As Barack Obama continues to cry and stomp his feet over his inability to spend trillions of dollars at whim, those who consider themselves libertarians face the interminable conflict between optimism and pessimism. Wendy McElroy recently addressed this subject and concluded the best course is to opt out of the debate altogether, “because I am tired to death of caring deeply about matters over which I have no control.”
A number of Mises Institute folks have made the case for optimism, specifically that the current economic situation will lead to a revival of Austrian thought. Even if that’s the case, it will come far too late to prevent a collapse that has already begun. Ron Paul will not pull some Austro-libertarian rabbit out of a hat and reverse the centuries of decay brought about by the Government of the United States. Individuals who’ve constructed their entire lives around the lies of Keynesian mythology and American imperialism won’t have an epiphany and renounce their ways. They will continue marching themselves – and the rest of us – into economic and political hell.That said, there’s certainly a valuable role for organizations like the Mises Institute and libertarianism in general – but it’s to preserve certain ideas for the benefit of future generations that survive the current collapse. But make no mistake about it – almost everyone reading this blog will be dead before any tangible benefits will be realized.
Speaking for myself, I know my life has no purpose. I wake up every day knowing I’m a step closer to financial destitution. I have no regular income and no prospects on the horizon. I’m simply running out the clock of my life to an inevitable conclusion. I can accept this knowing that sometime in the future – maybe 100 or 150 years from now – humanity will finally be in a position to begin the rebuilding process. But I also know that nothing I write or say now will have any impact on that future. And that’s true of most libertarians who rant and rail on a daily basis.
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Ludwig von Mises lived through worse but never gave up the fight
Ball,
You’re exactly RIGHT.
We must keep our eyes on the BALL, no pun intended, although somewhat profound!.
Giving up already? Perhaps it’s time we realized the truth and learned to love Big Brother.
Ah but seriously, this whole topic reminds me of the book Canticle for Leibowitz. Thousands of years of painstaking labor and preservation eventually lead to humanity committing the same mistakes again. But the motive of personal responsibility still rings out strong. Just because all the other kids in the yard are beating a puppy to death, does it mean for you join in as well? Unless you want to abandon everything you stand for, then you don’t have to. And that’s all that matters. It isn’t about what you do, but what you don’t.
Better if it takes 1000 years of obscurity than 10 years of disaster.
Good point Tim,
I just got Market Analysis Report, helps put things in perspective. What we saw today might have been a “last-gasp plunge” of the Bear. And my previous discouraging and pessimistic statement likely is part of the praxiological fervor fed by the current Social and Political state and their manipulative infection.
To Quote:
Although, “most of the tyrants, despots, and dictators are sincerely convinced that their rule is beneficial for the people, and that theirs is government for the people; and although no one can find a safe way out for himself when society seems to be sweeping towards destruction, everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interests of everyone hang on the result” (von Mises, with some edits).
To me capitalism is a logical extension of personal economic freedom. It is the most natural of economic systems. We are driven to basic, natural solutions whenevever we are faced with overwhelming challenges. I believe that the present “crisis” will eventually push us into a free market solution as other contrivances fail.. I also believe we will all live to see it. Take heart Oliva.
Cybertarian:
http://www.igolder.com/
http://www.freestateproject.org/
cEricL,
Where? How many? a hint, a clue…is all I want…
Brutus,
(Re: the “Remnant”) Your link directed me to this absolutely brilliant essay by Albert Jay Nock:
http://mises.org/daily/2892
Nock puts everything in historical context and describes exactly what we’re up against and what we have to do.
Thanks to you and to mises.org for posting this. I’m going to print it out and frame it.
Take heart. I believe most people are mostly good most of the time.
Obama is not an evil man. He’s a very good man. He’s thoughtful, and considerate and nobody’s fool. This is good. He may be mistaken, but he’s not beyond admitting being wrong, publicly, and by his own word. I don’t think he’s another FDR. He may be heading in that direction because of the political water he is in is largely heading in that direction. But I think he keeps an open mind, and that he seeks council from the opposition. This is the behavior of a wise man, not a tyrant.
As for our countrymen, we are a proud nation of free thinkers. We may be wrong, but we generally are not foolish. We are a people who, when the chips are down generally rally together and do the right thing. The same is true of our friends in other countries around the world. We are not all bad people, and in this day and age, we are mostly more informed than we have ever been before.
Reading this blog, I see comments from all over the globe. Take heart friends, and follow Mises’ motto and Jefferson’s advice.
HALALUYA!!!!!
Great NEWS, State of New Hampshire Makes STAND against TYRANNY, we’re all still in the running.
HCR 6 – New Hampshire Affirms States Rights
http://www.opednews.com/articles/HCR-6–New-Hampshire-Affi-by-Barbara-Peterson-090204-442.html
or Google “HCR 6″
It is interesting to see your position, in that little hope is left into returning the current political movement and economy to classical economic theory and freedom philosophy. However, I disagree in that you are counting down the hours for demise. Just because there is a final goal that will be tough to achieve, it does not mean that we as united freedom philosophers and economists who have, thankfully, not converted towards Keynesian thought, cannot bring others to the “light”. This is the purpose of many different institutions and foundations that are changing the understanding of political and economic movements, and essentially the way of life of many.
I know that as objectivist individuals we can do something to change the current processes and systems that hamper our productive development and growth. We must not give up the fight, and consider ourselves as having no purpose.
Hopefully this will motivate you to take control and fight for the success of your future.
P.S. Have you read the Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand? I recommend it.
Happy Darwin Day Amapola!
You seem to have a solid appreciation of the benefits that freedom-oriented intellectuals can offer, but there are a couple of caveats you need to keep in mind.
First and foremost, any serious secular individualist philosophy must urge the optimization of the happiness of the individual as its supreme value. The sacrifice of personal happiness for the sake of a social movement is not on our agenda, nor is sacrificing the happiness of others using political means.
In this context, McElroy’s lament about caring deeply about things she doesn’t control makes perfect sense. Why should she, or Oliva, or you or me commit ourselves to actions that make us no happier? If there be a united band of freedom philosophers who are making my life better, I wish them well, but I’m not going to fool myself into thinking that activism on my part is going to make a significant difference in the larger scheme of things. There may be some individuals who can personally profit as authors, investment advisers, etc., and others who can profit through the friendships they build, but the altruistic model of a philosophical evangelist changing the world by swaying public opinion or by swaying elite opinion (bring them to the “light” as you put it) flatly contradicts egoistic principles.
Second, in my experiences with Objectivists, unity is not the adjective that springs to mind. All too often, a small-minded insistence on ideological purity gets in the way of realizing common values and of making any intellectual progress beyond the thought of Ayn Rand.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, economists and other intellectuals have a lot to offer in terms of self-improvement and building relationships, so an outfit like LvMI does offer a real value to the individualist community. However, it is important that we build our community with a frank recognition of these values, rather than pretending that we are saving the world.
Reading these blahgs I am encouraged by the FACT that libertarians and objectivists don’t breed much.
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