Does "Pragmatically Libertarian" Sound Like a Dumbass Term?

[tinselwolverine]

I'm not really libertarian; but I'm more libertarian than I am conservative, or liberal.

You talk to some of these libertarians, and on a lot of things they're just kind of dogmatic, ideological purists, when it just doesn't make sense to not have an amount of collectivism.

Libertarianism is also fairly radical concept; overwhelmingly, human societies throughout history have been pretty collective (also oligarichal - pretty sure I spelled that wrong-and oppressive to many).

So I've come to view myself as being "as libertarian as pragmatic" or "pragmatically libertarian."

Does that sound like a reasonable position, or am I really a rationalizing moderate who just doesn't want to admit it?

 

[Michchamp]

I'm not really libertarian; but I'm more libertarian than I am conservative, or liberal.

You talk to some of these libertarians, and on a lot of things they're just kind of dogmatic, ideological purists, when it just doesn't make sense to not have an amount of collectivism.

Libertarianism is also fairly radical concept; overwhelmingly, human societies throughout history have been pretty collective (also oligarichal - pretty sure I spelled that wrong-and oppressive to many).

So I've come to view myself as being "as libertarian as pragmatic" or "pragmatically libertarian."

Does that sound like a reasonable position, or am I really a rationalizing moderate who just doesn't want to admit it?

I don't think it sounds stupid. it at least acknowledges the reality of society

 

[TheVictors]

I had an "argument" about this when telling a raving conservative that I was "more Libertarian than anything" and was quoted chapter and verse the current Presidential platform for the Libertarian Party.

Uh, I meant that I was Libertarian, not "Libertarian" I replied.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I had an "argument" about this when telling a raving conservative that I was "more Libertarian than anything" and was quoted chapter and verse the current Presidential platform for the Libertarian Party.

Uh, I meant that I was Libertarian, not "Libertarian" I replied.

Now, I didn't read the Libertarian platform...but I watched the Gary Johnson 3rd party debate...and his views, as heard them, were somewhat "watered down" - at least as he was expressing them at the time - from what I've seen as, let me call it "dogmatic Libertarian dogma."

Maybe that was part of nominating him - maybe his condition was "the party platform is the party platform...you wanted to nominate me - I'll stand by my views, if elected."

Anyway, you and I both "stuck to our guns" and voted 3rd party - which is more, apparently, than can be said for other posters to this board.

Ha.

That was completely a joke.

Or almost completely.

 

[redandguilty]

I think being pragmatic tends to push people towards being a moderate version of whatever they are. If you are pragmatic with libertarian leanings, you're more likely to be a moderate libertarian than an extremist libertarian.

 

[TheVictors]

I also watched the 3rd Party Debate and thought Johnson did well for himself. But there is a disconnect between the philosophical foundations of Libertarianism and the party platform as constructed by politicians seeking office today. This guy I was arguing with was asserting that if I said I was "Libertarian" that I had to agree with the party platform, period. I reminded him of certain platitudes in the GOP that I know he didn't agree with to make my point...

But in another context, I think proclaiming oneself to be "libertarian" these days is fashionable, especially for people like Dennis Miller and other Politic-atainers. By being "libertarian" you excuse yourself from the binary crap that is either Black or White, Dem or Repbublican.

It's an easy way to rail against "big government" regardless of who is in office and to contort what it is you mean by "big government" when it is your (GOP) party that is in office and you can assert "Tea Party" fundamentals and call them "libertarian."

True Libertarianism cannot be meaningfully applied to a nation the size of the US today, as is the case with most philosophical beginnings.

Hell, try telling a Tea Partier that they live in a Democratic Socialist Republic and they'll accuse you of treason and of being a "pinko commie" (which we all know is just ..."bad.")

 

[tinselwolverine]

I think being pragmatic tends to push people towards being a moderate version of whatever they are. If you are pragmatic with libertarian leanings, you're more likely to be a moderate libertarian than an extremist libertarian.

Cool.

You might be the first person who has used the term "moderate libertarian" in the history of time.

Then again, you're also the first person in the history of time to have been up on the roof flying a kite with both a digital television channel changer and a beer tasting spoon tied to the string during a tornado event.

 

[redandguilty]

Cool.

You might be the first person who has used the term "moderate libertarian" in the history of time.

Then again, you're also the first person in the history of time to have been up on the roof flying a kite with both a digital television channel changer and a beer tasting spoon tied to the string during a tornado event.

Well I'm not going to pay for store-bought batteries just to change the channel! What kind of schmuck does that?