Why does Lew Rockwell turn down invitations?

Miscellaneous General
1

Today on lewrockwell.com Mr. Rockwell mentioned that he had turned down a Comedy Central invitation. Some time ago he said he had turned down an invitation to Real Time.

I would love to see him accept these invitations. The best places to preach are right outside the pagans’ temples, in my opinion. He doesn’t even need to make converts; the mere act of introducing radical new ideas to a new audience is a victory in itself. I would love to see him on Real Time or whatever Comedy Central show it was.

The fact that the Austro-libertarian camp is getting attention from these more mainstream, leftish shows demonstrates the surge in popularity, and anyone willing to deliver the message straight and hard, undiluted, ought to take advantage of these invitations.

Just my two cents.

2

I think these outlets are beneath any thinking person. So is preaching, for that matter. Prosthelytizing makes one unclean.

3

I disagree. There is no black and white between thinking and non-thinking people. That attitude is elitist and not helpful. Eventually, the people who think more/better/more precisely need to take their message to the rest. Real Time is a way to introduce new ideas.

Unclean? This language is too vague to rebut; I’m not sure what you mean by it. Are you arguing that Rothbard should not have argued his ideas? That a great mind should stay silent?

4

I would advise him to do the Daily Show over Real Time, at least Jon Stewart doesn’t pretend he knows what´s going on. And he’ll actually listen. That and Rockwell wouldn’t have to deal with other guests trying to shout him down or calling him a racist or crazy for not liking Lincoln or something.

5

I disagree. There is no black and white between thinking and non-thinking people.

Everyone thinks, but most people don’t do it right.

That attitude is elitist

So what? Any thinking, critical person is an elite.

and not helpful.

Nothing helps. You come into this with mistaken premises. These primates don’t care, and they won’t change. All civilization is accidental, and it disturbs them.

Unclean? This language is too vague to rebut; I’m not sure what you mean by it.

I mean that any attempt to appeal to the unwashed is going to get you dirty. Their instincts and habits and presumptions are herdish, ignorant and petty. These endless moralizing sermons you see from libertarians are exactly what I am talking about. I don’t want to appeal to them, because they aren’t worth appealing to. People who go down to dwell amongst them tend to pick up their stink. As Nietzsche said, “After coming into contact with a religious man I always feel I must wash my hands.”

Are you arguing that Rothbard should not have argued his ideas? That a great mind should stay silent?

I am arguing that it would have been better if he concentrated on the people who would actually listen to him.

6

John Stewart is an excellent, polite host and Lew could do some real good there, I believe.

I get annoyed at a lot of the Real Time shows for the reasons you mention. However, I will give Maher credit for going after a true diversity of opinion out there. He doesn’t just go after regimists like P.J. O’Rourke when he seeks libertarian views. Even in such a climate, why not at least show a new audience that these ideas are out there. It’s a long way from making conversions, but it is a first step. And a lot of the shouting and bickering can be ameliorated by someone who shows up with a calm, polite attitude (someone like Lew).

It should be noted that Maher got Ron Paul back on the show and accepted the blame for his first interview. He even told him that if Americans were smarter Dr. Paul would be leading in the polls. I’d say it’s definitely worth a go.

Lew’s life is his own to make decisions with, obviously. I’m just expressing disappointment because I would love to see him on these shows.

7

That’s the whole point of spreading the message. There was a time when I didn’t think right either. I am grateful to Rothbard and others for helping me with that. I wasn’t born an Austro-libertarian.

8

I imagine, Lew isn’t interested in wasting his time.

9

That’s the whole point of spreading the message.

No, because you are still ignoring biology and social psychology. People won’t accept it because they’re not wired correctly. The more of them there are, the worse it gets. They reinforce their selection biases and social tropes.

There was a time when I didn’t think right either. I am grateful to Rothbard and others for helping me with that. I wasn’t born an Austro-libertarian.

Because you’re an outlier, like 90% of all libertarians are. For that matter, like 90% of Nazis are in the modern world. People who can stray from the herd aren’t made, they’re born. Where you end up is a matter of environment somewhat, but most people can’t if they wanted to. We will always be a minority; they will always ‘win’ in the large scale. Read Albert Jay Nock or Mencken some time.

10

Yep.

11

I hit post on the last one without meaning to. Moving on…

There is a difference between elite and elitist.

So throw in the towel? There was a character like you in my book; I do not side with him. I think what you are saying is demonstrably untrue. I think every person who is converted, and I have converted or partially converted several, is proof against what you say.

Your explanation is still using vague metaphors. Un clean, dirty, stink… these are metaphors. What do you actually mean by them?

We certainly should think about the best way to apportion our time given that it is scarce. But something like Real Time or The Daily Show represents a new audience, and I am guessing one of a decent size - The Daily Show gets over two million a night, doesn’t it? - where a lot of good could be done.

12

Evidence, please. Are you saying there is no one watching those shows who can be reached?

There are those who will latch onto a pure idea and stick with it, consequences be damned. There are those who wait for someone else to test the ice first. There are those who will feel more comfortable coming out when they see it has some steam. Others will wait until it becomes an orthodox position. As maddening as it is that a pure idea can’t convince everyone, we still need, if we are to get a libertarian society, to convince enough people. I choose not to throw in the towel on this one.

And you know this how?

You make an assumption, and it turns out you are wrong. I have read Nock and Mencken. As great a thinker as Nock was, he still offered up elitist nonsense and backed it up with nothing more than assertions. Why direct me to read them when you have already offered up their assertions? They prove nothing.

