From: Chris Russo (extropy@russo.org)
Date: Mon Dec 04 2000 - 19:43:01 MST
At 14:53 -0800 12/4/00, Samantha Atkins wrote:
> > One of the things that I personally *love* about the LP is how the
>> positions on the favorite issues of all of those groups can be
>> logically and easily obtained from the guiding principle that you
>> mentioned above.
>>
>
>Yeah? So why the hell isn't the party campaigning upfront and foremost
>on that instead of the half-assed mealy mouthing of recent campaigns
>that brings in a tiny fraction of a percent of the vote?
Because people are really really really stupid.
I say that in all seriousness. I don't expect a plurality of voters
to appreciate the logical simplicity and consistency of the
Libertarian position as we do. The best we can hope for is that
they'll latch on to some of the natural but superficial side benefits
of the Libertarian philosophy.
In my experience, your average Joe is more interested in those little
side issues than he is in maintaining a logically consistent and
long-term beneficial political philosophy.
Ours is a society whose adult populace idolizes professional
wrestlers, keeps infomercial pyramid schemes profitable, worships
irrational gods, and actually gives a shit about the turn-offs of
Miss July.
I don't have a lot of hope in benefiting from the intelligence of the
masses. The best we can hope for is a coincidence of goals that
achieves at least some of what we want. Maybe, as Libertarian
principles gain acceptance, the masses will gain appreciation for how
the whole comes together and benefits society, but that feels a bit
far removed to be relied upon.
Regards,
Chris Russo
--
"If anyone can show me, and prove to me, that I am wrong in thought
or deed, I will gladly change. I seek the truth, which never yet
hurt anybody. It is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance
which does harm."
-- Marcus Aurelius, MEDITATIONS, VI, 21
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