Are Libertarians overly cynical?

Yes, people should cut it out

5 (16.7%)

No, we're just right

14 (46.7%)

No, most libertarians are not cynical enough

7 (23.3%)

Other

4 (13.3%)

Total Members Voted: 14

[The Champ]

I don't frequent many political forums, but of all the forums i've ever been on, there seems to be more cynicism and infighting over petty bullshit than in any other demographic I've ever encountered. Given, the FTL BBS is a pretty small sample for libertarians, but still, it seems pretty staggering how quick people are to jump down each others throats for not sharing exactly the same viewpoint as them, and are more content to mock, insult or simply troll than to try and have a passionate reasoned debate.

I know exactly what you mean.

[BKO]

Yes, it's a varitable forest of Anarchists of all types around these parts.

But the kid in me loves the frosted side.

[Harry Tuttle]

I do agree that there's a lot of back biting and stuff in here, but I think its mostly for fun. I, for one, am acutely aware that my dry sense of humor is often mistaken for anger or foulness. I promise to keep practicing until I learn to type with inflection.

In terms of the rest of the world, it is hard not to be cynical. When I talk to people who otherwise seem intelligent and they think there will be "change" this presidential election or can't wait until we FINALLY have universal health care, or think that ENRON illustrates why the government needs to regulate businesses more.

I sometimes wonder how I manage to be so optimistic.

[TheHave]

Outside the BBS, many libertarians tend to be cynical. It's counter-intuitive to me; I would expect people who can see what's wrong and what needs to be done to change it would be more optimistic.

[alkanen]

Outside the BBS, many libertarians tend to be cynical. It's counter-intuitive to me; I would expect people who can see what's wrong and what needs to be done to change it would be more optimistic.

It probably has something to do with considering everyone else a fucking idiot for thinking the government is doing much good.

[Hologene Relapse]

For me, I tend to be hopeful, but I think that it will take a major change in technology (like nanotech or AI) before people start to realize the old bad habits are going to kill us as a species (like government). Especially when it will be the government using these new technologies to do the culling.

-- Brede

[BKO]

That's very true, Brede. Unfortunately, with so many people in the world currently, any hope for a society without the existence of government is pretty much impossible. I could accept the possibility of a reasoned existence absent government if there were only 500,000 humans who could all live in harmony with one another.

But these things are dreams of the distant and yet unrecorded (and uncertain) future.