High Road to Serfdom

Accuracy in Academia ^ | April 15, 2014 | Malcolm A. Kline

[Sherman Logan]

I fail to see what advantage is gained by honoring families rather than individuals.

It’s an utterly losing cause, anyway. As Tocqueville noted in detail 175 years ago, family reputation over generations is not sustainable without governmentally or socially supported differential status. Since our Constitution specifically prohibits titles of nobility, I guess we’ll all just have to get along without them.

Why should I despise an honorable man from a poor, or even perhaps criminal family? Why should I honor a pervert or thug from a family that produced good men in the past?

[A'elian' nation]

Urbanization or no, I’d be satisfied with ownership of any mean hovel or Paula Jones style mobile home :)

[Ohioan]

You are setting up straw men, that no one is arguing for. Of course, it would be foolish to honor the "black sheep" of any family, regardless of status. Of course, it would be idiotic--as well as unfair--to "despise" any honorable man, rich or poor.

But you continue to argue against the way all human societies--as well as sentient animal species--actually behave.

Nor is it a problem--rather a solution to corrupting influences--when families do fail to sustain their reputations.

My point is not any of your straw men. My point is that equality is not a worthy goal, whether it be achieved by leveling wealth or leveling social position. Excellence, yes! Equality, only before the Courts of law, where the merits of each situation, should be fairly weighed.

William Flax

[Sergio]

bkmk