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1

General / On marxist style libertarianism.

« on: September 18, 2011, 03:01:04 AM »

Anyone get frustrated with libertarians who use class warfare rhetoric, but with the political class against the citizens instead of the bourgeois against the proletariat? There is this belief that politicians, or any government employee in general, is pure evil and has artificially constructed a government to commit crime, and to accomplish this they have mastered indoctrination and manipulation of the lower classes.

There is also "libertarian man" style thinking. Many voluntarists will talk about a future "voluntary" society that could exist, but only if we have a mass cultural change (meaning their ideal society won't work with modern humans) These people place emphasis on environmental influences and feel child rearing is the cause of violence and statism itself. And the kicker is that these people will often talk about the "death of the state", they seem convinced that statism as a political theory is at it's end.

I run across these types of anti-statist far more often than I would like, and I really just can't take them seriously.

2

General / Something Ron Paul said in an interview with The Concord Monitor.

« on: September 01, 2011, 07:39:47 PM »

When asking him about compromise, Ron Paul had replied he is not inclined to compromise on his principles. They brought up the example of the 3/5 compromise in the Constitutions and how Ron Paul's uncompromising view that blacks deserve equal legal rights to whites would have prevented the US Constitution from being ratified. His response to them was "you are making my point."

It's always frustrating when people pay lip service to the Constitution, when in reality they are opposed to it.

3

General / What's the main incentive for drug dealing?

« on: August 24, 2011, 04:45:23 AM »

I often hear that prohibition increases the price of drugs, and for those individuals willing to burden the risk they get a good payout. I'm not sure this is correct, few drug dealers earn much more than minimum wage. Isn't the biggest incentive that the sellers enjoy the drugs they produce and sell?

4

General / I lived through an earthquake!

« on: August 23, 2011, 02:01:34 PM »

Well, sorta. I'm just sitting here, and both my brother and I start to feel this shaking. It felt like when my dog is on the couch scratching himself. Apparently here was a 5.8 earthquake just a little bit ago outside DC, I live in Pennsylvania and apparently folks further than that felt it. Before I saw on this on the news I started to worry, I thought the floor was going to cave in. This is how I feel:

5

The Show / Loving more of Mark.

« on: August 22, 2011, 01:55:48 AM »

Don't want to cause offense, but I'm loving the opportunity to hear more Mark talking with Ian in jail. Extremist moralizing voluntarists tend to crowd out some more pragmatic, more mainstream political beliefs so it's nice to hear some more reason on the show.

6

General / Freedomain Radio is basically a cult.

« on: August 20, 2011, 06:30:44 PM »

Now, I really dislike Stefen Molyneux because I think he is hurting the liberty movement by moralizing and pushing faulty ethics/psychology. I'm not the smartest guy, but I can't help but feel that way. So I was on Reddit earlier, and I had made a quick argument about how FDR is a cult:

a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. b. The followers of such a religion or sect.
This doesn't quite sound right. I suppose one might argue that Stef's
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
This would be the Freedomain Radio community.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
I suppose one might argue that the way individuals watch his videos or listen to his podcasts might count as worship of Stef, and looking at the comments section you often get nothing but praise and idolizing.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
This doesn't quite fit in with FDR. Stef makes some incredible claims in regard to child rearing psychology though.
a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. b. The object of such devotion.
Reading the comments Stef gets, and Stef's joy at reading those comments, show an incredible amount of veneration for him.
An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.
Obviously this counts, the FDR community is supposedly devoted to philosophical, psychological and other various fringe interests.
I'll admit the definition seems to allow for many things to be called cults, but I'll add that Stef is a bully and he's egotistical. Him, and especially his listeners, will attack dissenters emotionally. They do this by using moralizing arguments based on Stef's UPB (FDR's bible). His egotism shows in the way he lives off of donations (he has mocked individuals who listen to his free shows without donating), his constant promotion of his show and books (I can let this one slide, everyone needs to promote), the way he reacts emotionally to criticism, and his speech from Porcfest was awful in this regard.

