Some Follow Up Thoughts
by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Birthplace of Independent Conservatism
On the heels of my post yesterday I simply must follow up with some more thoughts on the gross generalizations of the progressive mindset. Call it getting some things off my chest, things that have long bothered me about the so called "progressives."
All of the observations I make here come from personal experiences and reflections over four decades. Experience that has taught me there are indeed reasons why one needs a philosophy based on reason, a code of ethics based on rational self interest, and the realization that the greatest destructive force to a person's sense of worth is the acceptance of the doctrine of altruism.
I have, because of my unwavering belief in Rand's Objectivist philosophy and her ethics based on the virtue of selfishness, been criticized, maligned, scoffed at, and belittled by the so called progressive left. At the same time many on the right embrace, or at least claim they embrace, the philosophy and ethics of Ayn Rand.
I find this odd, almost amusing in truth because it was a progressive junior high school teacher who first exposed me to Rand. An educator that was every bit the individualist that Rand was. A true teacher that encouraged her students to think independently and then allowed them to do so.
On the other hand I had teachers of the more conservative persuasion at that time that tended to "guide" their students to think along the intellectual lines they approved of. Funny how today, many years later, the progressives have become like the conservatives and the conservatives have become more like reactionaries.
I am quite sure that most progressives, and some conservatives will think I have gone crazy. But as Micheal Savage says it's the world turned upside down. Where up is down and down is up. Progressives in particular have trouble distinguishing the difference.
Why it is most progressive seem to believe that all conservatives {which in their view means republicans and business owners} are wealthy and have only disregard for, even contempt for the working man escapes me. Perhaps it is because they need to view conservatives this way to fit them into their class warfare mentality.
The wonderful thing about being old enough to have vivid memories of life in the 1950's, when my grandfather worked as a laborer for Weyerhauser, is that I have a respect for, and a different perspective on American labor. That labor force, with the help of American capital, built this country and in the process made it the most productive and wealthy nation on earth.
Throughout the "50's" and "60's" I observed people who labored in honest trades to support their families and build a better life. Men and women just like my laborer grandfather. I also observed my father, who spent his entire adult life in management spend as much time supporting his people and recognizing them as he did managing them. I also know that is why he was successful. From my objective view I believe it is why he never became a CEO of a major corporation. There is indeed more to success than power and wealth.
I also observed there were many laborers that were conservative in their politics. People who were not wealthy nor owned a business. At the same time I observed there were many managers and business owners who were well off that were more liberal or progressive than many in the workforce they employed. Go figure. Who would have thought?
The progressive mindset is that somehow wealthy businesses and business owners are greedy and give little back to the community. Well, from my experience this is a false belief. Aside from the apparently unimportant reality they create jobs {progressives tend to overlook this fact}, charitable donations and philanthropic endeavors by large corporations runs into the millions, if not billions of dollars. A fact most progressive choose to not mention.
Why it is that progressives fail to realize that to be a conservative does not equate to being a republican. Why is it that progressives don't get that real conservatives, at least the independent minded ones anyway, had as big of a problem with GWB as they do with BHO. Why is it that progressives fail to understand that capital is not evil, nor is capitalism, and that conservatives, at lest the independent minded ones anyway are sickened by what American business itself has done to capitalism.
Why is it that progressives are so willing to support Obama's intervention into the Libyan civil war? Apparently without giving even a single rational thought to the ethical hypocrisy of it all. Why is it that progressives seem to have forgotten that the majority of modern warfare has occurred under democratic administrations? Why is it they have conveniently have forgotten it was a republican, when republican meant something, that warned against the emerging Military Industrial Complex?
Why is it that progressives seem to lack the ability for self introspection? Why is it that progressives are so willing to enjoy all that American capitalism {when it actually approximated capitalism} produced yet are so willing to denounce capitalism in a heartbeat?
I never thought I would ever, repeat, EVER, be saying this, but all you progressives that apparently hate American Exceptionalism so much please consider moving to Venezuela. I am sure your soul mate Hugo would gladly accept another irrational with open arms.
At such time as I have more insight to offer, rest assured all you girly men progressives, I'll be back. You see no matter how hard you try liberty, reason, individualism, and American Exceptionalism will never die. Rational Nation USA will remain on the front lines fighting to ensure it doesn't.
For all you elitist highly educated theoretical progressives who never produced an f'ing thing or ever had to meet a payroll. Well, never mind, I'll be polite. Have a good day.
Cross posted to LCR
Rational Nation USA
Birthplace of Independent Conservatism
My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.
— Ayn Rand
On the heels of my post yesterday I simply must follow up with some more thoughts on the gross generalizations of the progressive mindset. Call it getting some things off my chest, things that have long bothered me about the so called "progressives."
