Posted on 01/08/2002 1:56:43 PM PST by kattracks
Geee, Mud.
Wished ya hadn't said that.
{s-baptists! :o)}
I see why your Angel began running, now.
To do that scamperin' on a moment's notice.
...see, I'm not that dumb, afterall.
"Geee, Mud. Wished ya hadn't said that."
Alright, please change that to "...tell 'em to go pound sand!!"
LOL...MUD
in reference to the tenents of Libertarians:
**1. Man will usually act in what he perceives to be his own interest, albeit far too often in his short-term interest.
2. No other person or group should be given the authority to determine what is in an individual's interest, nor to use force, fraud or coersion to get him to behave accordingly.
3. No person or group of persons may justly initiate force, fraud or coercion against another for any reason.**
Why do I have the impression a Christian Mother can never be a Libertarian?
Lott, Ashcroft, Rudy and Tipper do not claim that as an academic accomplishment.
Glad you asked.
I should have made it clear that references are to adults. Children have not the moral, intellectual, educational or experiential basis to make informed decisions. Parents are therefore responsible for guiding and educating them and making important decisions for them. Sometimes that necessarily includes the use of force or coercion (but should never, IMO, utilize fraud.)
I think more [l]ibertarians agree on more things than can be said of conservatives or liberals or moderates, but there are of course individual differences. Few would disagree with the three points I made above, but there are differences in how each might be applied in practice.
Only with Selflessness does one develop Trustworthiness, Responsiblility, Dependability and Integrity.
Would you want a man to seek his own interest as President, or Military Leader, or Chieftain?
Seems to me that Good Leaders are noted quickly because they will 'serve' others interests not their own.
The list of the Greatest Leaders on this Earth is of people who sacrificed themselves for others. For instance, the Heroes of the WTC.
A Leader who wants to call himself great is Clinton. Would you want to follow him into combat. I would not even want to follow his orders because he would leave me high and dry.
I really do not agree with Ayn Rand et al on selfishness. It seems counterproductive to the comity needed for building a community or nation.
Would seem to me that the virtues leave out selfishness.
Selfishness is about perceived short-term gain. Informed or "enlightened" self-interest is about doing what will serve one best in the long run. [l]ibertarian philosophy is a philosophy of the appropriate role of government. It is not intended to be a comprehensive moral code, but the basic "non-initiation of force, fraud or coercion" principle is fundamental to morality, IMO. IOW libertarianism IS moral, but doesn't address, nor attempt to address, all moral issues.
Only with Selflessness does one develop Trustworthiness, Responsiblility, Dependability and Integrity.
A wise person would be trustworthy, responsible, dependable and honorable because he/she recognizes that being so leads to better friends, better relationships, better self-image, better life. It's just good "business" to be so, but that's not the only reason to be so. Those who deceive are perpetrating fraud and are in violation of libertrianism's first principle, and are in violation of God's law and the spirit of God's law.
Seems to me that Good Leaders are noted quickly because they will 'serve' others interests not their own.
The best leaders are those who aspire to be great leaders, not merely to be perceived as great leaders. Achieving that goal can be a person's raison d'etre; making apparent sacrifices to become "great" in any field is consistent with self interest. Nothing is more important to happiness than what one thinks of him/herself, IMO.
The list of the Greatest Leaders on this Earth is of people who sacrificed themselves for others. For instance, the Heroes of the WTC.
Self-interest, as I noted above, doesn't rule out sacrifice. One of Man's great driving forces is to achieve significance, not necessarily in the eyes of others, but in reality. People want to "make a difference."
Also, what one thinks of him/her self often determines how difficult decisions will be made. Most of those who lost their lives saving and trying to save others at the WTC didn't consciously give their lives, but they consciously risked their lives, something many of them had done many times before. It is our failing that we didn't notice and appreciate those times when they risked death or serious injury and didn't die. Firefighters and police have mini-cultures within our culture. Those mini-cultures think about, talk about and admire bravery more than most of the rest of us. By taking risks that are inherent to the professions they chose they are living up to their own creeds. They couldn't think of themselves as they do otherwise. People are brave, among other reasons, because they have an great desire to be so. Taking risk in service to others is their way of making a difference, of being significant, of making the time they spent on this earth worthwhile and leaving the world better than it would have been without them. All of this fulfils their self-interest, but is in no way selfish.
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