What makes one a libertarian?/was Re: [extropy-chat] Rand

[Technotranscendence]

On Wednesday, November 17, 2004 7:25 PM Al Brooks kerry_prez at yahoo.com
wrote:
> Libertarians used to be on this list
> (heavens to Betsy, where did they
> go?),

I consider myself one and I'm still here.  I just don't post all that
much.

> and for such sharp people-- such as
> Mike Lorrey who appears to be a
> polymath-- to be so exercised arouses
> my curiosity as to what provoked them
> to become almost hysterically
> antigovernment. Were they severely
> penalized by Internal Revenue?  Did
> many of them work previously for the
> state- only to flip when they saw too
> much?

Well, that question presupposes that something non-logical must make
people libertarians -- like a traumatic experience.  Isn't it possible
that some libertarians might just be libertarian because they believe
the idea to be sound, logical, and better than the alternatives?  I
fancy myself that sort of libertarian.  Maybe I'm deluded, but what's to
be gained by a psychologistic argument?

> They are as militant in their own way
> as Communists, leading me to wonder
> what makes them tick.

That might be true of some, but not all.  Also, it depends on what you
mean by "militant."  If you mean stern and uncompromising, then the term
is being abused, especially since it generally has a negative
connotation.  For example, would you call a "stern and uncompromising"
pacifist a _militant_ pacifist?:)

If you mean actually taking up arms against others, then I know of no
libertarian who has actually done that.  After all, in most places,
that's illegal and will be met with a quick, decisive, and armed
response by the authorities.

Cheers!

Dan
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/MyWorksBySubject.html