humanities.philosophy.objectivism

On Mar 4, 5:10 pm, Charles Bell wrote:
>
> My off-the-cuff problem with this is that it reduces the citizens to
> predictable wiggly-things-in-a-jar.
>
> I'm not sure that's wrong, but it Bugs me.

Not at all. It's wisdom from daily life: people get their backs up
when you hector them, and then don't do what you want, just to spite
you. If anything, it's them asserting their freedom... by being
perverse, if that's what it takes. If one wishes others to make
certain choices, one must manifest a certain minimal respect for their
freedom to choose. That way they don't feel they *have* to prove to
you they've got it, by doing the opposite of what you demand. The
refusal to submit runs deep.

Did I mention my boys are now teenagers? I suspect that you too will
be blessed with this experience in the fullness of time.

But you're right on another level. There's a bit of the imperialist in
me, but not for the standard reasons. Or at least my reasons are not
apportioned in the same way. But I think I'll just leave that
mysterious for now. It's a purely personal preference, and not one
that I insist others share. Bill Kristol expressed it almost
perfectly, recently (it's about responsibility, ultimately). And it is
not, in the end, a very Objectivist thought either.