My Proposal

Okay in this previous blog post I ended with saying "Are you in?". At OO.net here I was asked by forum members Zip and Capitalism Forever what exactly I was proposing. To be truthful I didn't have a clear picture at the time, just a vague idea. I have been doing some thinking and had a few discussions on my current thought process in the chat room there, along with seeing how various people respond to different kinds of arguments.

At an Objectivist forum where most members take ideas seriously, one is dealing with a whole different set of people than when one deals with the general public. In general, this can be a good thing, however I have found that the bar of what is needed to "win" an argument is usually set too high. One simply can't take Objectivist principles as a starting point at such a forum because most people are just trying to "prove" how "intelligent" they happen to be by how well they can argue each argument starting from first principles each time, as if the context of an Objectivist forum is irrelevant. They try to give non-Objectivists the benefit of the doubt because they believe--usually incorrectly--that "discussions" on each piece of trivial nonsense that the non or even anti Objectivists can lead to some sort of "meeting of the minds", such that the interested will learn the correct ideas via long and sometimes annoying "discussions". This rarely happens. The only reason I bring this up here is because it shows how out of touch most self-proclaimed Objectivists are with how ideas are actually transmitted amongst the general public right now, not in their version of an Objectivist utopia. It shows how most do not know how to successfully promote change to our ideals in the short term, their arguments are only valid in the long term when the ideas have finally trickled down from the "intellectuals" and/or thus need to be preserved.

This is done twofold. First mainly, most people are social metaphysicians in the sense that their respective ideas of right and wrong, and most of their political stances are not developed on rationally held principle, but instead, via what the general consensus of what their various friends and/or relatives spout to be true. Leftist ideas are running rampant among the average Joes of the world, they hear them from just about everyone around them, so that these bromides become to this majority of people the "truth". This is why we have an election in a few days between an explicit socialist versus a fascist. It is why we are daily accelerating towards a dictatorship in this country.

Second, as a corollary of the majority's social metaphysics we also have the mass media essentially telling people what to think. This is usually not always done explicitly, instead the ethics of Altruism are simply accepted as the given not to be questioned on not only the news shows, but also most television shows period regardless of the content. They don't go through some altruistic argument from first principles, or usually any arguments at all on television, the ideas are simply taken as the given, and the show goes on from there as if the basic ideas behind the content are simply beyond argument.

This brings me to my proposal(s). First, I would like to say that I think the work the ARI is doing is excellent, we absolutely need the spread of ideas from the top down. We need our "New Intellectuals" to spread them and once spread continue teaching our ideals to prevent their eventual fading, but this is a long term approach. We need to open a second front in this war of ideas, a front that works from the bottom up simultaneously.

We need to also use the mass media and the Internet to hasten the spread of our ideas to the common man that absorbs his ideas and values this way. Remember it is he who does the electing of the policy makers in this nation. We need to start a buzz that makes Objectivism and Capitalism the new thing that everyone is talking about. No that will not hold these ideas in place long term as the ARI's work will, but it creates a positive environment such that the "intellectuals" will be more willing to examine and/or accept the good instead of the irrational status quo that most do now.

What I am proposing is using television the way they use it. Create at least one, if not a few, programs--initially at least--on channels such as MTV, Discovery, USA, or similar stations, that begins by taking our ideas as the given. Make something edgy, cool, hip, and interesting. I'm thinking something like a cross between The Daily Show, Fox News, an MTV reality show, a Discovery "science" show like "Mythbusters", or the now defunct TechTV, and maybe something a little like that kids show iCarly. I'm thinking cool graphics, jump cuts, things that hold the interest of your average 15 to 40 year old person. Make it interesting, have "pretty and hip people" doing the hosting, keep the segments relatively short to hold the target groups interest, but most importantly--take the ideas and principles of Objectivism, egoism, and Capitalism as the given.

"They" do this everyday it; is our turn to do what they do, but turn it on it's head to work for us. This is how we can spread our ideas rapidly, and achieve those ideals in our lifetimes. And, no, we don't have to "take over" a cable station or something similar to do this, just market the idea to as many different station as is possible. These networks are always looking for new, edgy programming shows to increase viewership, and many will try just about any new type of programming as long as it's different and interesting. Yes, I know no one is stopping me from doing this myself and I am in talks with a producer friend of mine; whatever happens with that happens. But, I don't think I have all the connections and funding to personally pull this off.

Another idea would be doing something similar to this in the form of an Internet viral video, at least to begin with. That would be like today's version of those shows that used to play on local cable channels back in the 80's or whenever, but with the potential to create a much more vast audience. This would also have the advantage of being much cheaper, if unfortunately not as mainstream to begin with. But, it would be a start. I might try this myself, and I would definitely be interested in collaborating with any interested parties on such an idea.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate that I fully think that the ARI's top down approach is the correct one to take long term, but there are other ways to win battles in this war--in the short term--and I have listed a few above, that can hasten our victory in this war for the minds of men.

I haven't went into all the details, of what I have been thinking lately this is just the gist of it, but I would love to here your comment on the subject. Even if I personally don't have the wherewithal to bring these ideas to fruition, I wouldn't even be that upset if others did. I want freedom in my lifetime. And if it requires others acting on my ideas, then it is what it is. I would always know where the ideas originated and seeing them put into action and working would make me extremely happy.

Black Friday

I don't want to continue to beat a dead horse, but just as I expected the market is continuing to get worse by the day. Each day seems to be bringing us closer to economic collapse and increasing levels of socialism. I want to be wrong, but I am starting to think we may actually be at the beginning stages of a real life version of the events of Atlas Shrugged. This is somewhat of a cliche' among Objectivists, but it really seems to be happening. What we need to do is increase our level of activism of the right ideas at this time. But I am annoyed that there is only so much I can actually do because of my limited writing skills. But it is what it is, and I can only do what I can do.

