Yep, it’s kinda of contradictory to describe Ron Paul following has a cult of personality, but that he has no charisma. I mean, if the people are following him irrationally, merely because of his personality, as I guess that terms means, then Ron Paul should be the definition of charisma.
Anyway, he sure got me very enthusiasmatic and I’ve read since some austrian and standard economic books from college. When I first read a small article on libertarianism, it was a critiscism, and I actually associated them with being against property rights (:-?). I thought they were some kind of communist / individualist group (like some of the greens here seem to be in some of their emotional rethoric; however they protest against things like the city privatizing a theater). I was very surprised to find otherwise, and excited about there being a political ideology I could identify with. (Thanks Ron Paul ;P)
I think Walter Block is like the opposite of those who want to be seen as charismatic (though he is likeable if you’re like me and agree with everything he says). I think he has a particular charm in not being afraid to be the bad guy in the room. Which is very refreshing. Check out his videos in the Media section. Particularly the one where he debates the social worker, another one where he debates a the union guy, and the two Our Story appearances. It’s often funny how hostile they get, even if he’s just talking common sense and/or things most or all economists know from the get go.
Though one part of his populist side is that he is willing to take any premise and show how it would be better suited for a market-based solution.
This thead seems to illustrate what I regard as a general problem with any lists of this sort - no matter what the topic, people will just list their favorites. This is particularly noticable, for instance, when someone asks for contributions to a list of “the greatest intellects of all time” or something similar. People will respond with the names of people whom they agree with a lot. That’s why Hawkings gets mentioned so infrequently on such lists - he isn’t ideological and so no one has an axe to grind in nominating him.
I’m reading “Defending the Undefendable”, about 1/2 through now. I really like Walter Block. I may not agree with everything he says, but he has a way about him. Like Rothbard, but not at such a frenzied pace. I get the impression that Murray Rothbard had so much to say, that he had to rush through it very quickly when speaking.
Andrew Napolitano. He has managed to pull off some amazing things as a libertarian in the mainstream, and I would largely attribute that to his charisma. It’s just hard not to like the guy.
Also a point on RP. I think one needs to consider his age. If you watch earlier videos of Paul he really was a great speaker. I think there are still traces of it today, but he stumbles a bit more. If you watch any of his speeches, he almost never uses notes. He is incredibly focused and understands how to talk to people. I think he just has lost a step in his 70s. One ex-Federal Reserve member he was publically debating on the Gold Standard actually prefaced himself with a note about how he will come off as less convincing by default because of how commanding Paul was as a speaker.
Yeah, I LOVED his folksy storytelling style in the one recording of him I heard (that story about Joseph that someone posted the link to the other day).
