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Add to NewsvineMark Shea gets this right:
The libertarian tends to remember that government is a menace due to the fall. He does not tend to remember that he is a menace due to the fall. He wants freedom from government so that he can do whatever the hell he wants. And frequently, he wants hell.
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Nice re-write of GKC:
"To have a right to do something is not the same as being right in doing it"
And:
"The poor grumble against bad government; the rich grumble against any government at all" (or words to that effect.)
Posted by: dad29 | June 26, 2007 3:17 PM
Man from K Street - Your whole post is a complete generalization. Just because you haven't witnessed the libertarians/paleocons you've run across engaged in certain activities doesn't mean libertarians and paleocons in general shouldn't suggest ways to order our lives.
The idea that being a baseball coach, serving in the military, or being a member of a professional orgnization somehow gives one unique experience to comment on how to structure society is ridiculous. I've met people who are members of all sorts of organizations and participate in their community in all sorts of ways, yet they're complete buffoons. There's no corrolation.
Posted by: Another Man from K Street | June 26, 2007 3:47 PM
I helped an old lady once.
Posted by: Pauli from F Street | June 27, 2007 9:28 AM
Cleveland, Erin, your exchange made my day. Thanks.
Damn, too late. Now there'e two of them from K Street. I feel... surrounded.
Just teasing, guys. I'm here to suggest a different perspective.
I grew up surrounded. 80% Catholic, 90% Republican. Almost without exception my experience was the exact opposite of the first Mr. K's, but it was also 35 to 45 years ago.
What you (general) really want to be observing is a cultural/societal shift. Remove the labels: everyone is shying away from the sorts of service roles Mr. K lists. Risking my own broad brush criticism here, but it has become much easier to throw money at a charitable non-profit than it is to join them in serving soup, collecting homeless people during blue alerts, or cleaning up vacant lots. My constituency (regional, pagan) is as liberal and service oriented as it gets, and I couldn't get three people together to coordinate our org being a clean highway sponsor.
We've gone from being a country of neighbors to a collection of houses. We've gone from chatting from our stoops to avert-eyes, hands-off, MYOB/NIMBY isolationists.
If you're going to criticize paleocons (and I do know quite a few who deserve it), you really should criticize everyone else.
Posted by: Franklin Evans | June 27, 2007 9:43 AM
Man from K Street is deeply unimpressed.
There goes my whole reason for being. I'll just have to slink away from my volunteer involvement with the county bar, from my volunteer time as a CCD teacher, from society in general, and go live in a cave now.
Wow. Guess you were right, K. Paleocons really *are* self-centered cultural recluses, aren't we?
Posted by: fbc | June 27, 2007 3:52 PM
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