tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post9143072199947631576..comments2024-02-13T02:39:22.756-05:00Comments on EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Power Warps The Human MindRobert Wenzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14296920597416905488noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-85499571164013734582013-01-01T22:01:13.521-05:002013-01-01T22:01:13.521-05:00Federal spending under the Thomas Jefferson presid...Federal spending under the Thomas Jefferson presidency was less than 2% of GDP.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-31684335834153098772013-01-01T07:57:03.486-05:002013-01-01T07:57:03.486-05:00"I was able to be educated by those more inte..."I was able to be educated by those more intelligent than me."<br /><br />I was forced to be brainwashed by those less intelligent than me. Fortunately, I stumbled upon LRC, Anti-War, Mises, and EPJ. Now I know true history and understand economics and NAP. For that, I will be forever grateful.Micnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-47949992957222028652012-12-31T15:53:33.056-05:002012-12-31T15:53:33.056-05:00@Ed...
My suggestion would be to read Carson befo...@Ed...<br /><br />My suggestion would be to read Carson before forming an opinion. I have yet to find a thinker who I agree with 100% of the time (Voltairine de Cleyre comes closest) but much of the criticism I see directed at Carson takes the form of a straw man (especially when it comes to the LTV). A straw man that more often than not seems to have been constructed by someone other than the Frankhttp://icymi.conoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-8563280089914917782012-12-31T11:43:19.470-05:002012-12-31T11:43:19.470-05:00@Geoff - Notwithstanding the fact that we are argu...@Geoff - Notwithstanding the fact that we are arguing about a work of fiction, you are kind of proving Chris's point. Even Frodo, the character that is supposed to be the most good, the only one with moral strength to do what needs to be done and destroy the ring, ends up being seduced in the end. Nevertheless, at least he set out to destroy the ring, rather than try to control it and "Ed Ucationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375062362847706272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-90864856696391236502012-12-31T11:40:30.143-05:002012-12-31T11:40:30.143-05:00@Frank - Thanks for the interesting link. Kevin C...@Frank - Thanks for the interesting link. Kevin Carson is an interesting thinker, with some serious flaws. I just can't get over his love of the labor theory of value, which indicates to me that his whole philosophy is built on a deck of cards. Take this sentence, for example, from his wikipedia page: "Carson’s thesis is that under an authentic free market economy, the separation of Ed Ucationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375062362847706272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-76660114389825871492012-12-31T11:22:31.250-05:002012-12-31T11:22:31.250-05:00@ Geoff
"Communications are improved in hier...@ Geoff<br /><br />"Communications are improved in hierarchies, because hierarchies filter out the garbage of the type Carson writes."<br /><br />Beyond the obvious fact that this is just ad hominem, the argument is also otherwise irrational.<br />Top-down decisions by those in positions of power to filter out undesired messages is obviously not the same as "improved communication&Tonynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-39131570465764070492012-12-31T08:20:27.000-05:002012-12-31T08:20:27.000-05:00"There is nothing wrong with hierarchies, pro..."There is nothing wrong with hierarchies, provided they are voluntary."<br /><br />Hierarchies depending on political power, or anything that derives "rights" from political power, are never voluntary.<br /><br /><br />"Not everyone has the same ability, and people can improve each other by organizing themselves hierarchically. I did it all through school, where I chose Tonynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-54876873531062518102012-12-31T08:08:29.039-05:002012-12-31T08:08:29.039-05:00@ Geoff
You think your weak attempt at a "tu...@ Geoff<br /><br />You think your weak attempt at a "tu quoque" fallacy negates the fact that you seem ignorant of what Chris was obviously trying to say?<br /><br />First of all. it is quite obvious Chris was talking about POLITICAL power, and not the broad and meaningless leftist interpretation you gave it. He was talking about the power one has from being part of a legal monopoly on Tonynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-21013510496623078752012-12-31T07:27:23.607-05:002012-12-31T07:27:23.607-05:00We need more gay hobbits?
Nah I'm just pulli...We need more gay hobbits? <br /><br />Nah I'm just pulling your leg, I get what you're saying ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-4609715208761970642012-12-31T03:03:39.276-05:002012-12-31T03:03:39.276-05:00Yes, it's a good thing when good people have p...Yes, it's a good thing when good people have power, because good people aren't corrupted by it, and use it for good.<br /><br />However, your example of Frodo is off, because Frodo was in fact finally corrupted, when he refused to throw the ring into the fire in Return of the King. The ring was destroyed through corruption (Gollum fell into the fire accidentally), not willful good.Geoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-50301502876200953552012-12-31T02:59:57.088-05:002012-12-31T02:59:57.088-05:00Mike: It wasn't sarcasm. I reject the absolut...Mike: It wasn't sarcasm. I reject the absolutism inherent in the claim that having power <i>necessarily</i> affects everyone's mind in the exact same way, e.g. "corrupts."<br /><br />Dale: If you define power as violating the NAP, then it is awkward to say that power warps the mind. For such a definition would instead suggest that power is the product of a warped mind, since Geoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-2117893802700938392012-12-31T01:47:04.828-05:002012-12-31T01:47:04.828-05:00Power Doesn't Just Attract Mean and Stupid Peo...<strong><a href="http://c4ss.org/content/10803" rel="nofollow">Power Doesn't Just Attract Mean and Stupid People -- It Makes Them That Way</a></strong>Frankhttp://icymi.conoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-6553332793894959982012-12-30T19:11:50.606-05:002012-12-30T19:11:50.606-05:00Chris, I really enjoy your articles. Please keep ...Chris, I really enjoy your articles. Please keep it up. There are too many Boromirs in the libertarian movement. We need more Frodos.Ed Ucationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375062362847706272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-78577460954863048952012-12-30T15:57:22.394-05:002012-12-30T15:57:22.394-05:00Wow. This article went completely over your head.
...Wow. This article went completely over your head.<br /><br />It's almost as if you didn't even bother to think about what Chris actually wrote. Did you even read it?Tonynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-75798763742029567612012-12-30T15:48:18.763-05:002012-12-30T15:48:18.763-05:00Geoff, perhaps a clarification is in order. Power ...Geoff, perhaps a clarification is in order. Power refers solely to the power to violate the Non Agression Principle, a power held only by politicians and their enablers and patrons. <br /><br />A billionaire with no political power, and no desire to seek it, has no more "power" than you or I. A criminal with a badge has far more power. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-21306173123070986672012-12-30T15:37:39.423-05:002012-12-30T15:37:39.423-05:00"You are wrong Chris. Lord Acton was wrong. P..."You are wrong Chris. Lord Acton was wrong. Power does not corrupt. Bad philosophy corrupts. Power can be used for good by good people."<br /><br />Please tell me that was sarcasm. If not then this is THE most ignorant and naive statement I have ever read.Mikehttp://antiwar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-31260249357476266732012-12-30T14:38:22.366-05:002012-12-30T14:38:22.366-05:00Power isn't binary. It is a spectrum. If pow...Power isn't binary. It is a spectrum. If power "warps the human mind", then every single human on the planet has a warped mind, because every individual on the planet has SOME power, however small or large it is, over their surroundings.<br /><br />You Chris have more power over your surroundings than many impoverished people in Africa, and so to that extent, your mind is more Geoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758330678390419129.post-45147500015119944602012-12-30T14:18:26.915-05:002012-12-30T14:18:26.915-05:00Well said, Chris. Well said, Chris. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com