Robert Bidinotto

Ayn Rand objectivists are more neocon than libertarian.Podcast episode for 11 August 2011.

Ayn Rand objectivists are more neocon than libertarian.Podcast episode for 11 August 2011.

Robert Bidinotto's Hunter

Robert Anton Wilson

Wilson's best known work was Illuminatus - an arcane conspiracy-based cult classic that won libertarian futurist awards. Wilson referred to his own beliefs as generalized agnosticism about everything.The biggest success of his freelance career was this three-volume satirical novel.

Wilson's best known work was Illuminatus - an arcane conspiracy-based cult classic that won libertarian futurist awards. Wilson referred to his own beliefs as generalized agnosticism about everything.The biggest success of his freelance career was this three-volume satirical novel.

Robert Anton Wilson (1932–2007)

Historians must use Rand's sense of life to make their best guess of how things happened when the past facts are lost.All history is partly conjectural, because our knowledge is always limited.

Historians must use Rand's sense of life to make their best guess of how things happened when the past facts are lost.All history is partly conjectural, because our knowledge is always limited.

Conjectural History

Riggenbach's review of Mitchell's book is mixed because he does not find a fit with the political perspectives described as individualist or paleolibertarian.

Riggenbach's review of Mitchell's book is mixed because he does not find a fit with the political perspectives described as individualist or paleolibertarian.

Eight Ways to Run the Country

Nathaniel Brandon and Sharon Presley saw the importance of psychology and the self-esteem movement for libertarians. People who lack self-confidence aren't likely to support efforts to achieve a free society, or even to understand why a free society is a desirable goal.

Nathaniel Brandon and Sharon Presley saw the importance of psychology and the self-esteem movement for libertarians. People who lack self-confidence aren't likely to support efforts to achieve a free society, or even to understand why a free society is a desirable goal.

Libertarianism and Psychology II

Ronald Hamowy and Ralph Raico were the best libertarian journalists. Their efforts included the quality publications New Individualist Review and Inquiry.It is not uncommon to see mainstream journalists accused of not bothering to read Hayek before they sit down to write about him.

Ronald Hamowy and Ralph Raico were the best libertarian journalists. Their efforts included the quality publications New Individualist Review and Inquiry.It is not uncommon to see mainstream journalists accused of not bothering to read Hayek before they sit down to write about him.

Libertarian Journalism in the '60s, '70s, and '80s

Forerunner of the Austrian School, Bastiat contributed high quality popularization of such legal and economic ideas as legalized plunder, everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else and the fable of the broken window in which what is not seen is as important or more than what is seen.Ludwig von Mises opined in the 1920s that Bastiat's "critique of all protectionist and related tendencies is even today unsurpassed. The protectionists and interventionists have not been able to advance a single word in pertinent and objective rejoinder."

Forerunner of the Austrian School, Bastiat contributed high quality popularization of such legal and economic ideas as legalized plunder, everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else and the fable of the broken window in which what is not seen is as important or more than what is seen.Ludwig von Mises opined in the 1920s that Bastiat's "critique of all protectionist and related tendencies is even today unsurpassed. The protectionists and interventionists have not been able to advance a single word in pertinent and objective rejoinder."

Frédéric Bastiat (1801–1850)

Psychologist Timothy Leary held LSD to be therapy. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz held that mental illness was a myth. Both libertarians opposed the war on drugs. Szasz and Leary often chose somewhat different public issues to speak out on, but both displayed an unwavering commitment to human liberty.

Psychologist Timothy Leary held LSD to be therapy. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz held that mental illness was a myth. Both libertarians opposed the war on drugs. Szasz and Leary often chose somewhat different public issues to speak out on, but both displayed an unwavering commitment to human liberty.

Libertarianism and Psychology

Suzanne La Follette

As the protege of Albert Jay Nock, La Follette's thinking reflected much of his own. Her valuable book Concerning Women stressed that the interests of the state are opposed to the interests of society and that economic freedom was needed for all not just for women. She was a rigorous opponent of all government interventionism.She had loved working with and for Albert Jay Nock. She had learned so much from him.

As the protege of Albert Jay Nock, La Follette's thinking reflected much of his own. Her valuable book Concerning Women stressed that the interests of the state are opposed to the interests of society and that economic freedom was needed for all not just for women. She was a rigorous opponent of all government interventionism.She had loved working with and for Albert Jay Nock. She had learned so much from him.

Suzanne La Follette (1893 –1983)

Although as a young man Kornbluth held leftist political views, he grew to share Rothbardian-style sentiments about the state. To Kornbluth the state was obviously just another criminal gang. His book The Syndic won the Libertarian Futurist Society's Prometheus Hall of Fame Award in 1986.Libertarian science-fiction fans under 40 are probably at least a little unclear on just who or what the Futurians were.

Although as a young man Kornbluth held leftist political views, he grew to share Rothbardian-style sentiments about the state. To Kornbluth the state was obviously just another criminal gang. His book The Syndic won the Libertarian Futurist Society's Prometheus Hall of Fame Award in 1986.Libertarian science-fiction fans under 40 are probably at least a little unclear on just who or what the Futurians were.

C. M. Kornbluth (1923–1958)

A podcast by journalist, author, editor, broadcaster, and educator, Jeff Riggenbach.

A great primer biography on the life of Thomas Paine prior to or after delving into the texts of Paine&#39;s writing.

Outstanding!

I have learned so much from listening to this podcast. Riggenbach has exposed me to many inspiring (yet unfortunately obscure) historical figures and thinkers whose ideas I found thought provoking and illuminating. This has greatly expanded my reading bucket list, thanks!

