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From: nrh@inmet.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Re: Libertarians in Space
Message-ID: <28200029@inmet.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 6-Jul-85 04:58:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: inmet.28200029
Posted: Sat Jul  6 04:58:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jul-85 03:21:00 EDT
References: <170@pedsgd.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:pedsgd:-17000:inmet:28200029:000:1283
Nf-From: inmet!nrh    Jul  5 02:58:00 1985


>/**** inmet:net.politics.t / pedsgd!bob /  3:46 pm  Jun 29, 1985 ****/
>Its not the fact that the assumptions of Libertarians about
>human behaviour might be wrong, its the fact that they might
>be right that scares the bejesus out a me. I, for one, dont want to
>live in a society which has elevated greed to be its highest virtue.
>/* ---------- */
>

Then what are you doing in New Jersey? :-)

Seriously, libertarians do not attempt to enshrine greed.  We merely
observe that people have differing goals, and different ideas on how
to pursue those goals.   We're trying to create a society in which people
may pursue those goals with as much freedom as possible.

That greed generates most of the hustle behind the pursuit of most of
the goals does not mean that libertarians LIKE greed, but merely
that we must deal with it.  In particular, turning it into a positive
social force by limiting greedy people's ability to ravage seems like
a good idea to me. 

Finally, bear in mind that libertarians do not expect greed to 
fund the Salvation Army, or supply great art -- I've no objection
to such things even if they are not created by "greed" (although
some other libertarians object to charity on any grounds), provided
that they do not involve initiation of force or fraud.