From: Kiplingcat at aol.com Date sent: Wed, 5 May 1999 18:08:36 EDT Subject: Of Libertarians To: johnny at charm.net Send reply to: johnny at charm.net Regards, all---------------- Possibly it would be better if we did not, now, have a debate about the nature of Libertarians, in which the unspoken premise was: all Libertarians are the same. Like any other movement, Libertarianism has its truebelievers. The truebelievers make most of the noise. They tend to give the rest of the movement a bad name. Similar patterns exist in other places: feminism, Islam, environmentalism, etc. Attempting to learn anything from conversation with them is usually a waste of time. There is a notable exception to this rule: truebelievers will often tell you truths about their movement that moderates (being concerned with the appearance of respectability) are inclined to conceal. Environmentalist truebelievers, for example, will say outright that they think sacrificing human lives to preserve ecosystems is reasonable, while environmental moderates will promote policies that reflect that idea without being willing to state it openly. Listening to the truebelievers is sometimes the fastest way to get to core questions. I do not know what kind of Libertarian Mr. Fabi is. I would offer a provisional taxonomy, based on my own experience only: Types of Libertarian Libertarianus Adolescentius: Often, but not always, actually an adolescent. Adopted libertarian beliefs out of an inability to distinguish between the question: "Is government regulation of individual behavior sometimes beneficial?" and the question "Do I have to live at home and do what Mom says for the rest of my life?". Never really thought about it again, but has very strong feelings on the matter. Libertarianus Poormiius: Often found in rural areas, particularly in the Northwest. Adopted Libertarian beliefs out of an inability to distinguish between the question "Does big government quash individual initiative and limit economic productivity?" and the question "Can I blame someone else for the fact that I am poor and semi-literate?". Has very strong feelings on the matter. Libertarianus Testosteronius: Often found on college campuses and in the military. Adopted Libertarian beliefs out of a conviction that, if not held back by a repressive social order, he could kill all the other men, and all the women would worship him. Tilted gently in the hand, his copy of _The Fountainhead_ falls open at the rape scene. Has trouble articulating any connection between these matters and, say, the management of the Federal Reserve, but has very strong feelings on the matter. Note: The female of this species appears so dissimilar to the male that it was at one time mistakenly classified as a separate species, L. Groupii. Libertarianus Yuppius: Often found at Restoration Hardware. Adopted Libertarian beliefs out of a desire to conflate the question "Are individuals responsible for their own economic fate?" and the question "Do I live in Seattle rather than Bangladesh because of my inherent moral superiority?". Has feelings about the matter which are strong, but never so strong as to be in poor taste. L. Oldguardius: Believed to be extinct in the wild. A few survive in captivity on the campuses of Ivy-League colleges, but no breeding program has been attempted, as all known specimens are male, and they never take off their suits. Maintains Libertarian beliefs out of an inability to distinguish between the question "Have government social-engineering programs improved the quality of life in the United States over the last 100 years?" and the question "Is it easier now than in my boyhood to hire good servants?". May have strong feelings, but certainly does not intend to discuss them. L. Realfolksius: Often found doing something useful. Adopted Libertarian beliefs out of a desire to make the question "What do I want to see happen?" and the question "What am I personally working to create?" as indistinguishable as possible. Distrusts big organisations because they are virtually impossible to steer. Distrusts declarations of altruism because they are often paternalistic and/or hypocritical. L. Realfolksius is difficult to spot in the wild because of its close resemblance to Christianus Realfolksius and Socialistus Realfolksius, among other species. Can be recognised by characteristic behaviors displayed only in the voting booth. L. Fabii: Often found in front of a computer. Most characteristics unknown: presumed until proven otherwise to be a subspecies of L. Realfolksius. May have adopted Libertarian beliefs in hopes of growing up to be Robert A. Heinlein. Tends, when baited, to lapse into somewhat Orwellian language that conceals, rather than revealing, his actual meaning. Presumed to have an actual meaning that would be of interest if expressed in practical terms. Additions to this taxonomy are of course welcome. Dahra