A critique of defeatism
Today the Mises blog had the occasion of an incredibly pessimistic post by Mr Oliva. I don't agree with its tone, and I think it's counterproductive.
As Barack Obama continues to cry and stomp his feet over his
inability to spend trillions of dollars at whim, those who consider
themselves libertarians face the interminable conflict between optimism
and pessimism. Wendy McElroy
recently addressed this subject and concluded the best course is to opt
out of the debate altogether, "because I am tired to death of caring
deeply about matters over which I have no control."
I have a suggestion then: don't care so much. Libertarians would do well to become somewhat more stoic. I think many of us are too emotionally committed to the idea of changing the world. Why should we be? What do we owe them? If people are too heavily inculcated to liberate themselves from decades of being forcefed nonsense, to the point they cannot even reason properly, should we really be so disenchanted and frustrated at our inability to effect any change in how many of them think? Should this cause us to despair? Why? If anything, libertarians should continue educating the public, in the hope that if not the elders, at least the young will pick up on the mistakes perpetrated by those who exceed them in years (but certainly not wisdom.)
A number of Mises Institute folks have made the case for optimism,
specifically that the current economic situation will lead to a revival
of Austrian thought. Even if that's the case, it will come far too late
to prevent a collapse that has already begun. Ron Paul will not pull
some Austro-libertarian rabbit out of a hat and reverse the centuries
of decay brought about by the Government of the United States.
Individuals who've constructed their entire lives around the lies of
Keynesian mythology and American imperialism won't have an epiphany and
renounce their ways. They will continue marching themselves - and the
rest of us - into economic and political hell.
Stop crying over spilled milk! This is a key Austrian notion with regard to how it views costs. In fact, I think this collapse shall be both instructive and act as a good cathartic. Many people refuse to learn - and they will refuse to learn from it. We cannot stop informing them of their idiocy, so that they later can turn around and say they "didn't know"; they knew, or they chose not to know. The LVMI and many other institutes work ceaselessly to make knowledge of Austrian economics and libertarianism as widespread as possible. Those who ignore it, who choose to listen to the talking heads and the morons on soapboxes instead &c. were warned. Caveat emptor. Let them fall through the cracks. Perhaps such a purge is just what is needed. What we need to do is focus on those willing to listen, silence the naysayers through an intellectual onslaught (show no mercy!) and render socialist and statist ideas as pathetic as they are in their true form, when stripped of emotive rhetoric. Despairing over seemingly unalterable realities is pointless and detracts from this project libertarians can embrace. Libertarians need to toughen up, stop whining and stop despairing when they're not listened to, and instead be more proactive and figure out what they're doing wrong. Even if none of it is our fault - and I'd venture to say very little of it is - we cannot stop our goal of approaching the light, the truth as it were, and leading others to it, whosoever be inclined to follow. Mises, Hayek and Rothbard were adamant in the face of powerful adversity. They suffered far more than any of us pampered brats ever will. We should mimick their example, instead of reducing ourselves to shrivelled, moping gnats.
That
said, there's certainly a valuable role for organizations like the
Mises Institute and libertarianism in general - but it's to preserve
certain ideas for the benefit of future generations that survive the
current collapse. But make no mistake about it - almost everyone
reading this blog will be dead before any tangible benefits will be
realized.
Good, finally a glimmer of hope. Yet it is drowned out in sorrow and self-pity. Why?
Speaking for myself, I know my life has no purpose. I wake up every
day knowing I'm a step closer to financial destitution. I have no
regular income and no prospects on the horizon. I'm simply running out
the clock of my life to an inevitable conclusion. I can accept this
knowing that sometime in the future - maybe 100 or 150 years from now -
humanity will finally be in a position to begin the rebuilding process.
But I also know that nothing I write or say now will have any impact on
that future. And that's true of most libertarians who rant and rail on
a daily basis.
The end-result of excessive idealism: nihilism. Temper your enthusiasm, adopt a more stoic tone, cease taking things personally and desist from bewailing eventualities out of your control. 'Tis very Marxist. I know I have a purpose, of my own making: knowing the truth and helping others reach it, and silencing those who wish to spread nonsense and lies. If failure is striking due to powers outside your control, repurpose your existence and go on living. To the wilfully ignorant and the devious, well as far as I am concerned let them burn in hellfires of their own fabrication...
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.