Have you ever been around kids for an extended period of time, Subby?

Libertarianism - the philosophy that pretends to be special but is really just selfishness wrapped in vague phrasing.

That's disgusting subby. How the HELL can you compare the two???

I mean, really- Ron Paul? That's terrible.

DamnYankees: Libertarianism - the philosophy that pretends to be special but is really just selfishness wrapped in vague phrasing.

Berkeley, NYU. LOL. Shouldn't you be raiding a cafeteria right now protesting for your own amnesty (oh and some scholarships for Gazans) right about now?

This should be a fun thread.

/waiting for the paultards.

Libertarians are just Republicans without any Wall Street contacts.

deltabourne: Berkeley, NYU. LOL. Shouldn't you be raiding a cafeteria right now protesting for your own amnesty (oh and some scholarships for Gazans) right about now?

Those guys are idiots.

Summon schrodinger!

But then again, some folk'll.

Lenny_da_Hog: Libertarians are just Republicans without any Wall Street contacts.

And Greens are just honest Democrats.

Plus they will suggest books that corrupt the youth in the name of saving them.
Wait..did you say librarian?

The questions in this survey seem so stupid I feel dumber for reading it.

TFA
In fact, more of the liberal respondents felt strongly about kicking a dog than about harming a child (75 per cent versus 70 per cent refusal for any amount of money)

Seriously?

That said any "how do you feel" and throwing in words like "any amount of money" is stupid.

Would I kick a dog for a dollar, no. Would I kick one for 10 million... show me that dog.


Every Libertarian I know would have gay sex if the price is high enough. That price is the difference. I guess they are all whores, just negotiating the price.

/Moral conservatives do it for free then yell at the guy
/Liberals are expected to or they get told they are conservatives

If you're a neo-con, you're more likely to start a for-profit war that kills millions of your fellow man.

/for Jebus, of course

DamnYankees: Libertarianism - the philosophy that pretends to be special but is really just selfishness wrapped in vague phrasing.

Well since libertarian philosophy adheres to the concept that grownups can do whatever they like as long as they don't coerce anyone, your headline exposes your knowledge in these matters, submitter.

Libertarianism has high idealism. It also, however, attracts psychopaths -- that bother to look for justification for their actions.

But that ain't the real problem with Libertarianism.

Electorate: "Hey! Fix this pot hole!"

Libertarian: "Not my problem"

Democrat/Republican: "I'll fix the pot hole, give you free money, kiss your baby, compliment your genius, and act like a spineless twit to make you feel better about yourself."

Electorate: "Hired."


Libertarian: "Fine, I'd rather feel smarter than you anyway."

The fact that liberals and conservatives want to use government force to take away liberty and property for their idea of good proves that they are far more immoral than libertarians.

I received a call from Rep. Paul's office this afternoon letting me know that Obama is ruining the country. I gave it to the count of 10 before I hung up.

He served a good purpose in the Republican primary. He should be among those rebuilding the Party. But he won't be, and his philosophy is downright harmful in the economic climate we currently face. Maybe in a few years when we're right side up again his ideas will be reasonable.

Arnold T Pants: The fact that liberals and conservatives want to use government force to take away liberty and property for their idea of good proves that they are far more immoral than libertarians.

Glad to see you aren't oversimplifying the situation or anything.

Arnold T Pants: The fact that liberals and conservatives want to use government force to take away liberty and property for their idea of good proves that they are far more immoral than libertarians.

Government is more of a guarantee for property than the alternative.

Arnold T Pants: The fact that liberals and conservatives want to use government force to take away liberty and property for their idea of good proves that they are far more immoral than libertarians.

Riiight...all while your "laissez-faire" crap would ensure all of us being enslaved by who has the most money and power.

I'll take my social contract over that, warts and all.

If the questions are stupid enough, the conclusion can be any damn thing you want.

DarnoKonrad: Libertarianism has high idealism. It also, however, attracts psychopaths -- that bother to look for justification for their actions.

Oh yeah!
You get "gun rights" nutjobs who leave their doors unlocked and expensive things in view hoping someone will break in and they can shoot them.