All of the observations I make here come from personal experiences and reflections over four decades. Experience that has taught me there are indeed reasons why one needs a philosophy based on reason, a code of ethics based on rational self interest, and the realization that the greatest destructive force to a person's sense of worth is the acceptance of the doctrine of altruism.
I have, because of my unwavering belief in Rand's Objectivist philosophy and her ethics based on the virtue of selfishness, been criticized, maligned, scoffed at, and belittled by the so called progressive left. At the same time many on the right embrace, or at least claim they embrace, the philosophy and ethics of Ayn Rand.
I find this odd, almost amusing in truth because it was a progressive junior high school teacher who first exposed me to Rand. An educator that was every bit the individualist that Rand was. A true teacher that encouraged her students to think independently and then allowed them to do so.
On the other hand I had teachers of the more conservative persuasion at that time that tended to "guide" their students to think along the intellectual lines they approved of. Funny how today, many years later, the progressives have become like the conservatives and the conservatives have become more like reactionaries.
I am quite sure that most progressives, and some conservatives will think I have gone crazy. But as Micheal Savage says it's the world turned upside down. Where up is down and down is up. Progressives in particular have trouble distinguishing the difference.
Why it is most progressive seem to believe that all conservatives {which in their view means republicans and business owners} are wealthy and have only disregard for, even contempt for the working man escapes me. Perhaps it is because they need to view conservatives this way to fit them into their class warfare mentality.
The wonderful thing about being old enough to have vivid memories of life in the 1950's, when my grandfather worked as a laborer for Weyerhauser, is that I have a respect for, and a different perspective on American labor. That labor force, with the help of American capital, built this country and in the process made it the most productive and wealthy nation on earth.
Throughout the "50's" and "60's" I observed people who labored in honest trades to support their families and build a better life. Men and women just like my laborer grandfather. I also observed my father, who spent his entire adult life in management spend as much time supporting his people and recognizing them as he did managing them. I also know that is why he was successful. From my objective view I believe it is why he never became a CEO of a major corporation. There is indeed more to success than power and wealth.
I also observed there were many laborers that were conservative in their politics. People who were not wealthy nor owned a business. At the same time I observed there were many managers and business owners who were well off that were more liberal or progressive than many in the workforce they employed. Go figure. Who would have thought?
The progressive mindset is that somehow wealthy businesses and business owners are greedy and give little back to the community. Well, from my experience this is a false belief. Aside from the apparently unimportant reality they create jobs {progressives tend to overlook this fact}, charitable donations and philanthropic endeavors by large corporations runs into the millions, if not billions of dollars. A fact most progressive choose to not mention.
Why it is that progressives fail to realize that to be a conservative does not equate to being a republican. Why is it that progressives don't get that real conservatives, at least the independent minded ones anyway, had as big of a problem with GWB as they do with BHO. Why is it that progressives fail to understand that capital is not evil, nor is capitalism, and that conservatives, at lest the independent minded ones anyway are sickened by what American business itself has done to capitalism.
Why is it that progressives are so willing to support Obama's intervention into the Libyan civil war? Apparently without giving even a single rational thought to the ethical hypocrisy of it all. Why is it that progressives seem to have forgotten that the majority of modern warfare has occurred under democratic administrations? Why is it they have conveniently have forgotten it was a republican, when republican meant something, that warned against the emerging Military Industrial Complex?
Why is it that progressives seem to lack the ability for self introspection? Why is it that progressives are so willing to enjoy all that American capitalism {when it actually approximated capitalism} produced yet are so willing to denounce capitalism in a heartbeat?
I never thought I would ever, repeat, EVER, be saying this, but all you progressives that apparently hate American Exceptionalism so much please consider moving to Venezuela. I am sure your soul mate Hugo would gladly accept another irrational with open arms.
At such time as I have more insight to offer, rest assured all you girly men progressives, I'll be back. You see no matter how hard you try liberty, reason, individualism, and American Exceptionalism will never die. Rational Nation USA will remain on the front lines fighting to ensure it doesn't.
For all you elitist highly educated theoretical progressives who never produced an f'ing thing or ever had to meet a payroll. Well, never mind, I'll be polite. Have a good day.
Cross posted to LCR
Les,
ReplyDeleteYou can't believe any of this unless you are an atheist. It is cornerstone of Rand's philosophy. Are you an atheist?
JMJ
And if I am? I will not allow you to use superfluous or evasive arguments or meaningless talking points with me my progressive friend.
ReplyDeleteThe fact you choose to focus on religion, or the lack of it is telling.
Essentially you have no rational arguments to refute any of Rand's philosophy or positions.