I got in trouble last month for using the term “oligarchy” in, admittedly, a pejorative sense. Here’s what I wrote on Facebook: “No matter how one votes tomorrow, the winner will be oligarchy A or oligarchy B (where A = B).” Very good friends called me to task for this logic fallacy, justifiably so since I had committed several logic fallacies, the worst of which was the fallacy of begging the question. My premises assumed their own truth without establishment. Is the USA really run by an oligarchy?
Tag: ideology
Ideology, Identity Politics, and Politico-Cultural Conflict
The past year’s political events, especially the campaign for the presidency as it converged on a contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have illuminated the way in which ideology, with the identity politics that springs from it, drives a dialectical process: political domination creates resentment, which feeds reaction and, on occasion, revolution against a previously entrenched ruling class and its belief system.
Ideas Should Be Tested
Do Anarchists Have Any Reason to Celebrate?
Watching the media squirm, spin, and do everything it could to prevent the image of Trump’s total annihilation of Hillary Clinton has been entertaining, if not sad, to say the least. As an Anarchist, I don’t, nor did I, support either of these candidates, but even Anarchists have some reasons to be pleased tonight. What are those reasons?
The Buy Local Fallacy
Advocates of the “buy local” movement claim doing so betters the local economy. The economics and reasoning behind this claim are misguided at best. Here are three areas the locavore’s rationale is wrong.
Steve Patterson
Four years ago, I became an anarchist, and I’ve never looked back. My political philosophy now runs through my veins. But this wasn’t always the case. I used to be a young, apathetic conservative. Then, I was introduced to libertarianism, which slowly turned me into an anarchist. This might sound crazy, but I assure you, it’s quite reasonable, and many people share my same story.
Bye-Bye Stefan Molyneux – A Brief Introduction Into the “Connection” Between Anarchy and the Alt-Right
So are alt-righters and libertarian anarchists (AKA – Anarcho-Capitalists, Market-Anarchists – i.e. – actual anarchists) compatible in thought? In a word, no. But there is some nuance that is worth exploring. Keep in mind, this post isn’t meant to be comprehensive, but a rather brief introduction into any possible intersection between the two belief systems, if there is one, and to explore how deep that association goes and when and where it ends.
Indoctrination and Mind Control
Indoctrination, in the Webster II New College Dictionary is defined as “to teach to accept a system of thought uncritically”. Mind Control is a more intensive form of the same thing, requiring some form of physical or mental torture. Indoctrination and mind control can be used to instill a system of ideas before an individual has been subjected to any belief system or it can be used to change the system of beliefs already accepted by an individual.
The Reality of Things
Send him mail. “Food for Thought” is an original column appearing sporadically on Tuesdays at Everything-Voluntary.com, by Norman Imberman. Norman is a retired podiatrist who loves playing piano, writing music, lawn bowling, bridge, reading, classical music, going to movies, plays, concerts and traveling. He is not a member of any social network, nor does he…
On Statists
The biggest threat to my liberty and safety are not Muslims, nor even radical Muslims. In fact, the biggest threat to me are statists. A statist is someone who believes in political authority, that some people are entitled to rule, that is, to wage war against the self-interests of others using any means necessary (compulsory…