The Libertarian Thread

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > The Libertarian Thread

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Gantolandon posted:

I asked him about company towns twice and didn't get any answer either. On the other hand, I never expected one, remembering his previous threads.

It's also useless to ask a libertarian about real-life examples. Austrian economics has an answer to this - praxeology. It is basically a series of deductions around the axiom that human behavior is always purposeful. They will always insist it has precedence over empiricism, which lets them ignore or explain away real life examples. Free market solutions are absolutely correct because praxeology proves they reflect human will the best - so if one of them seems to be failing, it's obviously the fault of the state. Or it appears to be failing, but will prove more beneficial any moment now.

To be fair, socialists have to go through the same cognitive dissonance when dealing with the philosophy's track record.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2014 20:25

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 06:57

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Christmas Present posted:

curious about jrodefeld's opinion:
"People who are poor are in that situation because of their own irresponsibility"
Strongly Agree, Agree, Don't Know/No Opinion, Disagree, Strongly Disagree?

It's a shame forum invasions are frowned upon these days, there aren't enough libertarians here to answer all these great questions.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2014 16:27

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Radbot posted:

Why is money-makes-right a better philosophy than might-makes-right anyways? I mean the social mobility of having an AK and homeboys who do too makes libertarian society seem stultifying in comparison.

It's Liberty makes right. You need to remove all the constraints on people so they have maximized their liberty, and then they will cast aside their violent ways.

# ¿ Aug 13, 2014 14:37

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Hodgepodge posted:

I'm kind of torn, though. Libertarianism probably does a lot of kids growing up in Republican-dominated areas a great deal of good as an outlet for political identity outside of doctrinaire conservatism.

If only there was an alternative, socially unacceptable if it must be, to the Republican Party...

# ¿ Aug 13, 2014 16:50

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Ratoslov posted:

Wait, if your an-cap model has zero way to actually enforce contracts, what makes it -cap at all?

Wishful thinking that there will be food and gasoline and other things ancaps can't be arsed to create for themselves.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2014 00:39

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Raskolnikov38 posted:

Not just any post, I think this might be my favorite post on all of the forums now.

I know it went over well in the Michael Brown thread, but I didn't read it until your recommendation. Worth the effort, even at 2:30 in the morning.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2014 07:25

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

panascope posted:

Here's something I don't understand: if you're a public figure espousing libertarianism yet you're taking public money for whatever reason (maybe grants for your business or tax money for your district), how is that not ridiculously hypocritical? If taxes are theft full stop then isn't benefiting from that theft just as bad? I guess I just think that if your morals fly out the window at the slightest inconvenience you're probably a piece of poo poo. Does this bother anyone else?

Hypocrisy is a pretty common among libertarians who end up needing to rely on a public safety net:

http://www.patiastephens.com/2010/12/05/ayn-rand-received-social-security-medicare/

edit: beaten, but now with link!

# ¿ Aug 16, 2014 05:32

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# ¿ May 22, 2024 06:57

Pythagoras a trois: Feb 19, 2004; I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.

Wolfsheim posted:

Reminder that the last Republican presidential candidate literally made his fortune working for a company that does this and one of the only good things people had to say about him was that he was 'a good businessman.'

Now whenever I see a government program that benefits me, instead of taking advantage of it or turning it down based on my need, I always pause and think "it'd be a good business decision" either way. I feel very prisoners' dilemma-y about the whole thing.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2014 02:26

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > The Libertarian Thread