A european, mainly scandinavian view (so don't read it as a claim to absolute truth but as well intentioned, but with an exasperated sarcastic edge to it):
On this side the Atlantic, liberatarians are firmly pro-globalism, pro-massmigration, pro-open borders, pro-islam, pro-child brides, pro-gender mutilation, pro-polygamy, pro-pedophilia, necrophilia, zoophilia and a couple of other similar things. And of course pro-drugs, including heroin.
And against private gun ownership, stand your ground, self defence, castle laws and such matters.
Also firmly pro-EU.
Firm believers that "Atlas' shrugged" is a masterful dissertation on politics and economy, they have rarely read it but can quote a talking point or two. Much like their mirror-image the post-modern marxist who can't even be bothered to read The Communist Manifesto, much less Das Kapital. And neither group are literate enough to read Adam Smith, not even the snippet about the invisible hand. For the libertarians it's Hayek, Mises and Rothbard all the way and when one asks them "So where is you business emoire built on these guys principles' then?" they either run off or go off on a rant about the unfairness inherent in the system. As a swede, it's hilarious in the extreme to point out to them that Ingvar Kamprad built IKEA without ever having heard of those idols, and he never ever gave economists and financial analysts any say-so - they were clerks, period.
Onyl real difference between european libertarians and post-modern marxists really, is that the first want to abolish taxation while the latter wants to tax everything, preferably as many times as possible.
Of course, in the US you don't (yet) have tens of millions of moslems. But you will, and boy howdy are they going to love your laws on religious exemption, second amendment and so on.
It'll be interesting from a purely academic standpoint to follow how american liberals and libertarians start to corkscrew into ethnic nationalism without admitting it. Just as it was to follow the Maoists and other commies becoming yuppies in the eighties, all the while spouting the same slogans.
I tie marxist and libertarians together for a very simple reason: both core mentalities are of a puritan and sectarian mindset. Neither had any success until they started to compromise, became pragmatic and started bringing something to the table so to speak. Just standing to the side, being all snowy white and pure because it's either according to dogma or no way, well you wont get anything done and the powers in power are quite happy when political opposition sidelines itself.
That's how it looks from here. The sarcasm comes from 25 years of dealing with ideological purists of all colours, each and everyone of them thumping their holy book with the one true final truthy truth of truth and not a single one of them with an actual game plan as to how to get it done or why the rest of the people would want their idea(l)s, or see those idea(l)s put into practice. Also, not a single one who wants to debate a very important question: "And then what?".
It's as my father-in-law remarks from time to time, him being an engineer. Paraphrased and edited for swear-words: "A solution or method which demands the dismantling and or rebuilding of society (not to mention changing the may humans function) so that the solution or method can work, is neither a solution or a sound method but an even greater problem."
I think that's the problem with libertarians here: they don't bring anything real, pragmatic or functional to the debate. It's always abstract principles. It's never how to best organise garbage collection.
Thoroughly enjoyable articles you write, I must say. Really sets the old lecturing reflex off (or shoudl that be "Hectoring" gene?). If you take suggestions, have you ever tried to create a positive argument for soemthing you vehemently oppose, trying to make the idea work or sound right? It's a great exercise I find, since no one school of thought is all bad (or all good).
The capital-L Libertarian Party by definition cannot win a political contest. When one puts ten Libertarians in a room, there will be at least eleven positions on why things are the way they are.
I, too, am a lower-case-l libertarian. The sole commonalities among us are a distrust of government and a celebration of the individual and the individual's rights.
Very well written. Amidst all of the garbage that has gone on the past few years I remember when I didn't know hardly anyone who thought MSM was a propaganda machine or that corruption was rampant. As someone who is very libertarian leaning I am much less fringe than I was 40 years ago.
What do you mean, "Now"? I've been a libertarian my entire adult life. Card-carrying big-L back in the eighties, but it eventually became clear that the phrase "Libertarian Party" is an oxymoron.
Feb 12, 2022·edited Feb 12, 2022Liked by SimulationCommander
The politics of the public is the visible and felt living politics of men who change like the bonfire as wood is added or subtracted from the flames. So much fuel is on the fire now the heat burns like jet fuel in the Twin Towers. Covid the indispensable tool for tyranny touched the rabid Reactionary, Liberals, Libertarians, Liberty lovers and Lunatic Leftists equally. This moment we occupy in transition to a new polity has much of the old within it still. We have formalities of law, of good governance, hollow and painted like the nesting Matryoshka dolls. We have habits and customs dating, our heart, from a time when living in the Atomic Age thought we were free. "God gave Noah the rainbow sign
i don't know what the North American media is like but its probably still dancing to the authoritarian tune, thus the mases probably think the movement is just fringe loonies.
i think they need to protest outside media headquarters, block them in with trucks!
Many of you will note that throughout the article (and title) I used little-l libertarian instead of big-l Libertarian. This is because, though the Libertarian Party might be the best vote in specific races, often we'll be forced to choose the most libertarian Republican (or Democrat!) running. The Libertarian Party is not the answer. The answer is libertarian policies coming from politicians of all parties.
I just re-read this and I realized I didn't applaud it enough.
May I make amends by citing another favorite writer who says it nearly as well:
https://amgreatness.com/2022/02/12/oligarchys-response-to-the-freedom-convoy-bodes-ill-for-them/
(If paywalled, find it on today's RealClearPolitics. Also, I highly recommend M. Kimball's books.)
