Bush declares Objectivism "a threat to America"

[lex_aver]

Appease us to get our votes, of course.

[Zip]

Probably the same way the govt and the people in general responded to communism. It would deny BEING communist/objectivist(honestly) while at the same time adopting all the political policies consistant with objectivism all the while still claiming objectivism to be extremist and impracticable.What about you?

My experiences trying to have rational discussions with believers on the question of god or socialists on the question of altruism lead me to believe that it would not be beyond the pale to expect phrases like "this godless philosophy..." and all manner of other derogatory terms to be used by government officials and prominent members of the establishment. I'd also expect argument by intimidation as well as real intimidation.

Someone once said that 'the fall of Empire is seldom peaceful' and I do not hold out much hope that if the change to an O'ist philosophy began to happen too quickly for the entrenched opposition that certain elements wouldn’t respond with the initiation of force.

Always be a pessimist, then you're either right, or pleasantly surprised.

[JMeganSnow]

I find it pays to be a pessimist in the short term and an optimist in the long term.

[RationalBiker]

Hehe guys, why are you so quick to rip this guy apart. Umm, April Fools?

Even if it were more obviously intended to be April Fools, time stamping is off for many people. Your own reply says Mar 31.

[Mammon]

Here's a question, imagining for a moment that Objectivism gathered a significant amount of support... How do you believe the government would react to Objectivist's/O'ist activism?

Probably tell us we will grow out of it, because you know it's just for "impressionable teens."

[Steve D'Ippolito]

Hmm, I appear to be thirtyfourteen years old. And all this time I thought I was 44.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Steve D'Ippolito

[DragonMaci]

Hmm, I appear to be thirtyfourteen years old. And all this time I thought I was 44.

And I must be tenfifteen not twenty-five.

[putofftoolong]

I know there are many differences between Objectivism and libertarianism, and one that I was trying to put my finger on hit me when I read Ayn Rands comment about innocents in war. Objectivism's attitude towards the government is one where the people are responsible for their govt, whereas libertarianism's attitude is very much an us versus them attitude. Where if something bad happens, its always,- someone did something to me. It seems like the tendancy to blame the govt as a seperate actor, while it feels good in a sense that you can tell yourself, its not my fault, has negative consequences in that it promotes a feeling of helplessness that is kind of self-fulfilling. If it is really true that it is the govt acting on its own against you then essentially one is acknowledging one's powerlessness which helps one to fell pessimistic. Since reading that quote (pg 95 in Answers Q and A from 1977) I notice I no longer fell negatively towards our leaders in a sense that they are doing something to me. The problem is that the "someone did something to me/Its not my fault" attitude exists outside of politics as well, in that people use it everyday where its more important to win arguments than to learn from the discusion. People are justified in blaming the govt but in a way, saying "It IS our fault", gives you the feeling that there is still something one can do to improve things, starting with oneself.

[Galileo Blogs]

Nice comment, Jay. You make a good point.

[Capitalism Forever]

If it is really true that it is the govt acting on its own against you then essentially one is acknowledging one's powerlessness which helps one to fell pessimistic.

Nice comment, Jay. You make a good point.

I concur. I have always thought the name "losertarians" was a fitting one, but it took Jay to help me identify why exactly it is so.