Tuesday, January 15, 2008

News Flash: Libertarians sane, interesting, ZC says

It occurs to me, assisted by the e-mail of a friend, that calling Libertarians insane or boring was unnecessary and unedifying. I could have more graciously and accurately said, ‘I disagree with some of the premises held by Libertarians,’ which would have conveyed everything I wanted without needlessly insulting people.

So, for that failing, forgive me.

It also occurs to me that social and political debate has a tendency to turn a bit nasty in a way that makes me wonder if it’s right and meet for one trying to practice the Golden Rule to engage in the sport.
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4 comments:

-Dave said...

It's hard, but I think it's true of any subject that involves one's passions and/or beliefs.

It happens in sports (which I'll call passion without beliefs), and it happens in theology (which I'll call beliefs without passion).

In all cases, I try (though I sometiems fail) to "in humility consider others better than myself."

In both cases, I tend to put my beliefs and passions (and, by extension, myself), at a superior place, before which all opposition must be humbled. And that's how I get off track.

But praise God, we may all be fools at times, but we are loved and forgiven by God nevertheless.

12:06 PM
Anonymous said...

"May we all be fools at times..."

Here here. Hear hear. Those are the wisest and happiest words I've heard all day.

Incidentally, and speaking as an uncoordinated fellow with libertarian sensibilities, that this happens in sports discussion is yet another reason to eschew sports and discussion thereof entirely. We must elect a president. Super bowls are optional. Think about it.

9:30 PM
Ben said...

The problem in any topic that gets the blood boiling is that it attracts a certain kind of argument....and usually that argument is "shouting."

Sometimes it attracts Bill O'Reilly types who like to bully those who disagree with them. Sometimes it attracts people like, well....myself who sometimes feel our position is superior and find overly clever, gratuitously insulting ways to express that feeling. I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny and Dave say they sometimes fall into the latter category.

I am, however, encouraged by the fact that I and others have been able to engage in civil debate about such topics. The fact that I am friends with a guy named Jacob Grier who is a libertarian atheist pretty much sums up for me the possibility of civil dialogue.

1:29 PM
Kenny said...

To be fair to Dave, I don't think he ever took a superior attitude, the gouges were more between Anon and me. Dave was simply debating the idea.

8:21 AM

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