Socialism is state monopoly and power-grubbing, nothing besides. It has only ever served asa means to dupe entire masses into giving up their autonomy. — NOS4A2
Ok, I think you misunderstood me.No, it isn’t, because China and Vietnam rejected neoliberalism. So your statement to the contrary makes no sense, because it isn’t true. — Xtrix
Everyone that doesn't share your views is a bogie. Or a bougie. We know. — ssu
You say you want to help others then delegate some government official to do it for you. — NOS4A2
But even then, erecting a bureaucracy is helping no one, so no help arrives at all, just more machine. — NOS4A2
By all means, help others with help, but none of what you provide or do can be considered “help”. — NOS4A2
Rather, it’s an escape from having to help others. — NOS4A2
Libertarians are socialists who hate themselves for it, because they want an autonomy that comes with being a big guy, and they can't have it because they aren't big guys. They rely on the state to protect them from big guys and they hate it. Colonel Colt helped, but he can't make a libertarian hate themselves less. — James Riley
This ‘genealogical’ critique specifically doesn’t speak to whether libertarianism is a sound political philosophy. — Srap Tasmaner
If you could show that the ideas of socialism are implicit in the ideas of libertarianism, that would be interesting. — Srap Tasmaner
If you could show that there is a performative contradiction in espousing libertarianism — Srap Tasmaner
that you cannot do so without an unacknowledged commitment to socialism — that would be interesting. — Srap Tasmaner
One problem with this sort of ‘analysis’ is that it invites more of the same: how hard would it be for me to pass right over whatever you’re saying and instead ‘diagnose’ your attraction to this sort of critique? — Srap Tasmaner
Would you find that a satisfying way for me to engage what you have to say about libertarians? — Srap Tasmaner
Even when grounded in a thorough historical reconstruction, this sort of thing only makes sense if truth is off the table. — Srap Tasmaner
It is seductive but dangerous, and we’d be better off if Nietzsche had never thought of it. — Srap Tasmaner
All we can be sure of is that they’ll take our money, they’ll spend it, but we don’t know whether it’s “helping others” or buying a politician’s neck-ties. — NOS4A2
If you could show that there is a performative contradiction in espousing libertarianism
— Srap Tasmaner
I did. — James Riley
It doesn’t work like that. — NOS4A2
All we can be sure of is that they’ll take our money, they’ll spend it, but we don’t know whether it’s “helping others” or buying a politician’s neck-ties. — NOS4A2
And if they change directives, spend all their money on this or that program inimical to othe citizen’s interests, we have no choice in the matter. — NOS4A2
Worse, every time we give the government the power to do something for us we give them the corresponding power to do something to us. Much better to skip the middle-man entirely, in my opinion. — NOS4A2
Every state thus far—liberal, fascist, socialist, Islamist—has been organized monopoly and exploitation. One thing is clear to me: as government consolidates and strengthens, the power of independent moral judgment in the citizenry weakens. So it isn’t long before statists of all types beg for more government wherever their own morality is waning. — NOS4A2
So it isn’t long before statists of all types beg for more government wherever their own morality is waning. — NOS4A2
If you could show that there is a performative contradiction in espousing libertarianism
— Srap Tasmaner
I did.
— James Riley
I don’t think you did, at least not here. — Srap Tasmaner
In fact, it is the big guy intimidating the little guy. Libertarians are socialists who hate themselves for it, because they want an autonomy that comes with being a big guy, and they can't have it because they aren't big guys. They rely on the state to protect them from big guys and they hate it. Colonel Colt helped, but he can't make a libertarian hate themselves less. — James Riley
I think it is true that the state can guarantee your ability to advocate for there being no state, — Srap Tasmaner
and I think it’s true that providing such guarantees is one of the reasons people accept the necessity of state authority. — Srap Tasmaner
Otherwise, only the strong have free speech. — Srap Tasmaner
Is that the same thing as socialism? — Srap Tasmaner
FEMA is not the greatest example. — NOS4A2
t has gone through more reforms due to its failing responses than it has had successes. — NOS4A2
FEMA is not the greatest example. It has gone through more reforms due to its failing responses than it has had successes. — NOS4A2
You can defend the existence of the state without accepting some libertarian’s equating of the state with socialism. — Srap Tasmaner
You can also defend socialism, but it’s opposed to libertarianism only insofar as it is one way of organizing the state. — Srap Tasmaner
giving the state wealth and power could not be considered an act of help or compassion — NOS4A2
I’m not sure how that is possible in a progressive tax system. The tax-rate increases the higher the income bracket. — NOS4A2
Like I said, people do not know where the sum total of their money goes. This is because the government, not themselves, get to decide what to do with it. They cannot know whether it goes to feed someone in dire need or to droning some family on foreign soil. — NOS4A2
It has been marketed in the West as a success of neoliberalism as the US has had this false idea that China opening up would bring also political change (and make it more like, uh, Taiwan). — ssu
Nah, just you specifically because you make things up which are the literal opposite of reality. — StreetlightX
If I could end my relationship with the state like I can with a business, by simply walking out the door, I would. — NOS4A2
Although filings detailing Musk's stock sales on Tuesday and Wednesday didn't mention any motivation, he does have an additional massive tax bill looming. When he exercises the additional options that are due to expire, he will have to report the value of the shares as regular income, at 40.3% federal tax rate, and likely some state tax.
The exact tax bill will be determined by the value of the shares at the time the options are exercised, but the federal tax bill is likely to be nearly $11 billion if shares stay near their current value.
He lives off borrowed money. — NOS4A2
I would no longer expect anything in return. — NOS4A2
I have to content myself with whatever morsels the state will offer me, which turns out to be very little. — NOS4A2
I would prefer to defend myself or pay for a service that defends my rights and property, — NOS4A2
What are you grateful for when it comes to government? — NOS4A2
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