tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post9156487696641094031..comments2024-03-19T07:48:54.021-06:00Comments on Gus Van Horn: MacDonald: "The Abduction of Opera"Gus Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-21909051980979053182007-08-02T06:30:00.000-06:002007-08-02T06:30:00.000-06:00Doc,Thank you for the kind words, and for stopping...Doc,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the kind words, and for stopping by.<BR/><BR/>You are right that that the preservation of freedom will eventually require improvements in the political realm, but now is too soon for the kind of political action you advocate.<BR/><BR/>This is because of the complexity of freedom and the other concepts on which it depends.<BR/><BR/>For example, if I were to run for political office now, I would have two choices: (1) Be up front about my advocacy of freedom and get trounced since significant portions of the electorate think "freedom" includes "freedom" from having to work for a living, while others think it means the "freedom" to do the supposed will of an alleged God, whose existence I deny, by the way. (2) Let "freedom" be all things to all people while I'm on the stump. Then, once elected, I could get soundly defeated in one policy battle over another as my political opponents realize that my idea of freedom differs from that of their pet constituencies -- or just "go with the flow", making huge concessions every day in order to cling to "power". (But what good to the cause of freedom would being prisoner to the misconceptions and misunderstandings of others do?)<BR/><BR/>I would love to start improving the political picture now, but this will not be possible (beyond slowing our descent into chaos) for at least another generation or two.<BR/><BR/>Bad news to be sure, but the knowledge saves our time and effort for what really needs to be done, which is to effect a change in the will of the people -- where the real power of any culture ultimately lies.<BR/><BR/>GusGus Van Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-23363582557662529412007-08-01T19:16:00.000-06:002007-08-01T19:16:00.000-06:00I think we may need more than the following (from ...I think we may need more than the following (from your post): "To reverse this philosophic trend -- and ultimately save the West and its great art -- will require a long and patient reintroduction (and defense) of Enlightenment values to Western culture, as Ayn Rand pointed out and attempted to begin during her lifetime".<BR/><BR/>We may need a Randian candidate or political party to engage people in the virtue and philosophy of political economics in a way high schools and universities aren't. The Ayn Rand Institute is a good place to start via scholarships, but it is only a start. Capitalism, as a moral standard, is quickly fading and one wonders how much time do we have?<BR/><BR/>Thank you again for your time, talent and for setting a table rich for thought.<BR/><BR/>--Rick "Doc" MacDonaldRick "Doc" MacDonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03925428040124678898noreply@blogger.com