Comments on: Shows 053 & 054 http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/ The Podcast and Blog for Radicals of Reason Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:27:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Brandon http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-562 Brandon Sat, 10 May 2008 20:47:08 +0000 http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-562 <a href="http://www.dianahsieh.com/blog/2008/05/changing-wind-oppositions-perspective.html" rel="nofollow">Paul Hsieh on NoodleFood Blog</a> recently quoted Richard Ralston of AFCM (Americans for Free Choice in Medicine) saying, "Don't worry about changing the politicians. The politicians will wear their fingers to the bone sticking them in the air to test which way the wind is blowing. Instead, work on changing the wind. If you change the wind, the politicians will follow." I think this illustrates the point wonderfully. Paul Hsieh on NoodleFood Blog recently quoted Richard Ralston of AFCM (Americans for Free Choice in Medicine) saying, “Don’t worry about changing the politicians. The politicians will wear their fingers to the bone sticking them in the air to test which way the wind is blowing. Instead, work on changing the wind. If you change the wind, the politicians will follow.” I think this illustrates the point wonderfully.

]]> By: Brandon http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-548 Brandon Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:19:37 +0000 http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-548 Philosophy is more than an interesting discussion; it's the most significant factor that shapes a society, including its politics. It is the source of the politicians' policies (their own philosophy) and of their power (the philosophy of the citizens that vote for them). This is why I believe that if you want to change politics, it is the dominant ideas of society that you have to change. Fighting against individual acts of legislation alone will not do this. We will not have a government that recognizes and protects individual rights until we have a society that understands the moral basis for these rights and demands them to be enforced. That is why I think that education should be the <em>primary</em> goal. Philosophy is more than an interesting discussion; it’s the most significant factor that shapes a society, including its politics. It is the source of the politicians’ policies (their own philosophy) and of their power (the philosophy of the citizens that vote for them). This is why I believe that if you want to change politics, it is the dominant ideas of society that you have to change. Fighting against individual acts of legislation alone will not do this.

We will not have a government that recognizes and protects individual rights until we have a society that understands the moral basis for these rights and demands them to be enforced. That is why I think that education should be the primary goal.

]]> By: danb http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-547 danb Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:21:49 +0000 http://talkobjectivism.com/shows-053-054/#comment-547 a couple points I meant to make and didn't... while philosophy is an interesting discussion... if you think your message is stronger than the counter message being made by all this legislation that is actually making ground in removing your rights... all you'll have left is philosophy. Even if you're right about a major change happening in 20 years... so freaking what? I'll be in my 50's and in the meantime, I'll be presenting my national ID to get my national health care and shoping for my nationally approved food at the national grocery store... State and Federal legislation is the clear and present danger to your freedom. And it's happing right now... every day... and you can resist... that very resistance is the message of freedom and education in one. The root of the problem isn't our culture... it's runaway power in the hands of power hungry people. The government is the source of the corruption, not a symptom of it. a couple points I meant to make and didn’t…

while philosophy is an interesting discussion… if you think your message is stronger than the counter message being made by all this legislation that is actually making ground in removing your rights… all you’ll have left is philosophy.

Even if you’re right about a major change happening in 20 years… so freaking what? I’ll be in my 50’s and in the meantime, I’ll be presenting my national ID to get my national health care and shoping for my nationally approved food at the national grocery store…

State and Federal legislation is the clear and present danger to your freedom. And it’s happing right now… every day… and you can resist… that very resistance is the message of freedom and education in one.

The root of the problem isn’t our culture… it’s runaway power in the hands of power hungry people. The government is the source of the corruption, not a symptom of it.

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