It's certainly not the best arguments I've made, I was basically just trying to explain why I feel FDR is at least cult like. Stef's emotional bullying (with things like his "against me" argumentation) and community veneration (the guy is funded via donations, I honestly am bothered by this) seem to suggest cult like tendencies. He has suggested on his radio show that people leave families that have differing beliefs, it's called deFOOing. The response to my post seems to only reinforce my beliefs.

Yeah, sure, you can argue all those things if you (1) make up a definition of "cult" that includes organizations that are NOT CULTS, (2) then pretend that every single point you list in your definition fits FDR against the facts, (3) then you make up false and unsubstantiated accusations about Stefan such as "emotional reactions to criticism" (which are not only false but, as the video linked here demonstrates, the reality is actually the DIAMETRIC OPPOSITE).
That is the essence of slander.
Face it, you'd come across as MUCH MORE HONEST if you just said "You know, I hate Stef, that's it". That would be perfectly fine. But to attempt to rationalize your hate using LIES and FABRICATIONS? That's just fucking disgusting and venal. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Slanderer.

There is an incredibly high chance I am wrong about Stef's philosophy and psychology, but I think it's completely fair to recognize Freedomaing Radio as a cult.

7

General / Taking government money is virtuous.

« on: August 19, 2011, 02:40:42 AM »

Last nights show mentioned the ethics of voting, and someone mentioned Ron Paul taking payment from the government for working for Congress. They seemed to agree that it's bad someone takes "blood money" from the government, I completely disagree.

Walter Block writes on this.

Let's imagine you know someone has stolen something. You know they do not own this. You are a morally justufied, and acting in virtue, by taking this item from them. You may not be able to give it to the true owner, but surely it's better not allowing the thief to retain possession.

It's the same with government money. You are acting in virtue by taking government money, whether it be in subsidies, welfare, etc. The only catch is that you are in moral opposition to the initial acquisition.

8

General / Unemployed rant.

« on: August 17, 2011, 07:44:00 AM »

Starts off with the fact I'm a fat dude with really strong social anxiety. I got no friends, never even been kissed, overall my life is a complete wreck. Luckily I'm filled with enough hate and cynicism any depression is warded off.


Okay, so I haven't worked in 2 years, and the only job I had I was fired from. I was hired and worked for 2 years with my brother as manager the whole time, but out of nowhere they fire me for nepotism. Really they should have fired us both, but I was a pretty shitty worker (given my social anxiety and lack of experience) so I think it was justified anyway. I'm takin' time off college due to money and personal issues, but I really need a job. Problem is that I have no real experience, and was fired from the only job I had (where I was a shitty worker anyway). I've tried applying but can't get interviews because I totally lack experience. I'm terrible at interviews (part of my social anxiety), and I feel a reason for that is that I don't have any experience.


Basically, I'd work for incredibly below minimum wage shitty pay, but those kinds of jobs don't exist. I am self aware that I am not worth minimum wage, but I can't get any jobs to try and reach that level of wage worth. I'm very frustrated.


Also, fuck Howard Stern, always hated him.

9

General / Shouldn't leftists argue in favor of rape?

« on: August 01, 2011, 02:06:29 PM »

Leftists tend to argue that it's okay to use force to provide all individuals with "needs", which generally include food, water, shelter and security. Sometimes it extends to social interaction, self confidence or love.

But surely, surely, sexual intercourse is a "need," right? Humans naturally desire sex, and reproduction is the very purpose of life. The only reason humans even care about safety of food is so they can live long enough to reproduce. Without food and shelter a person may die, but without sex our entire species would die.

So if a woman denies a man sex, shouldn't the government be allowed to force her to have intercourse? And shouldn't the government also prevent all homosexuality and force the individuals to reproduce with another person?

10

The Show / Walter Block is not racist.

« on: August 01, 2011, 10:57:10 AM »

Last night is was mentioned in passing by Stephanie that Walter Block believes that women or black people are inherintly less intelligent, that's just not true. When asked about the income disparity between women and men, Block addresses that a lot of it has to do with children. When you look at married versus single and at ages you see that the income disparity has mostly to do with the risk of pregnancy, it is completely rational to pay a woman less who may have to take off for a baby.