You get pedophiles claiming "the photos never hurt anyone's rights."

you get anarchists and tax-cheats who try and use "that Amendment was never properly ratified" to not pay taxes, or better yet steal from the Government directly to "get their money back."

90% of them are ok, solid, and actually have a philosophy... the other 10% usually end up on the news.

Mosey: TFA: In fact, more of the liberal respondents felt strongly about kicking a dog than about harming a child (75 per cent versus 70 per cent refusal for any amount of money)

Seriously?

Well, no, not really. The article dishonestly oversimplifies the question that was actually asked in order to be more interesting and sensational. if yo read the actual study instead of the oversimplified article, the choices were:

Kick a dog in the head, hard

versus

Stick a pin into the palm of a child you don't know

Anyone who would like to turn this into "liberals feel more strongly about kicking a dog than harming a child", can go fark themselves

I_Love_Verdi: Government is more of a guarantee for property than the alternative.

A government that protects life, liberty, and property is, which is what libertarians want. A government that takes away life, liberty, and property certainly is not more of a guarantee, and this is the government favored by liberals and conservatives.

Ctrl-Alt-Del: Anyone who would like to turn this into "liberals feel more strongly about kicking a dog than harming a child", can go fark themselves

*cough*

trolled.

Arnold T Pants: A government that protects life, liberty, and property is, which is what libertarians want. A government that takes away life, liberty, and property certainly is not more of a guarantee, and this is the government favored by liberals and conservatives.

What is "liberty"? How do you know what government is supposed to protect?

whidbey: Riiight...all while your "laissez-faire" crap would ensure all of us being enslaved by who has the most money and power.

Your ignorance is showing.

Morality is neither in the constitution nor endorsed by Ayn Rand so I don't see what you expect.

The bashing of those who advocate liberty around these parts is as tired as it is unwarranted.

Some of us are pissed that our freedoms are eroding, most notably over the past eight years. We'd like an end to draconian drug laws and similarly an end to our military misadventures overseas. Is it so crazy to wish for a freer society?

But let's not talk about that. It's much easier to simply label someone as a Randroid, a Bushbot, Paultard, etc. Blah blah blah.

Enjoy your endless wars, people.

Arnold T Pants: whidbey: Riiight...all while your "laissez-faire" crap would ensure all of us being enslaved by who has the most money and power.

Your ignorance is showing.

Uh, no. Your distrust of government by the people is obvious, though. Enough that you would exaggerate just how bad it is to prove your "point."

But go ahead, tell us how those multi-million dollar corporations would behave so benevolently towards humans if we didn't have regulation.

They also have plutonium to trade for pinball machine parts...

Crocoduck: The bashing of those who advocate liberty around these parts is as tired as it is unwarranted.

Some of us are pissed that our freedoms are eroding, most notably over the past eight years. We'd like an end to draconian drug laws and similarly an end to our military misadventures overseas. Is it so crazy to wish for a freer society?

But let's not talk about that. It's much easier to simply label someone as a Randroid, a Bushbot, Paultard, etc. Blah blah blah.

Enjoy your endless wars, people.

Of course not. But you can't help but think that if Ron Paul was elected he'd immediately resign on principal.

Those who advocate Liberty are vital to the Republic -- it just makes a poor platform when it's not moderated by pragmatism within a larger party.

"The researchers selected over 1,500 politically committed volunteers, and subjected them to a range of questions exploring their attitudes to different taboos and trangressions. Asked about impaling a child's hand, 78 per cent of the conservatives responded that they would refuse to do this "for any amount of money," compared with 70 per cent of liberals and just 59 per cent of libertarians."

Made me actually laugh.

By the way, the fella mentioned in the article, Jonathan Haidt, did a pretty cool twenty minutes in one of the TED talks a year or two ago.

Link (new window)

Arnold T Pants: I_Love_Verdi: Government is more of a guarantee for property than the alternative.

A government that protects life, liberty, and property is, which is what libertarians want. A government that takes away life, liberty, and property certainly is not more of a guarantee, and this is the government favored by liberals and conservatives.