It's Funny That They Just Don't Get It

This is more of a short commentary on the reaction to the market crash yesterday than anything else. It was sort of funny, in an ironic sort of way, watching the talking heads on Fox and elsewhere completely baffled when the the market took a dump yesterday rather than rising like they expected in the wake of the "bailout" legislation.

While what happened is exactly what I expected, since it is really the only thing that can happen when the government interferes with the economy on a nearly trillion dollar level, all they could talk about was why the "bailout" wasn't doing what they expected it to do--fix the "markets". It was just amusing watching people who claimed to be both "economic experts" and "fiscal conservatives" baffled that the plan wasn't working as they expected it should. It just shows how little even the so-called "experts" really understand how Capitalism actually works, and also why such a large intrusion into the economy can only cause the disastrous result that it has actually caused. It's also kind of funny, also in an ironic sort of way, that they now think that it will just "take time" for "positive" effects from the "bailout" to be seen.

It's funny, but it is also an extremely serious situation, because nobody seems to see that what is actually being created is a Depression not an economic recovery as they expect will occur. We need to use this disaster as an opportunity to advocate the right ideas--now. This is how we will eventually win this war of ideas and eventually stop this nonsense from ever happening again.

Justice is Finally Served

The following quote is good news, although it of course it should have happened in the 90's. This thug is finally going to probably spend the rest of his life behind bars as he has deserved for a long time.

The Hall of Fame football star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for gathering up five men a year ago and storming into a room at a hotel-casino, where the group seized several game balls, plaques and photos. Prosecutors said two of the men with him were armed; one of them said Simpson asked him to bring a gun.

This all I have to say on this for now, it's justice that this man is finally going to prison

Now We Are In Deep Shxt

I just read that the "bailout" bill has passed in the House, now all that it needs to become law is Bush's signature. We are in deep shit. Pardon my language. But this level of government intervention in the economy can probably only lead to one thing--a Great Depression, 21st Century style.

I don't want to sound like Chicken Little, but I'm afraid this time the sky is falling. What we need to do is use this horrible event as a chance to forward our ideas. From now on whenever the inevitable bad news on the economy hits we have to be out there countering it from all possible angles. We need to use this government created crisis to explain to the average non-philosophical citizen why it is the government that caused this mess and that it's actions are making it exponentially worse by the day.

We need to turn this national tragedy into an opportunity; an opportunity to advance our ideals of a better Capitalist and egoistic society.

To Defeat the Growth of Government it's Time to Win the War of Ideas

Many have written recently about the looming financial "crisis". While I have wanted to comment on this subject, what is there to say without echoing the chorus of our intellectuals that it is the government to blame for this mess and that any further intervention will only make the situation worse--much, much worse? This is, of course, true; but just because something happens to be true doesn't mean that it should be repeated ad infinitum.

So what new insights do I have to add on this subject? This is the question I have been asking myself. The answer in this case is none. The ARI and especially Yaron Brooks and Alex Epstein have this subject covered as well as can be done, in my opinion. This however does not mean that we--the advocates of Objectivism, Capitalism, individual rights, and rational egoism should keep our mouths shut.

We do live in a unique time in these early days of the 21st Century, my writing this post and your reading it is proof of that assertion. What I mean is, literally at all of our fingertips we have the power via our writing and the vastness of the internet's reach to convey our ideas and values nearly instantly to virtually anyone on earth.

So while, we have the luxury of relying on our movement's intellectual leaders to get ideas our ideas "out there" and they are doing an exellent job at ARI we also have the power to do it ourselves.

I am not going to repeat the mantra of the government creating this "crisis" via it's immoral intervention into the economy by way of regulations, the FED, Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, etc. because all that is obvious to "the choir". I am not going to mention that any "bailout" legislation that finally gets passed will probably lead us to the 21st Century version of The Great Depression and a huge jump to full-blown socialism because all that goes without saying if one accepts and understands the concepts of Capitalism and it's philosophical underpinnings--rational egoism and Objectivism.

What I want to suggest is that we all learn to use this amazing technology at our fingertips, known as the internet, to pass on our understanding of these truths to the general public. It is time for us to complete the American Revolution that was primarily a revolution of man's mind. It is time for us to learn to use all the available technologies available to us to spread our ideas of freedom.

First each of us needs to live our lives as best as we can, selfishly persuing our own goals, to serve as points of light that other rational men will want to emulate. Second, you must learn that it is in your rational self-interest to use the internet to share your ideals with the world, whether it's via blogs such as this, letters to your local newspapers expressing your views, or even just normal conversations with your friends and co-workers along a similar vein.

We have a great opportunity to show why are ideas are right--why the are the good. We now have the technology--the means--to do this on a scale previously unimagined. All we need is enough people willing to fight for the future--to fight, intellectually using today's advanced technologies--for freedom in their lifetimes.

We all seem to acknowledge the fact that to win at all this and to stop this march towards tyranny that seems to be accelerating almost by the day we must first win the war of ideas. We are involved in a philosophical war in which the American people are not completely at odds with us. For example, notice how the "bailout" plan failed a few days ago because of the vast numbers of people writing to their respective Congress members in disgust. We have the audience, we have the means, all that is left is the will--or more precisely, the productive effort of us ordinary men and women of the mind--to win this war of philosophical ideas. How many of us are ready to step up and use this oportunity to finally change the tide of this war in our favor? It won't be easy. Nothing worth doing usually is. But it is the right thing to do, and now is the time to do it.

Are you in? I am, because I value freedom and want to see the world as it could be and ought to be--in my lifetime. How about you?