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Sunday
November 6, 2005

Machan's Musings - No Choice, Only An Echo by Tibor R. Machan

What should be clear to all these highly educated, well read, sober people on both sides—all of whom have their own particular value-agendas, make no mistake about that—is that adult human beings just do not get better when they are pushed around, however well-meaning are the pushers. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (8 messages)

Post 0

Sunday, November 6 - 10:40am

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I liked this. Both the Right and Left have been exposed for what they are!

Post 1

Sunday, November 6 - 11:54am

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Great article.

"What should be clear to all these highly educated, well read, sober people on both sides—all of whom have their own particular value-agendas, make no mistake about that—is that adult human beings just do not get better when they are pushed around, however well-meaning are the pushers. "

This calls into question the "well-meaning" of the pushers. I don't think they are well meaning at all. They have simply identified a way, consistent with their personalities, to advance their personal self-interest. Society as a whole be damned if they can be a bigger fish, albeit in a smaller pond.

It's true, the damage is the same whether they are well meaning or not. I think it only encourages them to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Post 2

Sunday, November 6 - 12:58pm

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Tibor, Bravo!

For anyone who wants to read Rand's original essay diagnosing the American Right and Left along these lines followed anew by Dr. Machan, it is "Censorship: Local and Express" (1973). It is contained in the collection Philosophy: Who Needs It.

Post 3

Sunday, November 6 - 6:37pm

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There can be well-meaning bullies. Some really, really intend to compel others to be good. It's just impossible to get it done.

Post 4

Sunday, November 6 - 8:17pm

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Brava on this one, Tibor.
People who stand entrenched in one camp or the other, who see it as a choice between differentia, don't realize (or don't care) that they aren't real alternatives at all!
Republicrats. We're surrounded by them.

Post 5

Sunday, November 6 - 9:35pm

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I tried masochism several years ago when I subscribed to "Free Inquiry" for a few years. (A secular humanist magazine). Most of the articles were painful reading, but worthwhile since my ability to think more critically about ideas improved. I also seem to recall a few articles written by Tibor Machan (whose name I was not familiar with at the time). I remembered the name because his articles were among the better written ones and I remember thinking "gee, this guy doesn't sound like a secular humanist to me". Getting one's ideas published in periodicals that push agendas contrary to one's philosophical convictions can be an effective tool. "Truth seeds" sometimes have an amazing ability to germinate in the unlikliest of "soils". We need more philosophic "Johnny Appleseeds" like Tibor.

Post 6

Monday, November 7 - 2:03am

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Nicely balanced article, but it’s difficult to verify your claims about what these people of the right and left are saying when you provide no examples.

I’m sure your judgment is sound, but it would be nice to know who some of these erudite folks are and what they are saying (with proper references). Then we can judge for ourselves what leads you to conclude that they are hell-bent on controlling other people.

Brendan

Post 7

Monday, November 7 - 3:59pm

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All I can reply is that you need to trust me or check them out--to quote them in these contexts would involve reproducing too much. Most of these folks don't speak with the kind of bluntness you get from Rand but beat around the bush, try to be nuanced and eschew forthrightness lest they not be recognized for erudite members of the elite, either Left or Right, to which they belong. But just read a few things by, say, Ronald Dworkin in TNYRB or by, say, Charles Kessler in CRB and you will see my point.