Why isn't Libertarian Ideology something that's popular amongst the american people? particularly today's american youth? Seems to me like it is taking the best qualities from both sides of this (bullshit) political spectrum, and throwing it all into one giant pot called FREEDOM. I have 3 theories.
1. People do not like the idea of a "dog-eat-dog" society where the less fortunate will be left behind. The weak will eventually die off, and they know this. (A lot of people don't like the idea of facing the consequences of their own actions and/or lack of action) People also do not believe the charity of others will exist if not enforced by the government or a higher power. A lot of people have very little faith in the people of their local communities. (Even though enabling communities just keeps them stuck in the same old loop)
2-A. People are obsessed with competition. Spectator sports for example, individuals participate in the game by cheering on their team. Some people are diehard fans. MIllions of people enjoy sports. These people don't just attend for the "sport," they attend because they want their team to win. They want to feel relevant. They want to feel like they are apart of something great. Something righteous. They want to be the winner.
2-B. Once you start obsessing over "defeating the enemy," you begin to lose sight of the bigger picture; the sport itself. The desire to be victorious seems to be abundant amongst a heavy majority of the population, regardless of standpoint. It's a natural desire. This same idea applies to the political world and the left/right spectrum. People should not treat politics like spectator sports. (but they do anyway, so winning becomes more important than progression)
3. The media (both left and right) do not like the idea of a middle ground in politics focusing on individualism. Creating competition (refer to #2) and dividing the people of a country provides all ends of the media with raw material. This material is manipulated and used against the people of the country in an attempt to A) Promote big business, brands, and major corporations B) Gain political power / sustain political power (which will eventually lead to financial power) taking away power from ALL people and giving it to the government. (a government that will recycle this over and over again, using you to fulfill it's own selfish agenda)
Opinions?
Leo Cook
This is now a hot Librarian thread.
Parker Gomez
People aren't libertarians because people don't like to think. The idea of being a non-violent freeform centrist in favor of absolute individual freedom is boring.
Ian Baker
...
Jason Morales
A life without rules only leads to self destruction.
Lucas Kelly
>non-violent Libertarian = pro-gun. Explain to me how someone in favor of guns can be a non violent person? Guns promote violence.
Jason Hughes
The only thing that matters to either side is that people keep buying iPhones and taking out mortgages. If you think that ANY politician in ANY position gives half a fuck about you you are fucking stupid. They don't believe in anything but money. They keep up this bullshit appearance that there are two sides that have to fight and eventually compromise. It's fake. The Republican party screams Jesus but won't heal the sick or feed the poor. The Democrats scream about an even playing field then still are ok with putting people in crippling debt they can't hope to get out of. It's a God dammed scam.
Tyler Ward
Basically it's too good to be true.
Benjamin Murphy
There are rules. Libertarianism isn't the absence of government, but the limiting of a government's power. The government's purpose would be to control the military, court systems, and police state. Taxes will STILL EXIST, they will just but significantly smaller, providing the productive members of a society with more wealth.
Caleb Watson
>own guns >don't kill people Wow fucking crazy right?
Brody Robinson
fuckoff to
Parker Hughes
Exactly. Give the power back to the people! Libertarianism makes sense.
Hunter Reed
No one has ever tried it. For thousands of years, all across the political spectrum, around the world. the poor and middle class have been providing for a small extremely high class family, tyranny, government, etc... Libertarianism is too good to be true? We have never had the opportunity to try it. The closest we got was the development of America, which lead to extreme progression until it became corrupt by higher powers (once again.)
Michael Hughes
It's not popular for the same reason that causes people to sign petitions to stop poachers from killing elephants for ivory (yes, that is a real thing I found today).
People are idiots. They've stopped using their brains, instead opting for the easier task of allowing other people to tell them what to think.
My great consolation is that I'm 36 and still do not want kids. So at least I won't have to lie on my deathbed wondering what kind of world my children will have to live in.
Tyler Turner
Maybe you can explain to me how a gun promotes anything. Last time I checked, inanimate objects do not do anything, let alone go out of their way to promote some ideal.
A gun promotes violence the same way a unisex bathroom promotes molesting children. It makes the action easier, but does nothing to promote it. The person still has to make the choice to use the object for that purpose.
Nolan Garcia
Not from the US, but here's my two cents: 1- This theory sounds right, in principle, but it ignores a few points: "the weak will eventually die off", true, but the strong - which end up being "the rich ", rather than "those who take action" - don't face the same consequences and they never will, thus killing any rethoric of "taking action" and freedom. That's why people don't like it - because they know it is doomed to always help a select few at the expense of all others.
2- I agree on how people think, but you must consider that using libertarianism as a middle point doesn't erradicate that thinking. Rather, it either throws libertarianism to one of the sides (I've seen people calling libertarians leftist and rightist, alternatively), or it creates a third "team". No one seems a middle ground as meeting halfway.
3- I'd really consider this one part of 2, but you must remember: in a capitalism society, as we live globally, agreeing with people generates money, and the media flocks to the left or right because it seeks the money from one side or the other. In this sense, yes, they will work to maintain the discourse as it is, and they represent a strong force, but they would do the same if a third position was strong enough to generate money.
3-
Luis Price
Bathrooms are not made for sex. Guns are made for shooting targets.
Joshua Mitchell
libertarianism is for disgruntiled white guys who need an excuse to explain why the world hasn;t recognized how awesome they are. for the rest of the thinking world, constant runs on banks and frequent economic depressions sound bleak.
Owen Flores
Guns are primarily made for sport and defense. Your argument is pleb-tier
Sebastian Mitchell
>every target is a person Is this baby's first troll or are you this delusional?
Justin Foster
my own correction, disgruntled.
Thomas Young
Are you claiming that shooting at targets is violence?
Shit, better notify the paper target rights commission. People have been shooting at those things on an international scale. Hell, we do it at the Olympics.
