Careful with that Libertarianism, Eugene
I read Taranto in the journal most every day, and more often than not, I find his observations hit the mark. He is usually a bit harder on the general notion of Libertarianism than I, but in the 4/11/06 column he makes a valid point:
I tend to lean Libertarian, but recognize the need for someone to build highways, defend our nation, and lock up the dirtbags out to hurt my kids. Think Reagan, not Bush. If we could just start to cut back on some of the other overhead, the country might have a fighting chance.
...far libertarianism to be pretty much indistinguishable from the far left and the far right.Extremism rarely reaches intended goals, though it does polarize - look at all the Ayn Rand haters. You just need to take it a bit less literally - that's for you, Jimmy Burns. Though, JB, I do agree she drones on and on and on.....
I tend to lean Libertarian, but recognize the need for someone to build highways, defend our nation, and lock up the dirtbags out to hurt my kids. Think Reagan, not Bush. If we could just start to cut back on some of the other overhead, the country might have a fighting chance.
posted by Steve at 4/12/2006 08:53:00 PM
4 Comments:
Hey there, Steve. I think you mean "less literally" there--but I still don't follow you. You mean, "Don't pick on Ayn as if she were Shakespeare?" I think I'm all for her ideas and opinions--but hearing them over and over in a 700 page book is too much. No movie should be longer than The Godfather (save Part II) and no novel should be longer than Moby-Dick. These are facts!
The English has been corrected - thanks for the edit.
I think you were following my point just fine - I erred in assuming that your deep disdain for her writing style and wordiness also included a lack of respect for the general notions of Objectivism, themselves. My bad. My general point remains unchanged: that Libertarianism / Objectivism definitely needs to be adapted to the real world, but also is the right general direction.
I don't have a "deep disdain" for her style (as if anyone cared about my two cents on this matter anyway). I have a much deeper disdain for lierary-schnmiterary types and the surly facially-pierced clerks at Barnes & Noble. I never thought The Fountainhead was unreadable--just redundant.
Of course I care about your opinion on this and so many other important matters. All the best over the Holidays.
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