I am not going to give up simply because certain elitists insist that nothing can be done. Even if that were true, I’m not going to spend the only life I shall ever have ensconced in my basement dreaming of a better society. Improvements can be made; ideas matter and have consequences. Our ideas could have wonderful consequences, but not if we stay silent.

13

And how can we be certain that it is a waste of time?

14

Meh, anyone who is not an elitist is a crackpot. There’s no saving them. Frankly, I have no desire to. They’re not even good enough to hate.

We’re not going to get a libertarian society before we get supertechnology. Get with the Heinleinian program.

And we’re not going to get a libertarian society in my time in any case, and any contribution I would make would be minimal; so I really have no reason to participate in this stuff, even if I didn’t find most humans so pathetic. It’s exactly your Crusader attitude that I don’t like in most people. Nobody can just mind their own business. Have you ever thought that maybe they’re getting exactly what they want?

The notion that men can be reformed is the sheerest faith. It betrays an ignorance of evolutionary psychology, social dynamics and history. The Progressives and Libertarians both tend to share this delusion. Diogenes had it figured out long before Mises was a twinkle in his daddy’s eye.

Everyone lies to others or lies to themselves. The trick of being an elite is that you realize this and stop believing yourself. Most libertarians fail to get to this stage.

15

Well, there are already many sources on the internet that can help people understand the libertarian point of view. I personally think sharing my views with others is quite nice, Lew probably has his own reasons.

If you are used to talking to people who share leftist or conservative views, you will likely not want to have anything to do with them either. Being insulted and hated is not fun, Lew knows that and he certainly experienced it.

RJMIII doesn’t think it’s nice to share your views, but then again I’m still paying taxes and I wish more people will understand that taxes are not necessary. I’m also submited to alot of governement regulations, and I would like that to stop. There’s also a huge mouvement of “anarcho-comunism” nonsense where I live, I would like that to stop too.

Although, I can see why so many people loose hope.

I just explained to people from my college why “direct democracy” does not work. I’ve been giving a monologue with detailed explanation on all the flaws of direct democracy", and all I got was “OMG you’re an idiot”. I guess I am, I shouldn’t have waisted my time.

Also, we have an association here that makes decisions for what people should eat or think in our college, they act just like mini bureaucrats.

http://vega.cvm.qc.ca/agecvm/gamma/ see there.

16

I just explained to people from my college why “direct democracy” does not work. I’ve been giving a monologue with detailed explanation on all the flaws of direct democracy", and all I got was “OMG you’re an idiot”. I guess I am, I shouldn’t have waisted my time.

Yes, and the more educated they are the stupider they become.

Most human beings hardly deserve the name. They are individuals only in the most technical sense. Their true nature is as a repository for the replication of genes and memes; and they will never be anything else.

The political problem and the radical religious problem are just high-level manifestations of a very basic problem of human beings: they are products of biological evolution. That is what matters, not what is true or false, right or wrong, good or bad, safe or dangerous. All that matters is the in-group and the out-group, status and fitting in, breeding and feeding. They are hardly aware anything else exists, and when they are they usually resent it.

17

Left media is not as powerful as we might think it is. Most left authors struggle to sell books. It’s really an echo chamber.

18

Hey Ricky, who gives a ####? I don’t want to pay taxes, do you understand that?They can breed, smoke crack, live in their communes and they can also choke on their "peace and love " nonsense for all I care. I have every interest not to mind my own business when these morons don’t mind theirs. If they all decided to live in a commune that would be nice, the thing is it doesn’t work like that. I have no idea why they don’t just move, I’ll find out and share it on these forums soon enough.

If they all just moved in their “anarcho-commune” , I doubt anyone in their right mind would go there to “convert” them to libertarianism. That would be incredibly stupid, unfortunately this is not the case. Infact if someone plays the role of “crusader” I will not call myself a libertarian anymore.

I’m restarting my business of bagels this summer(Yes, thank you), and it’s getting pretty yuckky. This is what I have to look forward to(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPPBWqi4wJY&feature=player_embedded#at=13). Enjoy.

19

Hey Ricky, who gives a ####? I don’t want to pay taxes, do you understand that?

Neither do I, but preaching at them is not going to help.

They can breed, smoke crack, live in their communes and they can also choke on their "peace and love " nonsense for all I care.

Sure, I don’t resent them any more than I resent cattle, but still, they are what they are.

I have every interest not to mind my own business when these morons don’t mind theirs.

And if I were Herakles I would tear down the walls of Troy, but I’m not so I basically have to put up with the morons. Enough Liliputians can take down any giant.

@gocrew

So throw in the towel? There was a character like you in my book; I do not side with him. I think what you are saying is demonstrably untrue. I think every person who is converted, and I have converted or partially converted several, is proof against what you say.

No, it just proves that nature has not produced a uniform species. But the norm which is self-selecting amongst humans is herdism and volk economics; regression to the mean breeds out these traits except in a small set of circumstances where such people have an advantage; that is in the rare cases where survival depends more on being right than on being popular. The more civilized we become the less often this happens.

I am not going to give up simply because certain elitists insist that nothing can be done. Even if that were true, I’m not going to spend the only life I shall ever have ensconced in my basement dreaming of a better society.

Nor do I. I just don’t worry about it. Economics and philosophy are interesting in their own right, I don’t have to rationalize my interest by becoming a prophet for libertarian justice.

Improvements can be made; ideas matter and have consequences. Our ideas could have wonderful consequences, but not if we stay silent.

As Mark 8:18 says, “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?” These people aren’t going to hear you, and if you get shrill enough they’ll shut you up.

20

Demonstrably untrue, as I said earlier. I am living proof of that.