One of my early influences was reading Robert Heinlein, so I really didn't get too swept off my feet by the lefties. I was more influenced by The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange land than by Rubin.
Heinlein corrupted me young with that healthy dose of libertarian leaning you should be responsible for your decisions pov that he was good at communicating.
And then there was Bradbury and Orwell, too, to show me the craziness of the leftist promise...
But I did read the Gita, too...and the Upanishads.
I was a precocious reader. I had devoured all of these before I was 16.
Well, I'll admit, I was nothing more than a faux hippie back then - I actually doorbelled for Goldwater as a child, (must have been in the 4th grade at that point) went to the '64 convention in Anaheim, CA with my mom and my "radical" reading list was designed to drive my teachers up the wall whenever possible. HA! I can't remember a time I haven't been a conservative in reality. Was I the only one to sob for days when Reagan lost his first bid for the nomination to Ford?
"Heinlein corrupted me young with that healthy dose of libertarian leaning you should be responsible for your decisions pov that he was good at communicating."
Which reminds me to make sure to keep a copy of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress in my daughters' room when she gets into her early teens. Gotta make sure she see's a good % of Babylon 5, most Star Trek, a LOT of History Channel (at least what's on these days), etc. Good VHS will still look "good enough" on a 13" TV...