Block has also addressed the lower income that Black individuals get, and he has suggested that it may be because they are less skilled. All that means is that Black individuals may have a poorer education, a different family life, or perhaps some genetics. All Block has said is that a lower income suggests a lower skill level, that's how the market works. Trying to recognize a causal relationship has nothing to do with personal opinions of another race. Unless I'm completely missing something he has said, I am confident in saying Walter Block is not racist or sexist.

Besides, we know culture and economics can have a huge effect on a person's intelligence/work ethic, but why not genetics? We know that genetics has an effect on all of our behavioral traits, from social abilities to sexuality, addiction or anger. Why not intelligence? Different races have different health concerns, but that doesn't suggest one is worse than another. Statistics show I have a higher risk of heart attack than Asian Americans, does that prove Asians are inherently superior to white people?

Seemed childish to just write off Block as racist without actually thinking about what he said.

11

The Show / Activism for it's own sake is silly.

« on: July 30, 2011, 10:46:52 AM »

Many activists speak as though the goal of activism is the activism itself. I hear this on FTL all the time, especially from Ian.

The goal should be to promote liberty in a specific issue, but too often people like Ian talk about activism like it's a goal in itself, that merely doing "activism" is a good thing regardless of the accomplishments. Hearing Ian talk like this makes FTL almost unbearable. I also hate when some other cohosts shoot down Mark's approach and perspective on activism, he seems to be the only sane person in the room so it's not surprising he gets a little angry.

12

General / Torchwood: Miracle Day frustration over prescription drugs

« on: July 22, 2011, 11:57:22 PM »

I was watching Torchwood: Miracle Day and something happened that made me angry. The bad guys were going about with their plans, but all we know so far is they introduced legislation to make all drugs accessible without a prescriptions. That fact alone doesn't bother me, it's the look of shock and horror from the "good guys"; apparently lifting the prescription requirement on drugs, in order to make a greater profit, is horrible. This just feels like socialist medicine bullshit, doesn't help the show is British (even though this season takes place in the US).

13

General / Mandatory vaccinations may be harmful.

« on: July 22, 2011, 12:59:27 AM »

The use of vaccinations results in the emergence of vaccine resistant viruses, so shouldn't only those who are at risk vaccinate themselves? And aren't the single best people capable of determining who is at risk the individuals who themselves are getting the vaccination, not a socialistic entity? Also, herd immunity is important, but generally those who are at risk are in a situation where mandatory vaccinations are given as an employment requirement (thus voluntary).

Thoughts?

14

General / Minarchists are fucking crazy.

« on: July 08, 2011, 02:52:30 PM »

So I ask a simple question to a libertarian minarchist, "what is the legal basis for your government?"

I got this:

I'm not sure what you mean by legal basis...

The minimum purpose of government, in my opinion, is to establish what constitutes aggression, fair penalties for violations of it, and to enforce those penalties.

That government, in a massive contradiction, can only exist through force and will be unjust... through, at minimum, the collection of basic taxes to fund the court and justice system mentioned above.

This contradiction gives a lot of Libertarians pause, and rightfully so, but I think any system designed to replace it will inevitably be drawn back to it.

So, in summary, the government is naturally unjust... so we should not disband it for being so. Instead, we need to ask the question on whether or not the government is as fair as possible, and move from there.

Man, I'd take a delusional statist who imagines some "social contract" over batshit insane people like this, right?

15

General / Economics is a science, not an opinion.

« on: July 08, 2011, 08:15:30 AM »

This is something that's pissing me off. I'll make my claims about the calculation problem of socialism, or about the law of comparative advantage, etc.. and the other person will make a statement along the lines of "that's your opinion."

I can understand if someone feels I'm wrong, that I'm factually incorrect, but people keep implying that economics is just some simply little disagreement.

It's like when physicists would argue over the steady state theory or the big bang theory, one of them is certainly wrong (if not both). That is how the argument should be played, at least one of us is completely and utterly wrong.