And how exactly does a government protect those things without any means to do so?

whidbey: But go ahead, tell us how those multi-million dollar corporations would behave so benevolently towards humans if we didn't have regulation.

They don't need to be benevolent. They just need to provide what people want. If they can't, they cease to exist. Unlike the government. Its very strange that you think all big companies are evil, yet government, the biggest, most powerful institution, that has bought more evil and death to the world than anything else, is run by great people. You do realize that these evil companies use those great people in government to get to where they are, right?

I'm cleaning my gun while smoking a joint, drinking a PBR, and waiting for this sloot to get off work so I am getting a kick...

I_Love_Verdi: And how exactly does a government protect those things without any means to do so?

You are confusing anarchism with libertarianism.

Crocoduck: The bashing of those who advocate liberty around these parts is as tired as it is unwarranted.

"Anti-freedom" strawman rhetoric. I'm sure that'll work out real well for you guys. Just like it did for Republicans.

Arnold T Pants: You do realize that these evil companies use those great people in government to get to where they are, right?

I'm completely aware of that, but at least I have a voice in government. I can work with fellow citizenry to change what I don't like using the democratic process which is open to all.

Not so much with Exxon.

Arnold T Pants: I_Love_Verdi: And how exactly does a government protect those things without any means to do so?

You are confusing anarchism with libertarianism.

So I'm assuming you're saying it's funded by taxes. In that case, how does one resolve these questions:

-What is the correct tax rate that does not violate freedom for personal property?

-Do the wealthy have a larger interest in the protection of their property?

-What specific actions should the government be taking to ensure the protection of property?

-What if not everyone agrees on the answers to these questions? Are you going to tax people a certain amount even if they deem it to be a violation of their personal property rights?

DamnYankees: What is "liberty"? How do you know what government is supposed to protect?

Generally, liberty is the ability to do what you want to do, without having someone stop you from doing it.

In a theoretical libertarian community, no laws are needed outside of those which pertain to those which prevent a person from interfering with anyone else's liberty (i.e. slavery, theft, murder, etc.), without the law overstepping into areas such as requiring a person to wear a seatbelt (freedom to fly through a windshield).

Libertarians also promote large private sector control as opposed to hefty government, under the assumption that a privately run company will be more efficient than a government bureaucracy. This generally would lead to a government consisting of very little beyond a Department of Defense, minor regulatory agencies, and a rather low necessary tax rate.

Of course in practice, the minimalist approach to government may not be sustainable in the long run, as you may end up giving over control of large facets of your nation to private businesses, which have more allegiance to their investors than to their country, thus potentially leaving you in a big hole if they just ditch for cheaper labor.

/please don't group them with Republicans
//Libertarian = minimal social controls + small economic controls
///Liberal = minimal social controls + large economic controls
////Conservative = large social controls + small economic controls

studleystudstutterson: Generally, liberty is the ability to do what you want to do, without having someone stop you from doing it.

No it isn't. This would be the state of nature - it would allow murder and theft. Libertariansim doesn't support thatn. You need to add on the second clause - "without interfering with the rights of others".

This is where libertarianism sort of falls apart. Once you start defining the :rights of others" which can't be trampled on, you end up with a very standard political ideology like liberalism or conservatism.

DamnYankees: No it isn't. This would be the state of nature - it would allow murder and theft. Libertariansim doesn't support thatn. You need to add on the second clause - "without interfering with the rights of others".

He did, it was the next paragraph and perfectly clear. You snipped it so you could make some BS argument about how he didn't say exactly what he said.

Then you made up what you think Libertarianism means based on what you wanted to argue against.

Intellectually dishonest at best.

I knew them Librarians were kinky.

/it's always the quiet ones

From my favorite quotes on my profile, about Ron Paul:

Bag of Hammers: Crosshair: He at least got his ideas spread and allot of people were positively influenced by him. Lets hope the next time around someone like him gets a little farther. Limited government is a good thing. It isn't supposed to be your babysitter.

Please, that's like walking into a McDonalds, shiatting yourself for all to see and then claiming "at least I demonstrated the need for a lot of fiber in your diet". Whatever moonbat, back to WOW with you.