immoral.

On the one hand there is the Randian fictional account of the daring auteur/entrepreneur who, if left to his inherent inspiration without regulations and government largess, would change the world for everyone's best interests. A land where profit is the best motivator for every endeavor.

On the other hand, there is the sense that with a purely libertarian system the public itself would cease to exist. All property would become private. Most, if not all, institutions would be contracted out. Since the "public interest" would be believed to be best served by individual interests...sounds good until you realize the individuals' desires go to the highest bidder.

Which is it?

An individual who benefits himself economically benefits all of society.

Originally Posted by Ronin Tetsuro

What's silly is that before PH, I'd never come across so many people who were so single minded about what ideology will save/destroy the country. Before signing up here, I thought pretty much every thinking adult understood that any one pure -ism would sink this country.

Most people are dumb, yes. There are absolutes: a right way and a wrong way.

Originally Posted by Defensor

An individual who benefits himself economically benefits all of society.

We completely agree on this.

But I fail to see how concentrated libertarianism will help foster this in the majority of the population.

Originally Posted by Defensor

Most people are dumb, yes. There are absolutes: a right way and a wrong way.

I think people who believe in absolutes are the dumb ones.

I'm just glad my way is the right way.

Originally Posted by Defensor

Most people are dumb, yes. There are absolutes: a right way and a wrong way.

This is why we butt heads so often. You believe in real world absolutes, I feel absolutes are completely theoretical and rare in life.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

As stated before, some elements of libertarianism make perfect sense to me, especially the opposition to military adventures and some social issues. But the prevailing mood among some libertarians (or, übertarians) is that all public interests are wasteful and, even, immoral.

On the one hand there is the Randian fictional account of the daring auteur/entrepreneur who, if left to his inherent inspiration without regulations and government largess, would change the world for everyone's best interests. A land where profit is the best motivator for every endeavor.

On the other hand, there is the sense that with a purely libertarian system the public itself would cease to exist. All property would become private. Most, if not all, institutions would be contracted out. Since the "public interest" would be believed to be best served by individual interests...sounds good until you realize the individuals' desires go to the highest bidder.

Which is it?

Libertarians are the Commies today.

They rabidly fail to admit any fault in their system and insist that theories that have never been tested would be succesful. Thye are nothing more than the epitome of those that McCarthy warned us against, nothing more than anti Americans.

You obviously don't understand the concept of feudalism if you equate it with libertarianism.

Oh, and there's no such thing as "pure" or unpure isms.

Being a "moderate" is still subscribing to an ism.