Klavan on Culture: Why Are Conservatives So Mean?

Counter-Revolution? What are you countering? Progressivism, caring for your fellow human beings, altruism, what? What's it like to have one foot planted in the 1950's? What's it like to be on the wrong side of history? Sure, I know most of you will disregard me as a "stupid liberal" or something equally witty, but I came by this page and I couldn't resist posting...btw, I used to be a die-hard Ayn Rand Objectivist (then I got a college education and pulled my head out of the sand...) - Signed, Left of Center

Thank you for the comment. I'm not sure why you assume that I don't
care about other human beings because I don't agree that coercion or
government intervention in their lives is a good way of showing that I
care. I take personal responsibility for those I care about and I
contribute to my community. If I cared less, I might think I could
simply delegate my duties in this regards to the government and give
myself compassion points for voting like a liberal, but I don't. It's
simple, I've observed government hurt people despite good intentions.
Hayek, Von Mises, Rand, Roepke, Hazlitt, and many others have explained
why this happens. It's not kindness to ignore this nor is it rooted
entirely in the 1950s (which saw a considerable growth of government and
beatnik social upheaval). I could say your liberalism is soooo 2008.
Haven't you noticed? The country is rediscovering the Right and you're
not cool anymore... My point is: unless your "wrong side of history"
comment is a veiled threat of marxist violence, it's just another way of
saying that I'm not trendy or cool. That's fine, I'd rather be correct
and I'm guessing you would, too.

In regards to your early romance with Objectivism, I enjoyed a similar
intellectual journey as a young person. I'm never sure I was on the
same page with either her more materialistic metaphysics or the
presentation of her ethics. Rand was an incredible talent, but I think
many people end up reading her nonfiction and interpreting it as more
egoistic in the German sense than she really was... or ought to have
been. I think Rand's rational self-interest really was more about
reason than self-interest, but I understand how a youngster in college
might have trouble defending the "virtue of selfishness" or some of her
more contentious language. You failed, but it's understandable. Hope
you'll make it back on a truer path someday.