Need some catchy slogans

[Guest bartwart]

You can't expect to appeal to the masses by laying out big long expositions to Objectivism. You need to break it up into bite-sized pieces.

Stuff like:

"Capitalism: making the pie bigger for everyone"

"Superstition: where's the technology?"

"Pro-Science and Pro-Reason" (lumping reason with science differentiates from common misunderstandings about reason)

[andrew]

I'm not a fan of the Capitalism slogan. Although catchy and attractive to some, t's not compatible with Objectivism. To quote Rand:

"The moral justification of capitalism does not lie in the altruist claim that it represents the best way to achieve "the common good." It is true that capitalism does -- if that catch-phrase has any meaning -- but this is merely a secondary consequence. The moral justification of capitalism lies in the fact that it is the only system consonant with man's rational nature, that it protects man's survival qua man, that its ruling principle is: justice"

["What Is Capitalism?" CUI, 20]

The "common good" phrase in your slogan is "making the pie bigger for everyone."

[ZiggyKD]

Andy Bernstein is giving a lecture at our campus this month on Global Capitalism, and one slogan I've been considering for advertising the lecture is:

Help the poor! Support Global Capitalism!

This is very similar to the bartwart slogan, though I think I used different reasoning in coming up with the slogan. The full title of the lecture Bernstein is giving is:

"Global Capitalism: The Solution to World Oppresion and Poverty"

I just reworded the title a bit. I haven't decided to use this slogan yet for the same reasons andrew gave above.

[Guest bartwart]

I'm not a fan of the Capitalism slogan.  Although catchy and attractive to some, t's not compatible with Objectivism.  To quote Rand:

"The moral justification of capitalism does not lie in the altruist claim that it represents the best way to achieve "the common good."  It is true that capitalism does -- if that catch-phrase has any meaning -- but this is merely a secondary consequence.  The moral justification of capitalism lies in the fact that it is the only system consonant with man's rational nature, that it protects man's survival qua man, that its ruling principle is: justice"

["What Is Capitalism?" CUI, 20]

The "common good" phrase in your slogan is "making the pie bigger for everyone."

The issue is deeper than that.

If the moral is the practical, and for all practical purposes my statement about Capitalism was right, then that was also moral reason for capitalism. However, eating the pie is contingent on participation. A person who refuses to work receives no rewards. No pie for parasites!

[Richard_Halley]

It is not practical, bartwart, to get people to support capitalism by telling them it helps the poor... that would just lead to a bunch of unphilospohic polical activists.

[Guest bartwart]

I don't see how it would lead to unphilosophical political activists. Today's poor live like kings because of capitalism. Capitalism is not a zero-sum game like the socialists and their ilk claim, it creates wealth that benefits everyone. That is just a fact. In fact, you as an individual egoist should not want it anyother way. I want my customers to have wealth and grow wealth because then they have money to buy my products and that helps me grow my wealth.

[Evangelical Capitalist]

How about these: (please excuse the plagarism)

"Reason: It Does a Body Good"

"Got Reason?"

"This is your brain on Reason; this is your brain on Faith; Any questions?"

As far as the "pie" slogan for capitalism, I think RH's point is that it represents a utilitarian viewpoint: the greatest good for the greatest number. This justification hasn't been able to stop the encroachment of the government on the free market. Sure, capitalism's good, they say, but couldn't it be just a little better if we: a) helped these people, regulated this activity just a little bit, or c) gave tax breaks for that sort of activity. The untilitarian viewpoint can't refute these encroachments, only a moral justification for capitalism can. The fact that there's never been mainstream support for capitalism on anything more than a utilitarian basis is why we have a mixed economy. Perpetuating it doesn't help.

[Guest bartwart]

How about these: (please excuse the plagarism)

"Reason: It Does a Body Good"

"Got Reason?"

"This is your brain on Reason; this is your brain on Faith; Any questions?"

