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Subject: 
Re: Libertarian SPAM (Propaganda)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 15 Jun 2001 17:29:55 GMT
Viewed: 
1009 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler writes:

<concern for long term viability under demographic skewing>

Fair enough. However the long term viability of the LP as a party isn't that
important to me, per se. While I am quite ready to throw everything over (as
you alluded to) if I can get a phase change, the much more pragmatic part of
me is delighted with (and, at a certain level, content with) the gradualist
changes we are seeing, worldwide, that are moving societies in the direction
of free minds and free markets.

Why did the Tories lose so badly just now? Partly due to their own
incompetence (being off message, etc.) but mostly because Labour moved,
significantly, in the free market direction and coopted their base, right?

To wit: Long term benefit to society may not always be visible to all members.

Lacking any solid evidence to support it, this assertion is rhetorically
identical to the doctrine that God allows us to suffer because He loves us,
but we can't see the whole picture.

At that level of detail that's a fair characterization, I suppose.

Let's take it a level down... Suppose that there exists a person who could
be convinced of the benefit of a change  (say, eating less red meat) if he
or she were *willing* to spend the time to analyse it. That person may not
necessarily *be* willing to spend that time without being first convinced of
the benefit. (maybe they're too busy enjoying eating steaks and drinking beer).

That's not the same as saying that the benefit isn't there.

So that's a person for which long term benefit isn't visible (to that
person) but if we, as outsiders, analyse it, we could in fact see that it
was there. That's different than any religious doctrine since there's hard
evidence we can apply in the social case but not in the theological case.

Helps?

++Lar



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Libertarian SPAM (Propaganda)
 
(...) I accept that you don't think it's important, and I accept also your assertion that you would be willing to have society "start from scratch" (ie: with everyone truly equal) if it meant that Libertopia could be realized. (URL) In that way, you (...) (23 years ago, 15-Jun-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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