[MD] socialism

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 7 Jun 2010 at 8:04, John Carl wrote:

Hi Platt,


On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 6:02 AM, <plattholden at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi John,
>
> On 4 Jun 2010 at 12:53, John Carl wrote:
>
> [John]
> I'm also refering to the functional effects of individualism upon an
> industrialized society.  If individuals are the ultimate source of value -
> then of course we have to pump them up with dollars and food stamps and
> health care and viola - your individualism produces socialism.  Obviously!
> Just look around!
>
> [Platt]
> You have a point. But, what is the best way to value an individual? How
> about
> leaving her alone to freely pursue her own happiness? That's the American
> ideal
> that created the most prosperous culture in the history of the world.
>

[John]
So Platt, is the highest value of the individual realized on a deserted
Island?  She's certainly free there to pursue happiness.  If a tree falls
where there's nobody to hear, then the tree makes no sound (value of air
waves upon ear drums) If a person is completely free from all social
context, then she has no value at all.

Individual value is a social construct.

[Platt]
Hi John,

So John, would you rather be an individual on a desert island or an individual 
in a collectivist gulag? Seems to me that's a more relevant question.

> [Platt]
> You can't solve a problem until you first recognize it as a problem. I
> would
> like to see something like the "Misery Index" (http://www.miseryindex.us/
> ),
> only a "Liberty Index," then give it wide publicity.  What do you think?
>
[John]
Its an interesting idea.  Is liberty realized in action or potential for
action?  In some ways, we have more potential for freedom all the time, but
in other ways, we see more and more constraints upon freedom.

Freedom is too hard to measure.  What we can measure is the social
constraints (laws) put upon individuals and I agree that that graph would be
an alarmingly rising one.

[Platt]
See Craig's post for an internet site that purports to come up with something 
like a liberty index. But, you have simplified the whole thing by focusing in 
on laws and regulations, a worthwhile measure -- the number of laws and 
regulations in effect less the number nullified. That shouldn't be too hard to 
calculate, perhaps weighted for the number of people affected. I agree a graph 
showing the results since 1900 in the U.S. would be truly alarming. 

Best,
Platt