subscribe or follow us:                    

Murray Rothbards Teachings Have Made it to Pop Culture

16 comments

Posted by Gonzo Times on Aug 3, 2010 in Libertarianism, video | 16 comments

Did Rothbard by chance inspire modern pop culture? If he didn’t the same concepts are there. It is nice to see the philosophies of Rothbard in popular culture reaching younger generations if it was intended or not, the ideas are all there. Perhaps the next generation will embrace such ideas even more with such things out in the popular media. We can hope.

Suppose a society which fervently considers all redheads to be agents of the Devil and therefore to be executed wherever found. Let us further assume that only a small number of redheads exist in any generation – so few as to be statistically insignificant. The utilitarian-libertarian might well reason: “While the murder of isolated redheads is deplorable, the executions are small in number; the vast majority of the public, as non-redheads, achieves enormous psychic satisfaction from the public execution of redheads. The social cost is negligible, the social psychic benefit to the rest of society is great; therefore it is right and proper for society to execute the redheads.

Read More of Murray Rothbards’ Book “For a New Liberty” on Google Books:

Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

Powered by Facebook Comments

  • http://twitter.com/jckhewitt JC Hewitt

    Nice catch.

    • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

      I’m really thinking it was the inspiring work I could be wrong. It could be coincidence. If it is it is still the exact same message.

      • http://twitter.com/jckhewitt JC Hewitt

        Culture is a powerful force that libertarians have neglected to take advantage of for too long. Minus Atlas Shrugged, some very old novels, a few bands, a few sci-fi books, and a few philosophically confused comic books, we’ve neglected to push as hard as we could.That being said, anarchists have been punching way above our weight class for several years now. The belief system has broadened and developed legitimacy that would’ve been unimaginable just half a decade ago. Also, recent statist actions have made arguing against government actions as easy as shooting pickles in a barrel. Damn things don’t even wriggle anymore.

  • http://twitter.com/jckhewitt JC Hewitt

    Nice catch.

  • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

    I'm really thinking it was the inspiring work I could be wrong. It could be coincidence. If it is it is still the exact same message.

  • http://twitter.com/jckhewitt JC Hewitt

    Culture is a powerful force that libertarians have neglected to take advantage of for too long. Minus Atlas Shrugged, some very old novels, a few bands, a few sci-fi books, and a few philosophically confused comic books, we've neglected to push as hard as we could.

    That being said, anarchists have been punching way above our weight class for several years now. The belief system has broadened and developed legitimacy that would've been unimaginable just half a decade ago. Also, recent statist actions have made arguing against government actions as easy as shooting pickles in a barrel. Damn things don't even wriggle anymore.

  • Guest

    I think you forgot the “teaching” part and the link to Rothbard’s words directly.

  • Guest

    I think you forgot the “teaching” part and the link to Rothbard's words directly.

  • frosthazard

    I don’t see how this has anything to do with Libertarian thinking. Libertarianism is in itself the essence of ‘first do no harm’. Libertarianism espouses non-violence and not infringing upon the rights of others…I don’t see how killing anyone, regardless of the number or reasoning can get around that.

    • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

      Rothbard never condoned such a thing. This was more of a warning to the utilitarian libertarian. Aggression was something he was opposing with this example not condoning. You can read more about it in the book on google books, there is a link at the bottom. The book truly is one of the greatest, I strongly suggest it.

    • BDTR

      As the book says, defensive violence and even killing is justifiable, when used to prevent invasive violence.

      • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

        I think you may have read a different book. As he states at the beginning of the chapter, this was a critique to discredit the utilitarian philosophies which he argues are not acceptable throughout the book.

  • frosthazard

    I don't see how this has anything to do with Libertarian thinking. Libertarianism is in itself the essence of 'first do no harm'. Libertarianism espouses non-violence and not infringing upon the rights of others…I don't see how killing anyone, regardless of the number or reasoning can get around that.

  • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

    Rothbard never condoned such a thing. This was more of a warning to the utilitarian libertarian. Aggression was something he was opposing with this example not condoning. You can read more about it in the book on google books, there is a link at the bottom. The book truly is one of the greatest, I strongly suggest it.

  • BDTR

    As the book says, defensive violence and even killing is justifiable, when used to prevent invasive violence.

  • http://www.gonzotimes.com/ PunkJohnnyCash

    I think you may have read a different book. As he states at the beginning of the chapter, this was a critique to discredit the utilitarian philosophies which he argues are not acceptable throughout the book.