As far as the "pie" slogan for capitalism, I think RH's point is that it represents a utilitarian viewpoint: the greatest good for the greatest number.  This justification hasn't been able to stop the encroachment of the government on the free market.  Sure, capitalism's good, they say, but couldn't it be just a little better if we: a) helped these people, regulated this activity just a little bit, or c) gave tax breaks for that sort of activity.  The untilitarian viewpoint can't refute these encroachments, only a moral justification for capitalism can.  The fact that there's never been mainstream support for capitalism on anything more than a utilitarian basis is why we have a mixed economy.  Perpetuating it doesn't help.

I understand it has many of the trappings of utilitarianism, but for the sake of expediency that short little one liner might not be a problem, especially if it's coupled with other clever little catch phrases that condemn mixed economics.

You also have to guess what a layman might actually know about philosophical concepts. There's no reason to believe the average layman would know anymore about utilitarianism than they would objectivism.

[Richard_Halley]

Bartwart, you seem to be suggesting that we should get a lot of people who are uninterested in thinking philosophically to support Objectivism (this is the purpose of your slogans, is it not). But this would only cause "the Objectivist movement" to be equal to the Libertarian one.

There is nothing wrong with showing people Objectivism, but there is everything wrong with taking the philosophy out of it to do so.

As for this:

There's no reason to believe the average layman would know anymore about utilitarianism than they would objectivism.

Not to say that this is relevent, but... yes, there is. People are taught their entire lives to be altruistic and utilitarian... these are the standard views of what is ideal.

[ZiggyKD]

I understand it has many of the trappings of utilitarianism, but for the sake of expediency that short little one liner might not be a problem, especially if it's coupled with other clever little catch phrases that condemn mixed economics.

You also have to guess what a layman might actually know about philosophical concepts.  There's no reason to believe the average layman would know anymore about utilitarianism than they would objectivism.

I don't think the ends justify the means.

[Guest bartwart]

Bartwart, you seem to be suggesting that we should get a lot of people who are uninterested in thinking philosophically to support Objectivism (this is the purpose of your slogans, is it not).  But this would only cause "the Objectivist movement" to be equal to the Libertarian one. 

There is nothing wrong with showing people Objectivism, but there is everything wrong with taking the philosophy out of it to do so.

As for this:

Not to say that this is relevent, but... yes, there is.  People are taught their entire lives to be altruistic and utilitarian... these are the standard views of what is ideal.

We are using catchy slogans for a reason because laymen may not have a lot of time to invest to understand Objectivism from a deep philosophical point of view. At the very least, concise phrases sow the seeds of future investigation.

...

Do you think words like "utilitarian" and "altruism" are part of the everyday persons' lexicon? I don't think so. You're concerned that they'll take the phrase out of context into meaning "Capitalism is utilitarianism and altruism". There's certainly no way to avoid the fact that some people will believe this, but even such benign statements such as "Got Reason?" can be taken out of context especially if one's pre-conceived notions of "reason" don't line up with the Objectivist one. Under your strict standard we should never use catch phrases at all and should instead level everyone with a weighty exposition of Objectivism.

[Richard_Halley]

We are using catchy slogans for a reason because laymen may not have a lot of time to invest to understand Objectivism from a deep philosophical point of view. At the very least, concise phrases sow the seeds of future investigation.

Concise phrases are fine, so long as they don't remove the philosophy from the issues (there are plenty of libertarians around to ignore philosophy).

This is not what you are doing with your slogans though... your capitalism slogan not only ignored Objectivism's philosophic views, but presented the opposite ones.

You're concerned that they'll take the phrase out of context into meaning "Capitalism is utilitarianism and altruism".

Firstly, I am concered they will take the phrase to mean just "capitalism."

And yes, I am concered they will do that, just not in thoes words. I am worried that they will take it to mean that they should like capitalism because it makes the pie bigger for everyone. A fair thing to be concerened about, since that is what your solgan says.

[felicity]

I do not think a slogan has to encapsulate the most fundamental aspect of the topic being advertised.

