Your first response, and my first response! On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 2:44 PM, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]>wrote:
> I'm not surprised you're set in your perspective that Rand says the wrong > things, given your responses about Determinism to Pat. Self Determinism is > not much different, no? > > > On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 11:29 AM, [email protected] < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Umm yeah good one Chris. >> >> My first instinct is that communist philosphy on paper says the right >> things, whilst of course Rand does not. >> >> On 27 Aug, 16:12, 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
