I remember being impressed by something Reagan wrote:
"'You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man’s age-old dream — the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order — or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path.'"
There was a practical side to Reagan's philosophy that I always admired. I tend to deal with problems one issue at a time and I try not to let labels serve as a shortcut or detour. But, I am getting older and bit slower, probably.
Thanks for introducing me to this author. ;-)
I follow what I dub a "grand unified field theory" of Social Dynamics. My philosophical Universe is highly ordered and supported by strong foundations built on very basic philosophical principles.
Things that don't fit properly into my ordered Universe I dub as "mistakes"; Places where humanity should have gone in a different direction.
For example, Liberals believe in Libertine sexual behavior. Pragmatically this causes pregnancy, unwanted children and disease. (both physical and mental) Their response is to push for contraception, abortion, medical technology to cure the disease, and Welfare and state homes to deal with the unwanted children. That many of these consequences manifest problems far beyond the initial problem is also lost on them.
The correct move, is to not get into such behavior, and to get other people not to do it either.
As with Slavery, the correct answer is to not go there in the first place, as opposed of trying to deal with the consequences of doing what "felt good at the time."
Thanks for introducing me to this author. ;-)
You are welcome. He is very good, and has written quite insightful things regarding the nature of the left, which is in fact, the more primitive/evil aspect of everyone's nature.