A european, mainly scandinavian view (so don't read it as a claim to absolute truth but as well intentioned, but with an exasperated sarcastic edge to it):
On this side the Atlantic, liberatarians are firmly pro-globalism, pro-massmigration, pro-open borders, pro-islam, pro-child brides, pro-gender mutilation, pro-polygamy, pro-pedophilia, necrophilia, zoophilia and a couple of other similar things. And of course pro-drugs, including heroin.
And against private gun ownership, stand your ground, self defence, castle laws and such matters.
Also firmly pro-EU.
Firm believers that "Atlas' shrugged" is a masterful dissertation on politics and economy, they have rarely read it but can quote a talking point or two. Much like their mirror-image the post-modern marxist who can't even be bothered to read The Communist Manifesto, much less Das Kapital. And neither group are literate enough to read Adam Smith, not even the snippet about the invisible hand. For the libertarians it's Hayek, Mises and Rothbard all the way and when one asks them "So where is you business emoire built on these guys principles' then?" they either run off or go off on a rant about the unfairness inherent in the system. As a swede, it's hilarious in the extreme to point out to them that Ingvar Kamprad built IKEA without ever having heard of those idols, and he never ever gave economists and financial analysts any say-so - they were clerks, period.
Onyl real difference between european libertarians and post-modern marxists really, is that the first want to abolish taxation while the latter wants to tax everything, preferably as many times as possible.
Of course, in the US you don't (yet) have tens of millions of moslems. But you will, and boy howdy are they going to love your laws on religious exemption, second amendment and so on.
It'll be interesting from a purely academic standpoint to follow how american liberals and libertarians start to corkscrew into ethnic nationalism without admitting it. Just as it was to follow the Maoists and other commies becoming yuppies in the eighties, all the while spouting the same slogans.
I tie marxist and libertarians together for a very simple reason: both core mentalities are of a puritan and sectarian mindset. Neither had any success until they started to compromise, became pragmatic and started bringing something to the table so to speak. Just standing to the side, being all snowy white and pure because it's either according to dogma or no way, well you wont get anything done and the powers in power are quite happy when political opposition sidelines itself.
That's how it looks from here. The sarcasm comes from 25 years of dealing with ideological purists of all colours, each and everyone of them thumping their holy book with the one true final truthy truth of truth and not a single one of them with an actual game plan as to how to get it done or why the rest of the people would want their idea(l)s, or see those idea(l)s put into practice. Also, not a single one who wants to debate a very important question: "And then what?".
It's as my father-in-law remarks from time to time, him being an engineer. Paraphrased and edited for swear-words: "A solution or method which demands the dismantling and or rebuilding of society (not to mention changing the may humans function) so that the solution or method can work, is neither a solution or a sound method but an even greater problem."
I think that's the problem with libertarians here: they don't bring anything real, pragmatic or functional to the debate. It's always abstract principles. It's never how to best organise garbage collection.
Thoroughly enjoyable articles you write, I must say. Really sets the old lecturing reflex off (or shoudl that be "Hectoring" gene?). If you take suggestions, have you ever tried to create a positive argument for soemthing you vehemently oppose, trying to make the idea work or sound right? It's a great exercise I find, since no one school of thought is all bad (or all good).
Anyways, a hearty thumbs up for your writing!
The capital-L Libertarian Party by definition cannot win a political contest. When one puts ten Libertarians in a room, there will be at least eleven positions on why things are the way they are.
I, too, am a lower-case-l libertarian. The sole commonalities among us are a distrust of government and a celebration of the individual and the individual's rights.
Not to be a dick, but I think you have a "decent" when you meant "dissent"...
Great stuff man! You're one of my favorites!
"And as the ‘leaders’ become more authoritarian, cracking down on all decent, the proper response is for the people to become more libertarian."
Would that H.L. Mencken be writing today. Can anyone even imagine HIS Substack comment section!
Very well written. Amidst all of the garbage that has gone on the past few years I remember when I didn't know hardly anyone who thought MSM was a propaganda machine or that corruption was rampant. As someone who is very libertarian leaning I am much less fringe than I was 40 years ago.
I should’ve known “authoritarians vs libertarians” was Orwell.
In any case, that thought was part of my latest musing on my Substack. Thank you for it.
What do you mean, "Now"? I've been a libertarian my entire adult life. Card-carrying big-L back in the eighties, but it eventually became clear that the phrase "Libertarian Party" is an oxymoron.
The politics of the public is the visible and felt living politics of men who change like the bonfire as wood is added or subtracted from the flames. So much fuel is on the fire now the heat burns like jet fuel in the Twin Towers. Covid the indispensable tool for tyranny touched the rabid Reactionary, Liberals, Libertarians, Liberty lovers and Lunatic Leftists equally. This moment we occupy in transition to a new polity has much of the old within it still. We have formalities of law, of good governance, hollow and painted like the nesting Matryoshka dolls. We have habits and customs dating, our heart, from a time when living in the Atomic Age thought we were free. "God gave Noah the rainbow sign
No more water, but the fire next time"
Excellent…
i don't know what the North American media is like but its probably still dancing to the authoritarian tune, thus the mases probably think the movement is just fringe loonies.
i think they need to protest outside media headquarters, block them in with trucks!
Many of you will note that throughout the article (and title) I used little-l libertarian instead of big-l Libertarian. This is because, though the Libertarian Party might be the best vote in specific races, often we'll be forced to choose the most libertarian Republican (or Democrat!) running. The Libertarian Party is not the answer. The answer is libertarian policies coming from politicians of all parties.