Comments on: How I Became a Libertarian http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:38:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Schumacher http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-64431 David Schumacher Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:47:56 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-64431 @Lee Fairbanks Pretty funny Lee, but you forget there is no corrosion in libertarianism. No fair using force. I have great respect for MS as I am a hard core atheist and libertarian. I expect the atheist position is solid as stated, but I have a few questions about the libertarian position. I have to confess that I didn't read through all 700+ replies here so some of my questions may already have been addressed and for this I apologize. My questions are about the front end and the back end of a libertarian society, I think the middle of free trade and self-sufficiency is solid. On the front end, how are the natural resources to be rationed to the society and to be distributed? It seems that in most reasoning first come first rights is the way it is done. In addition, might makes right, the resources are taken by force. I'm not sure this is the most equitable or best way to approach this. On the other, the back side is pollution of the environment. The tragedy of commons leads me to think that all costs of production of goods must be included in the price. Don't we have to clean up our own mess? If MS would answer, I would be very happy, but if any of you sharpy libertarians would take a stab at answering these question I would appreciated it. Thanks in advance; Dave @Lee Fairbanks Pretty funny Lee, but you forget there is no corrosion in libertarianism. No fair using force.

I have great respect for MS as I am a hard core atheist and libertarian. I expect the atheist position is solid as stated, but I have a few questions about the libertarian position.

I have to confess that I didn’t read through all 700+ replies here so some of my questions may already have been addressed and for this I apologize.

My questions are about the front end and the back end of a libertarian society, I think the middle of free trade and self-sufficiency is solid.

On the front end, how are the natural resources to be rationed to the society and to be distributed? It seems that in most reasoning first come first rights is the way it is done. In addition, might makes right, the resources are taken by force. I’m not sure this is the most equitable or best way to approach this.

On the other, the back side is pollution of the environment. The tragedy of commons leads me to think that all costs of production of goods must be included in the price. Don’t we have to clean up our own mess?

If MS would answer, I would be very happy, but if any of you sharpy libertarians would take a stab at answering these question I would appreciated it.

Thanks in advance;
Dave

]]> By: margaret oak http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-63888 margaret oak Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:36:28 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-63888 I must say I agree with you sduford! He doesn't even seem to know what core values libertarianism was founded on. I must say I agree with you sduford!
He doesn’t even seem to know what core values libertarianism was founded on.

]]> By: Lee Fairbanks http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-51419 Lee Fairbanks Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:42:27 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-51419 I wonder if Somalians are happy? I wonder if Somalians are happy?

]]> By: Lee Fairbanks http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-51418 Lee Fairbanks Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:40:27 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-51418 I hear Somalia is a Libertarian Utopia. I hear Somalia is a Libertarian Utopia.

]]> By: Nykos http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-50700 Nykos Fri, 07 Jan 2011 23:30:53 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-50700 Hong Kong is the closest thing to a libertarian society on Earth. Interestingly enough, also one of the richest - despite an incredibly small land area, a big neighbor that only recently began to emerge out of abject poverty of a socialist command economy. Hong Kong is the closest thing to a libertarian society on Earth. Interestingly enough, also one of the richest – despite an incredibly small land area, a big neighbor that only recently began to emerge out of abject poverty of a socialist command economy.

]]> By: Mike http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-21185 Mike Mon, 10 May 2010 00:30:19 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-21185 Poor people would quickly die?! based on what evidence? man you guys are so ill informed economically that it's not funny. Have any of you looked into say Friedmans work or read 'Wealth of Nations'. Understand that the governmnent actually keeps people unemployed via well-meaning tools such as the minimum wage. (Because it means that even if someone wished to work for 10c under that wage and the employer was happy to employ them on it, they cant). Regulation to help the poor almost always ends up hurting them instead. Poor people would quickly die?! based on what evidence? man you guys are so ill informed economically that it’s not funny. Have any of you looked into say Friedmans work or read ‘Wealth of Nations’. Understand that the governmnent actually keeps people unemployed via well-meaning tools such as the minimum wage. (Because it means that even if someone wished to work for 10c under that wage and the employer was happy to employ them on it, they cant). Regulation to help the poor almost always ends up hurting them instead.

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-16384 Jonathan Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:21:21 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-16384 Excellent post Mr Shermer! I'll be reading your book shortly. Greetings and good luck with all your projects! Excellent post Mr Shermer! I’ll be reading your book shortly. Greetings and good luck with all your projects!

]]> By: BillHWaters http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-13146 BillHWaters Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:28:25 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-13146 Scientists* my apologies. And on another note, I personally feel that libertarianism is a joke. Yeah, it looks good on paper, but so does a lot of political ideologies. Although I do not consider myself a liberal either, http://world.std.com/~mhuben/liberal.html has some good refutations of libertarianism. Scientists* my apologies.

And on another note, I personally feel that libertarianism is a joke. Yeah, it looks good on paper, but so does a lot of political ideologies. Although I do not consider myself a liberal either, http://world.std.com/~mhuben/liberal.html has some good refutations of libertarianism.

]]> By: BillHWaters http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-13145 BillHWaters Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:23:26 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-13145 Ahhhh, when scietists and politicians spew their politics, you already know that they will most definitely lean on that bias (whether they know it or not). Ahhhh, when scietists and politicians spew their politics, you already know that they will most definitely lean on that bias (whether they know it or not).

]]> By: Not Another Libertarian Sales Pitch http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/05/how-i-became-a-libertarian/#comment-11616 Not Another Libertarian Sales Pitch Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:35:21 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2337#comment-11616 Please excuse any formatting errors in the above text. I unintentionally hit the "submit," button instead of the "preview" button. People often get bogged down in the minutiae that is Libertarian subterfuge that very little insight into the movement is gained. People usually think Libertarians are extreme, and should be ignored, or they bite, get in over their head when trying to debate the various historical, and economic claims made by them. I feel that it is important for people who have spent time around the movement to talk about their experiences. It's not as if Michael Shermer is going to provide his readers with any kind of balanced understanding. Please excuse any formatting errors in the above text. I unintentionally hit the “submit,” button instead of the “preview” button.

People often get bogged down in the minutiae that is Libertarian subterfuge that very little insight into the movement is gained. People usually think Libertarians are extreme, and should be ignored, or they bite, get in over their head when trying to debate the various historical, and economic claims made by them. I feel that it is important for people who have spent time around the movement to talk about their experiences.

It’s not as if Michael Shermer is going to provide his readers with any kind of balanced understanding.

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