[extropy-chat] The Hidden Luddite was Re: peak oil debate

[Samantha Atkins]

On Sep 8, 2005, at 12:01 PM, Adrian Tymes wrote:

> --- Brett Paatsch <bpaatsch at bigpond.net.au> wrote:
>
>> That seems like a reasonable example of a difference. Forced to
>> choose
>> between a libertarian mindset that would have no government at all on
>> high principle and another mindset that would accept the need for a
>> government of some type, I'd tend to look at the second as being
>> more realistic in 2005.
>>
>
> I'm not sure it would be accurate to say that the libertarian mindset
> would prefer no government at all - that is more strictly an anarchic
> mindset.  But it is certainly the case that many (though not all)
> libertarians would argue against regulating for (and thus, when
> necessary, initiating force to compel) honest business practices, even
> if this did in effect - albeit quite a few steps removed - cause
> businesses to less often initiate force against people (because, in
> part, honest businesses are less inclined and less able to do so).

Business has no way of legally initiating force against anyone.   
Governments do.  This is the crucial and often overlooked difference  
in a nutshell.

> An
> extropian mindset, however, might advocate said regulations (and
> enforcement of same) due to the eventual benefits (which, granted,
> would inherently be spread around to everyone: everyone personally
> benefits from not having force applied to them).

A mindset that doesn't understand the above difference might.  But  
the initiation of force in the affairs of human beings to regulate  
everything that might harm or to regulate the economy can and  
historically often has very serious and dire unintended  
consequences.  The assumption that ever larger and more vigilant  
government control is necessary to our well being is extremely  
pernicious to our well being and our extopian dreams.  Remember  
please how government decisions and policies really are made and by  
what forces.  Ask yourself honestly if you want your progress toward  
an extropic future under the thumb of that sort of process.     
Progress comes from the outliers and the small minority.  It does not  
come from the democratic majority or out of a huge all-powerful  
bureaucracy.  Choke of a critical level of freedom of that minority  
and only stagnation and decay will prevail.

- samantha

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