Evan

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About Evan

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  • Interests
    Economics, Politics, Philosophy, History, Music Theory
  • Gender
    Male

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    Evan
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    not looking
  • Favorite Music, Artworks, Movies, Shows, etc.
    Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Caspar David Friedrich, The Office, Modern Family
  • Description
    I'm 18, and looking for people to chat with and to explore my interests.

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  1. Brant, as an incoming college student, there are many reasons why finding others with similar interests and values can be of tremendous benefit. Entering into a new, academically rigorous environment can be extremely stressful, especially if the environment you are entering is notoriously controlled by liberal ideology. I am not suggesting my life would be ruled by this group or any group, but it would be a great way for me to make new friends and participate in political and philosophical discussions/events.
  2. Wow guys, thank you for these wonderful and timely responses. I have some more information, and a couple more questions. The group I am considering joining, Young Americans for Liberty, is a large youth movement towards limited government. It was formed as a result of Ron Paul's 2008 presidential campaign. The group is very active, and holds informational sessions on issues such as police brutality and guest lectures from speakers such as John Allison of the Cato Institute. However, they also support Libertarian politicians. Say one task of this group is to support a Ron Paul-like figure in running for president. Should I support this as well? Another question: How do you think Ayn Rand would view Libertarianism today? Do you think she would show more disdain that her ideas have taken a backseat to such a broad, largely undefined movement? Or do you think she would be glad that general ideas towards freedom and limited government are growing?
  3. I am a rising college freshman at a large, well-respected public university. There is a group called Young Americans for Liberty, the "leading advocates for social and economic freedom and individual liberty on campus." As of now, I am planning on joining this group and seeing how it goes. Do you think it is moral for an Objectivist to join a Libertarian organization? I know dealing with Libertarian organizations is a highly-debated topic within Objectivism, and I would like to hear any opinions on this issue. I would love to join the organization, but am worried it could conflict too much with some of my beliefs. Thanks!
  4. I am a high schooler participating in a national oratorical debate, and we have to write a 8-10 minute speech on "some aspect of the Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen’s duties and obligations to our government." I wrote a speech that ended at 12 minutes, but realized that I had entirely missed the prompt. I had written 12 minutes of the Government's duties to its citizens, but almost nowhere mentioned was the reverse. What do you think? I am beginning to include how a citizen must be actively engaged in the political process, and select the voices they want to represent them. Any help in this matter? Thank you!
  5. I would like to see a consortium of private companies put up a military machine that can match China or Russia. What the hell does YB know about military matters? We have the best military machine that stolen money can buy. We won WW2 on stolen money and a draft army (that is involuntary servitude, by the way). So we funded a slave army with stolen money and beat the Fascists and the Japs bloody. Ba'al Chatzaf I'm late to this party, but I wanted to jump in to defend Yaron Brook. "At the age of 18 he was drafted into the Israeli Army. He served for three years (1979–1982), and was a First Sergeant in Israeli military intelligence." That is from his official biography here http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5151, but besides that the point he is making is not a technical one, it is a fundamental one. History has proven that a volunteer army is by far a superior army, and the idea of a draft is as far away from the concept of individual liberty free from government coercion as I can think of. Fighting in a war is a very moral cause, but fighting for something you were forced into to defend a nation you had no interest in upholding (in values or at that point in your life) is immoral.
  6. Thank you for the great answers everyone! I have been reading and thinking about this and think I have some answers, at least for myself. I started out by questioning the role of the government in establishing land, and found that basis valid as long as its purpose was the protection of private property. But how would it be acquired? The best example I could find were the Homestead Acts of 1862, in which the government have 160-acre pieces of land to people at very little cost, and the property became theirs when they maintained it and used it as means of production. But what about land that no one owns, like the Great Lakes in Michigan? The answer to me is now simple. How do you stop people from polluting, littering, dumping toxic materials anywhere they please? Private property; you have someone care about that land.
  7. Hey BaalChatzaf, I understand that every spot should be private, but how could it be? Could every spot of land in existence be privately owned? What happens to the land that simply no one owns? Could I walk on and claim it all?
  8. I was talking with a friend about Capitalism yesterday, I am very for it and they seem to have a mixed liberal perspective on the matter. She said, "not every spot of land can be private," which really got me thinking. I don't know enough about how land is originally acquired at the start of a country, and what a country really is. In a Capitalistic society, what would happen to every mountain or stream that simply is not owned by anyone? Could you "settle" there and claim it as your own? I am very confused on this matter and would appreciate any knowledge.
  9. I am 16, and have been an Atheist ever since first reading The Fountainhead 2 years ago. I have told my parents before but they seemed to just let it go as a childhood passing. But now, they want me to go to church for Easter and I have told them I do not want to go. They paid for a ticket at the dinner as well, and I told them that I would pay for the ticket if I didn't have to go. Since I am still a minor should I let them force me into going? I really find it harmful to me.
  10. Evan: Thank you. Out of curiosity, why would they not have explicitly stated that conclusion? Adam Adam, The same reason Ayn Rand didn't end up naming Anthem "Ego."
  11. They are advocating Romney. http://www.peikoff.com/election/ That is Leonard Peikoff's advice on voting, and never before has it been more needed.
  12. I don't see what difference it would make if we found unfrozen water, or even life on Mars. Either way, the discovered creatures (if they did exist) would almost certainly not be rational. And even if they were, of what benefit would it be to us? Deal with the Earth. Interest in interplanetary travels arose from an advanced, wealthy civilization, frankly with altruistic intentions.