----- Original Message ----- From: "Martin Lewis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 1:13 PM Subject: Re: From the Guardian
> On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 13:01:41 -0500, Dan Minette > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I've read a good deal of a sub-section of the European Left in the twin > > > > list (Culture). Not everyone is there, of course, but the mean of > > Culture > > > > is both far to the left and very libertarian....the cognative > > dissonence > > > > involved with that is generally ignored. > > > > > > Care to expand upon this cognitive dissonance? > > > > Sure. I hope you don't mind if I do it in stages. Lets first consider the > > classic libertarian. They believe that no government is the ideal > > government...but will settle for limited government. Aynn Rand, in Atlas > > Shrugged, gives a good representation of a classic libertarian. > > Libertarians believe that people should be allowed to make whatever free > > choice those people feel is in their best interest. Taxes should be > > minimal, and only pay for the essential role of government: courts, army > > etc. The most extreme libertarians I have heard of even think privatizing > > the police and courts is realistic. > > > > I'll stop here and see if you agree with this view of libertarianism, > > before going on. > > Yes, I'd say that was classic libertarianism. This is of course very > different to the sense in which the Culture list is strongly > libertarian. OK, how can one be libertarian and believe in strong government intervention in the lives of individuals? The 2-D cross-plot that was attached to that list is based on a survey that studiously ignores many reasonable questions about government interference in individual lives. In other words, having the government interfere in individual lives when one thinks its a good idea and not interfering when one doesn't think so is not libertarian. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
