Lew Rockwell: I just turned down an invitation to go on Comedy Central, but I would never miss a chance to go on the Brian Wilson Show.
I agree with gocrew. Explaining one’s message to new audiences is good.
The rest of this topic has become gocrew versus Ricky James Moore II. I side with gocrew. My assessment:
“I think these outlets are beneath any thinking person.”
David Kramer posted a clip of the Daily Show which demonstrated that there was critical thinking.
“Everyone thinks, but most people don’t do it right.”
This is why a libertarian advocate could be helpful.
“So what? Any thinking, critical person is an elite.”
Time for some definitions:
Elite: ( often used with a plural verb ) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons. 2. ( used with a plural verb ) persons of the highest class: Only the elite were there. 3. a group of persons exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group: the power elite of a major political party.
Elitism: practice of or belief in rule by an elite. 2. consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.
So, elite/elitism means being part of superior group.
“These primates don’t care, and they won’t change. All civilization is accidental, and it disturbs them.”
Are you trying to insult humans by calling them primates? Civilization as an accident seems an exaggeration. The scientific method is not an accident. Some discoveries in science can be accidental, but science as a whole is not an accident. It is an ongoing process of critical thinking. The Ipod is part of civilization and it is popular. So is Google. And Wikipedia. And pencils, which are not easy to make as explained by Leonard Reed in I, Pencil.
“I am arguing that it would have been better if he [Murray Rothbard] concentrated on the people who would actually listen to him.”
How do you know who will listen to one’s message in advance? If people already agree with you, the message is reinforcement. Sometimes a statement can send people off on the path to a different worldview. Maybe the statement is why if you take my money it is theft, but when the government does it is taxation? Maybe the statement is FedEx and UPS exist, so why do we need the USPS and likewise why can’t we have private military companies? One statement can make people wonder and down the path of inquiry they can go.
“People won’t accept it because they’re not wired correctly.”
Prove it. I want scientific evidence that most people are incapable of change to libertarianism.
“People who can stray from the herd aren’t made, they’re born.”
Political ideology is not only about peer pressure. It does involve reasoning. I remember, years ago, someone said in a group that communism was wonderful on paper, but not in practice. No one disagreed probably because no one knew much about communism. Later, I learned about the economic calculation problem, the flawed labor theory of value, the wrong-headed inevitable communist end of history, the undeserved demonization of capitalism, and, to make a long story short, I learned that communism was bad on paper and practice.
“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.”
Good point.
“Have you ever thought that maybe they’re getting exactly what they want?”
People have a limited set of options in their mind: Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative. We can introduce the libertarian option.
“The notion that men can be reformed is the sheerest faith.”
Opinions can change.
“Everyone lies to others or lies to themselves.”
From opinion change to lying. How did this happen?
“I think this idea of intellectual determinism is asinine. I wasn’t born an anarcho-capitalist and I’ve never met one. I don’t buy into the idea I’m some variation of a genotype - that’s some sort of mastubatory nonsense.”
I agree, except with the end reference to masturbation. I do not understand.