Right. If you read what I wrote I stated that this does not invalidate the trade axiom. People still thought they would gain, prior to making the purchase. If people thought they were going to get fat from eating your pills they wouldn’t have purchased it.
Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not taking it as you being condescending. But I understand Jiu Jitsu doesn’t teach anything special to the one that pursues truth.
Well, people think they’re going to gain from embracing socialism.
Can we pass judgment on their decision given it’s apparently a rational one?
Alright, Wilderness, tell me about the “truth” that Jiu Jitsu doesn’t teach.
Obviously I’ve missed something.
Did you read my posts at all. You just repeated me verbatim.
Maybe if you spent more time reading posts spent less time worrying about being right you’d stop making a fool of yourself. You make it quiet obvious that your more concerned with escalating an argument than you are at helping others grow intellectually or helping yourself grow intellectually.
Depending on the situation it may be economically rational. As I stated to you once already…
Even attempting to judge someones rationality after a trade can only be done in error as we cannot possibly fathom what state of mind they were prior to the trade, and just because they vocalized an opinion doesn’t necessarily represent their mental state as it were.
Fil, this thread is about a question. The question is “why don’t human beings desire liberty?”
I’ve answered this question in a way that I think reflects reality.
You’ve not really answered the question better than I have. You’ve instead spouted ideology at me like it’s supposed to prove something. You’re the one escalating this argument and stalling intellectual understanding, not me.
And Rothbard wondered why he couldn’t sell an-cap.
I didn’t say “doesn’t teach”. I was pointing out the limitedness of the previous comment of yours that if one doesn’t understand Jiu Jitsu, then one will not understand what you mean. That’s a narrow view on truth. If it is true, then Jiu Jitsu certainity will not monopolize it.
Esuric said he didn’t like the reasons I support capitalism. I said I support capitalism because it reminds me of Jiu Jitsu. The best man wins.
As others have implied, rational actions, which are always undertaken with an expectation of benefit, can still be undertaken erroneously, because man is subject to error. By “erroneous”, I mean the means chosen do not in reality accomplish the ends aimed at. Therefore, one, as an economist, can pass judgment on a socialist, if the socialist is intending socialism as a means intended for the ends of general prosperity, because as an economist, he recognizes the unsuitability of the means for the ends given.
If one passes judgment on the ends themselves, he does so, not as an economist, but as a someone either with moral feelings or an objectivist system of ethics. Either way, passing judgment on ends has nothing to do with economics or praxeology.
Yes, you like capitalism because you feel that it “destroys the weak.” But really, it gives the “weak” a fighting chance.
I left my opinions on the matter pages ago. I see no need to repeat.
For the record YOU engaged ME about voluntary trade. When I clarified the axiom it was not directed at you, you just chose to respond in argument. I have no idea why, I was lead to believe you just wanted to argue.
I have spouted no ideology. I have asked you to reason but you have willingly explained to us on this forum that you have no intention of employing logic, or reason. Hows that for being rational? Shall I quote you from other threads?
Ok. Great post.
We’ve moved on.
I don’t really want to argue about anything. I want to figure out how to defeat socialists. But I don’t think any of the answers on this board reflect an understanding of the mass appeal of socialism. The trade axiom is irrelevant. What matters is that people choose the wrong thing. How does it happen?
Yeah, I think it does too. Not that great of a chance, but a better chance than socialism.
base-level impulses, ie. fear, the wielding of power in the hands of people too weak due to their fear. propaganda perpetuates this. we’ve been over this already. An axiom provides certainity in the midst of deception, ie. socialism.
My friend, please let’s not resort to name-calling.
know the wrong thing, do the wrong thing.
I call Socrates to the stand…
The other thing I think we could talk about is how libertarianism appeals to people with money. I’ve never met a poor libertarian. But there are more people without money than people with money. So, we’re outnumbered.
In fact, the only reason I got into conservatism and libertarianism is because I stand to benefit materially from them. If I thought that I stood to gain more from being a socialist, I’d be a socialist, but I don’t think I do. Yet.