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The "Cult" of Rand: A Philosophical Analysis | 82 comments (82 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Radical Libertarianism (none / 0)

I agree with that thesis. (I am also aware of your postings elsewhere which I have followed with interest)

I also prefer the open mechanics of sites such as this, which provide peer-rating for recommendation and elevation of diaries and comments, with the possibility of admonishment for trolling. It seems to work well, though trolls are scarcer than live turkeys on Boxing Day round here.

I too regard myself as Libertarian, though of a lightweight intellectual variety. Perhaps Compromised Libertarian would be more accurate.

I was shocked to find Rand described as Libertarian, and some of her pseudo-Gnostic views troubled my own leanings in that direction. But it is all a problem of words as placeholders for meaning. Which is why your carefully argued posts always make clear the substance behind the labels.

Might I ask if you have come across Synarchism in your philosophical delvings?

you can't be me

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 11:49:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Radical Libertarianism (none / 0)

Ahhhh damn it!! You see, I put my own foot in it by not being clear enough: this is the BIGGEST sin in analtyic philosophy, for heaven's sake. I would been flunked out of a first semester course in political philophy for writing something like that.

Sorry everybody who's readinf this, I'm sinply not a political libertarian tout court (left or right) no matter how stretched the defintion. What I meant to write was that I'm a strong civil libertarian and a I take the very liberal interpetation of the First Amenedment in particlar.

I apprecaite the distinction between the libertarianism/anarchism (in the sense of Chomsky) that I think you are talking about and the Libertarianism movement that Ayn Rand is associated with.

Synarchism is synonymous with anarcho-syndicalism, if I mistake not. No?? If so, then, of course I've read some about the movement and its history but it's not something I come across very often in philophical literature. This is almost certainly because I have'nt' specifcally looked for it though.

"And the end of all our journeying shall be to arrive back where we started and know the place for the first time."----TS Eliot

by gilgamesh (expat at yahoo dot it) on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 12:34:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Synarchists (none / 0)

Born of 19thC occultism/Kabbalah (Papus et al), adopted by German Fascists, connections to Nietsche etc, prominent supporters among international banking circles, major European industrial dynasties. Lord Beaverbrook alleged supporter, R.Murdoch and Conrad Black (Hollinger) were Beaverbrook's disciples.

Trail moves over to US post-war with Rand, Leo Strauss and then onto to Wolfowitz, Cheney etc. (Not forgetting Kissinger and Hollinger, nor Preston Bush's involvement with Hitler, nor the financing of Nazism by bankers in tune with Synarchism, or even the Carlyle Group - though here I am indulging in some fantasy probably. However the facts of these connections are out there)

In a somewhat loose nutshell, modern synarchism discards plural democracy in favour of elitist industrial/banking rule by the few, in which entire social fabrics are woven into totalitarian economies.

It is the ultimate religion of the super-rich. Sound familiar?

you can't be me

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 01:30:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Synarchists (none / 0)

I confess my ignorance on the matter. You're making some extraordinarily broad international and trans-historical assocations here, though. I obviously can't simply the exitence of such associations on your word alone. I will conduct my own indepedent investigation into "synarchism" starting from its 19th century roots and take it from there.

I can ceratinly see how Leo Strauss might fit into this strain of thouhght. But I am profoundly convinced that Ayn Rand's "philosophy", for one, was a melange of bad ideas from various sources, as I illutarted in the artcile (and most sholars who have studied her agree with me) which she refused to acknoweldge. Otherwise, I wouldnìt have written this diary, would I?

"And the end of all our journeying shall be to arrive back where we started and know the place for the first time."----TS Eliot

by gilgamesh (expat at yahoo dot it) on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 01:53:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Synarchists (none / 0)

I understand this view is very popular among LaRouchistas though: trilateral commision and secret societies?? No, I'm not quite that gullible, Sven....

"And the end of all our journeying shall be to arrive back where we started and know the place for the first time."----TS Eliot

by gilgamesh (expat at yahoo dot it) on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 02:07:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

LaRouche (none / 0)

has of course made a dog's breakfast fantasy of the history, but the connections and credo remain. Putting Strauss as the mentor of Wolfowitz eg would be admitted by the man himself.

The question is: how much of the Leo Straussian worldview has been influenced by historical Synarchism and how much by other Germanic schools? From what I have read of historical Synarchistic worldviews there is quite a lot.

There's an interesting bit of history at (sorry for scrappy link):

http://www.sianews.com/modules.phpname=News&file=article&sid=1007

you can't be me

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 02:51:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"The BLOGOSHPGERE IS GONE; FOLKS!!" (none / 1)

You play interesting games, Gil ;-)

you can't be me

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 05:02:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "The BLOGOSPHERE IS GONE; FOLKS!!" (none / 0)

Yeah, but just like in the real world of politics and social life, it's extremely difficult to score the big points in these games without money and/or power of some kind. This applies as much to the left as to the right, hypocritically enough.

"And the end of all our journeying shall be to arrive back where we started and know the place for the first time."----TS Eliot

by gilgamesh (expat at yahoo dot it) on Tue Aug 16th, 2005 at 05:50:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Very Apt (none / 0)

The subserviance to Rand (the 'Ayn and Only') of the supposed Individualistic Objectivists - excuse me - Students of Objectivism has baffled me for years.

Rand as a pseudo-Gnostic nails it.

by ATinNM on Mon Aug 15th, 2005 at 01:15:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The "Cult" of Rand: A Philosophical Analysis | 82 comments (82 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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