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(52,253 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)what is the difference between a Libertarian and a sociopath?
I truly cannot remember. Is the difference that one is running for political office?
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)A libertarian is someone who strongly believes in individual rights, including those of the most unfortunate in society.
A libertarian sociopath is someone who believes the individual rights of the most fortunate trump every other right all the time, especially when it comes to the most unfortunate in society. In other words, you don't have to be an unwashed asshole to be a libertarian sociopath, but it's a great start.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)fall into the second category. Too bad.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)Just as the "free-market" as conceived by Milton Friedman is a" corporate person" with purely psychopathic traits.
No empathy, treat others as objects, act only for your own gain
But then, the Wall St/MIC/Oil-owned politicians of both parties also seem to run pretty strongly to psychopathy, nominally libertarian or not.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)call themselves people of faith. Faith in the virtue of being rich is the part they leave out.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)I will check it out, of the library. Thanks
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,035 posts)Let me post this again
?w=584
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)fell off my chair laughing. Can I sue you?
Initech
(100,081 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Xolodno
(6,395 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)former9thward
(32,025 posts)Two sides of the same coin...
edhopper
(33,587 posts)Religion?
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)Funny, I never once had a philosophy or economics course that mentioned Ayn Rand even once, even in passing. Put down The Fountainhead, you have a lot more reading to do.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)I guess you think Marx is still something that we should follow.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)Your pulp novelist isn't required reading for anyone. I'm going to assume you haven't read any political philosophy, much less Marx, otherwise you wouldn't have said something so ludicrous.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)and his disciples Lenin and Mao. Assume what you may....
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)Proves you haven't read either. But God Bless America, apple pie, freedom and all that. Good night and good luck.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)proves you have never read it or any of Mao's theoretical writings. The LRB was not even written by Mao. It was written by the Chinese Communist Party.
tblue37
(65,408 posts)fantasizes about the socialist utopia, because he neglects to figure in the perversity of human nature and its unsuitability to advanced civilization and huge social groupings.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)I agree with your second sentence. My problem with your first sentence is that Marx thought that it was inevitable that capitalism would fail. He was looking at capitalism in the mid 1800s, when it was still primitive and less than 100 years old, and did not foresee the regulatory effect of government on the system.
Kingofalldems
(38,458 posts)Is there a political party who bases their economics on Marx?
So the two sided coin is one you just made up.
Epic.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)tenderfoot
(8,437 posts)Is for Ayn Rand, the GOP follows her. Most notably Paul Ryan and Alan Greenspan.
Have a nice day.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)But it is laughable to say the GOP does. Paul Ryan and Greenspan are not presidents. Every GOP president has issued volumes of regulations just as Democratic presidents do (which is entirely proper).
Kingofalldems
(38,458 posts)Atlas Shrugged was required reading for anyone who worked for him.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)He is a Rand fan boy. So what? The poster was talking about parties. If Sanders changes to a D to run for president does that mean all Democrats are socialists?
Kingofalldems
(38,458 posts)Surely you must know there is a huge difference
former9thward
(32,025 posts)You accuse me of confusing Socialism with Marxism yet you say because Paul Ryan reads Rand that means an entire major party promotes Rand. Funny.
Kingofalldems
(38,458 posts)Nothing wrong if you are of course.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)Are you one?
brush
(53,791 posts)Try goggling Marx.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)Please, expound. I'd love to hear you develop that theory.
Not sure if a rofl or a wtf applies here.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)They are both crock pot theories.
Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)I suppose that's why even many mainstream economists find Marx's analysis and critique of capitalism useful and thorough.
Cuz it's a 'crock pot theory'.
If you say so.
I get a sense you may not really be familiar with Marx's body of work and the legacy of that work. Even economists who think his conclusions about communism and his revolutionary ideas are dangerous or wrong recognize the value of his analysis.
That's a fact whether you want to dismiss it with no substantiation or not.
Again, I'd love to hear you expound on *your* theory about him being two sides of the same coin in terms of Ayn Rand. Really, you made the claim, it would make sense to defend it with substance, no?
former9thward
(32,025 posts)Based on a very flawed understanding of human nature. Socialism has never worked anywhere and Rand's theories have fortunately never obtained state power.
edhopper
(33,587 posts)works in most of Europe.
And works better than the very limited socialism we have here.
Rand's theories can be seen in Somalia.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)There are no socialist countries in Europe. I think you don't understand what capitalism is. All European countries are capitalist based. Somalia is an example of anarchy. Rand's theories are corporate based, not anarchy, and there are no real corporations in Somalia.
edhopper
(33,587 posts)did not have capitalism within it.
And, no her theory was individual based. The Fountainhead was about the individual against the corporation.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)Social welfare is not socialism. That is a mistake conservatives make when they attack social welfare in the U.S. The U.S. has a smaller amount of social welfare than Europe but it is the same basic system. If you want to argue Rand is individual based then Somalia would be the last place on earth to make that comparison. Somalia is run by warlords and thugs. Certainly no place for the individual.
edhopper
(33,587 posts)we already know you have no understanding of Marx.
You are the winner of the most wrong posts in a single thread.
Good day.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)shows you have no understanding of capitalism, socialism or I assume any economic system. You have a good day too!
Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)described as 'fanatical' before. Sort of an odd characterization - I find Marx incredibly dry and nearly impossible to read sometimes.
I'm almost curious to hear you expound on human nature - what you think human nature really is, what you perceive as Marx's understanding of it, and why his is so flawed.
Regardless, the very fact that you continue to propose that Marxist theory and Rand's fictional bullshit are at all comparable, let alone 'two sides of the same coin', tells me everything I need to know, so there's no need for you to keep replying to me unless you really want the last word. You have plenty of other conversations on this subthread to keep you busy.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)former9thward
(32,025 posts)PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)former9thward
(32,025 posts)PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)alterfurz
(2,474 posts)"I have always found it quaint and rather touching that there is a movement in the U.S. that thinks Americans are not yet selfish enough."
Initech
(100,081 posts)lame54
(35,294 posts)wheniwasincongress
(1,307 posts)Paul Ryan then claimed he wasn't a fan of Ayn Rand and that he never gave books to his staff...despite him saying so on video tape.
appalachiablue
(41,146 posts)Thor_MN
(11,843 posts)Granted not every reality show does these, but so many do.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)thats what every damn republican is about and their god ayn rand is the personification of GREED!
That was a great video!