*laughing* I'm used to disappointing you, Gabby. It just gives me something to eternally strive for. ;)
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 12:12 PM, gabbydott <[email protected]> wrote: > > Do you really still need pretexts to not give up smoking? You > disappoint me, Chris. > > On 27 Aug., 17:12, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: > > From here: > http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2009/08/24/what-we-are-not-emb... > > > > " > > > > Here is a good debate proposition: It ought to be less embarrassing to > have > > been influenced by Ayn Rand than by Karl Marx. > > > > The most powerful way to argue the affirmative is to compare the number > of > > human beings murdered by the devotees of each. That line of attack ought > to > > be decisive, but I’m afraid it won’t get you far with the multitude of > > highly-self-regarded thinkers influenced by Karl Marx. Fact is, > commitment > > to some kind of socialism and fluency in the jargon of Marxism used to be > > mandatory for serious intellectuals. And there’s something glamorous in > the > > very idea of the intellectual. Even for those of us who came of age after > > 1989, Marxism, like cigarettes, remains linked by association to the idea > of > > the intellectual, and so, like cigarettes, shares in the intellectual’s > > glamour. I don’t know if cigarettes or Marxism have killed more people, > but > > it’s pretty clear cigarettes are more actively stigmatized. Marxists, > > neo-Marxists, crypto-Marxists, post-Marxists, etc. have an enduring > > influence on intellectual fashion. So it is not only possible proudly to > > confess Marx’s influence on one’s thought, but it remains possible in > some > > quarters to impress by doing so. It ought to be embarrassing, but it > isn’t. > > Being a bit of a Marxist is like having a closet full of pirate blouses > but > > never having to worry." > > > > This gave me pause for consideration. Rand's philosophies have been much > > maligned as "uncompassionate", while certain "socialist" (Marxist > Communist) > > policies have been held up as an ideal, and yet, how many people have > been > > killed in the name of Randian philosophy, and how many have been killed > in > > the name of Marxist philosophy? > > > > What do YOU think? ;) > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
