[MD] Intellect battles the [immigrant] barbarians

[Ham Priday]

Hi Platt [Case mentioned] --


> Yes! FDR's "freedoms" were socialist from the get go. We are
> reaping the whirlwind of the FDR presidency, and going broke to boot.

Thanks for the "thumbs up", Platt.

I'm repeating my (heavily plagiarized) essay "Empires Also Die" on this
week's Values Page (www.essentialism.net/balance.htm).  If you haven't
already read it, you might want to take a look, as it addresses some of
these issues.  It also produced one letter from a UK a student looking for
background material for a term paper.  (Part of that correspondence can be
found on the Forum Page response section of the same site.)

Something that Case said on 10/29 under "So cometh MOQ" bothers me.
Did you see it?

[Case]:
> Among the many things that disturb me about our times
> is our flagrant disregard for our children. It seems to me
> that an enlightened society would be totally focused on
> the upbringing of the next generation not setting up an
> an economic system:
>
> That forces both parents into the work place.
> That exposes children to endless violence: visually, verbally and
> vicariously.
> That glorifies personal gratification over responsibility to loved ones.
> That encourages the dispersion of extended families.
> That mortgages the future for short term gain and neglects public
investment
> in human capital, physical infrastructure and intellectual capital in the
> form of pure research.
> That promotes the consumption of not renewable resources without
> regard for replacing them.
> That sees itself as the master rather then the steward of nature.

Is he suggesting that these are faults of capitalism or the free enterprise
system?  It would seem to me that we have fallen into debt and profligacy
due to irresponsible behavior and a disregard for traditional values.  This
is negligence on the part of individuals, not defects of our "economic
system".  I didn't want to get involved in a debate with Case over what he
meant by "an enlightened society" and how he thinks we could achieve his
ends via the MoQ, but you might want to raise this issue with him.

Also, I've not been successful in enticing anyone into a philosophical
discussion of how Randian Objectivism is compatible with the MoQ.  (I'd
thought that Laramie and Micah would jump at the opportunity.)  Does this
hold any interest for you?

Best regards, and Happy Halloween!
Ham