I wish new episodes were made

The Libertarian Tradition

Ayn Rand's books sell between eight hundred thousand and a million copies a year.Her first novel We the Living was admired by Mencken. Night of January 16th opened on Broadway. Her major novel The Fountainhead (1943) was "masterful". In the fifties, Rand (50) and Nathaniel Branden (25) begin a romantic affair with the consent of their spouses. Rand's husband Frank O'Conner played the role of her supportive wife. Atlas Shrugged (1957) was Rand's magnus opus. When Branden fell in love with a young girl, Rand spurned him and shut down the Nathaniel Branden Institute. The Objectivist movement imploded. Many then drifted into the libertarian circles.

Ayn Rand's books sell between eight hundred thousand and a million copies a year.Her first novel We the Living was admired by Mencken. Night of January 16th opened on Broadway. Her major novel The Fountainhead (1943) was "masterful". In the fifties, Rand (50) and Nathaniel Branden (25) begin a romantic affair with the consent of their spouses. Rand's husband Frank O'Conner played the role of her supportive wife. Atlas Shrugged (1957) was Rand's magnus opus. When Branden fell in love with a young girl, Rand spurned him and shut down the Nathaniel Branden Institute. The Objectivist movement imploded. Many then drifted into the libertarian circles.

A History of Ayn Rand

In Ayn Rand and the World She Made Heller goes to bat for Rand as a fiction writer. Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns is a poorer book because it is confused. Rand is not a Conservative. Most conservatives stand for mixed economies. They are proponents of big government and statism, not individual liberty and free markets.

In Ayn Rand and the World She Made Heller goes to bat for Rand as a fiction writer. Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns is a poorer book because it is confused. Rand is not a Conservative. Most conservatives stand for mixed economies. They are proponents of big government and statism, not individual liberty and free markets.

Ayn Rand and the Early Libertarian Movement

Goldfield's book fails at revisionism. The author does not grapple with the truth that the Civil War was not about slavery, that war does not boost an economy, and that Lincoln did not need to wage that war anyway.

Goldfield's book fails at revisionism. The author does not grapple with the truth that the Civil War was not about slavery, that war does not boost an economy, and that Lincoln did not need to wage that war anyway.

America Aflame

It is Republicans, not libertarians, who favor handouts to and special privileges for big corporations. And Republicans are not libertarians.

It is Republicans, not libertarians, who favor handouts to and special privileges for big corporations. And Republicans are not libertarians.

The Ignorance of the New Yorker

Frank Chodorov

You have only a few years to live and cannot hope to remake society in so short a time. Nobody now living will see a free society in America. But, in fighting for it, one can have a lot of fun. Consider the effort as a legacy to your great-grandchildren.

You have only a few years to live and cannot hope to remake society in so short a time. Nobody now living will see a free society in America. But, in fighting for it, one can have a lot of fun. Consider the effort as a legacy to your great-grandchildren.

Frank Chodorov, Educator

Benjamin Tucker

Tucker was a proponent, in the 19th century, of American individualist anarchism. He opposed war because it destroyed liberty, but he favored the allies. Tucker's contribution was as much through his publishing as his own writing. He published Liberty for twenty-five years and he opened a unique bookshop in NYC for other like publishers.

Tucker was a proponent, in the 19th century, of American individualist anarchism. He opposed war because it destroyed liberty, but he favored the allies. Tucker's contribution was as much through his publishing as his own writing. He published Liberty for twenty-five years and he opened a unique bookshop in NYC for other like publishers.

Benjamin Tucker: American Individualist Anarchist

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is thought to be the greatest work of the 20th century with 150 million readers. The book's thesis - Evil power cannot be defeated by power - is libertarian. Lord Acton phrased this concept as Power tends to corrupt and Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This was why the one ring in Lord of the Rings had to be destroyed.

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is thought to be the greatest work of the 20th century with 150 million readers. The book's thesis - Evil power cannot be defeated by power - is libertarian. Lord Acton phrased this concept as Power tends to corrupt and Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This was why the one ring in Lord of the Rings had to be destroyed.

J.R.R. Tolkien as Libertarian

Mencken saw the implications of where his thinking was leading him and he acknowledged those implications frankly. "I am," he wrote in The Smart Set in 1922, "a libertarian of the most extreme variety."I suppose you might call it elitist individualism. It's the sort of individualism that is focused on self-realization and self-expression, and Mencken never makes any secret of the fact that he is primarily concerned with the self-realization and self-expression of what he calls "the superior man," that is, the individual of substantially above-average intelligence. "There are minds which start out with a superior equipment, and proceed to high and arduous deeds," he wrote in 1926, in the very book Walter Lippmann was reviewing when he called Mencken "the most powerful personal influence on this whole generation of educated people."

Mencken saw the implications of where his thinking was leading him and he acknowledged those implications frankly. "I am," he wrote in The Smart Set in 1922, "a libertarian of the most extreme variety."I suppose you might call it elitist individualism. It's the sort of individualism that is focused on self-realization and self-expression, and Mencken never makes any secret of the fact that he is primarily concerned with the self-realization and self-expression of what he calls "the superior man," that is, the individual of substantially above-average intelligence. "There are minds which start out with a superior equipment, and proceed to high and arduous deeds," he wrote in 1926, in the very book Walter Lippmann was reviewing when he called Mencken "the most powerful personal influence on this whole generation of educated people."

The Elitist Individualism of H.L. Mencken

Karl Hess

"Some may wonder why it took Hess 20 years to notice all this, why it took a man this obviously intelligent so long to grasp that the Republicans were pretty much the same as the New Deal Democrats he opposed, but with window dressing."...

"Some may wonder why it took Hess 20 years to notice all this, why it took a man this obviously intelligent so long to grasp that the Republicans were pretty much the same as the New Deal Democrats he opposed, but with window dressing."...

Karl Hess and the Death of Politics

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