It must be catchy... it must make the person stop and read more.

[BlackSabbath]

I think Bartwart has been banned.

[AwakeAndFree]

I have a great slogan: Read Ayn Rand.

That's the only slogan that could possibly lead to any good.

All the rest are really laughable.

Slogans are for unthinking propaganda. Rational people won't fall for it, and irrational people are no good anyway.

[AshRyan]

It's not quite as short as bartwart seemed to be going for, but I find that quotes from Ayn Rand's writings that are about a paragraph in length, such as Galt's oath, seem to work pretty well on club advertisements such as posters.

[BlackSabbath]

The slogan and the march are the standard tools of the irrationalist and the emotionalist.

Observe a typical leftist march and you will hear "Rant! Loot! Tax! Smash! Rape! Pillage! Kill!" etc, etc, etc.

[Betsy]

I have a great slogan: Read Ayn Rand..

Right on, Eran!

In fact, The license plate on my car says "READ AYN" and it is in a frame that says, "Things DO make sense. Read Ayn Rand."

[felicity]

READ AYN

Perfect for a car slogan. I also like the one that says "Ayn Rand was Right".

Advertising textbooks used to (and perhaps still do) speak of four stages in moving a prospective customer from ignorance about one's product to a making a purchase: Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action ("AIDA").

When space is limited, as on a car, and when the audience is the general population of drivers on the street, awareness ("Read Ayn", "Ayn Rand was Right", etc.) are the best way to go.

In the context of a lecture-poster or pamphlet, which can accommodate more words, one can try to acheive more. The first objective of the design should be to make people read it. "Get the eyeballs", which really means "be noticed", which really means "be different", which means "seem special", which means "appear to be of greater cognitive significance" than the background "field".

Ideally, you'll be able to come up with a slogan that arrests a person's attention and also encapsulates the fundamentals of what you want to say. However, if you have to choose --- and perhaps only be because you are not creative enough --- use the slogan to arrest and use the rest of the text to explain. A slogan is not an argument.

The slogan and the march are the standard tools of the irrationalist and the emotionalist.

I agree; but, of what significance is that? Guns are the standard tools of criminals. Does that mean I should shun guns? This is related to another thread on this forum, about marketing. A lot of irrational marketing goes on in the world. That does not invalidate the rational need for market: which has its basis in the fact that human beings are not omniscient, but need to learn about reality.

Slogans are for unthinking propaganda. Rational people won't fall for it, and irrational people are no good anyway.

How should a good poster be designed? Tiny page, full of small "courier" font text that will appeal to intell1gent minds?

[BlackSabbath]

A slogan is not an argument.

I agree; but, of what significance is that? Guns are the standard tools of criminals. Does that mean I should shun guns? This is related to another thread on this forum, about marketing. A lot of irrational marketing goes on in the world. That does not invalidate the rational need for market: which has its basis in the fact that human beings are not omniscient, but need to learn about reality.

This is a non-sequitur. Guns are also the tool of the army as well as the thug.

But the march and the slogan are not arguments and lend themselves to irrationalism.

It's a lot easier to chant and march than it is to discuss and argue.

[felicity]

But the march and the slogan are not arguments and lend themselves to irrationalism.

Are you implying that objectivists who organize the rallies around the world in support of capitalism are wrong to do so? Also, the many other rallies: suporting Kazan? supporting Elain?

[BlackSabbath]

Are you implying that objectivists who organize the rallies around the world in support of capitalism are wrong to do so? Also, the many other rallies: suporting Kazan? supporting Elain?

I've been told about what happens at pro-capitalist marches by people who've been on them.

You get sabotaged by lefties, basically.

A conference for capitalism is much better.

At least in the case of Elian Gonzales, people were rallying for something.

The fact remains that the methods I described lend themselves to irrationalism.

[NIJamesHughes]

"Who is Ayn Rand?"

[felicity]

"Who is Ayn Rand?"

Nice