From: Chen Yixiong, Eric (cyixiong@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jan 06 2002 - 01:51:49 MST
> But... I was never 100% behind the anarchist program -- I'd argue for it
> with more statist friends, then come here and play arch-conservative or
> toy with quasi-socialist ideas as an exercise. But ignore the
> socialism. These days anarchy and even minarchy seem naive.
I have similiar thoughts too.
> But an anarchy can't necessarily respond to invasion or selfish people
> destroying the ozone layer with CFCs either.
This shows that a core assumption of anacho-capitalism, that people acting for their own selfish interests will necessary cause the
society to operate efficiently, does not have validity. Adam's Invisible Hand sounds good, but the real world does have problems
that this ghostly hand can never reach.
I suspect that many so-called Libertarians believe in anacho-capitalism not out of reason but more of out of religious fervor. They
like to quote the bible that renowned priests the neo-classical and Austrian economists wrote, claiming such truths as "you can't
outsmart the free market".
When I question their viewpoints they think of me as unworthy to challenge their supreme Gods and Goddesses (some of them seem to
"worship" Ayn Rand). Some even call me an agent of the Devil (i.e. communism). They believe that they can find freedom only in
Heaven (i.e. anacho-capitalist societies), and declare all other proposed places "Hell". When asked what the "angels" do in heaven,
they still can't give me a definite answer except perhaps playing harps (i.e. enjoying their freedom, accumulating processions in
general).
The wield thing lies with their persistent claims that they follow the basic principles of science. It makes me wonder to no end why
they would deliberately confine themselves to such memes if they really believed in keeping an open mind, as true scientists ought
to do. It makes me feel even more queer when experiment after experiment fails to prove their hypothesizes. Finally, they make
assumptions about the economy but call them facts when others question them. What kind of scientist would do such things?!
I hope no extropians will fall for such intellectually seductive traps. We have more important things to achieve than to entertain
such religious memes.
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