Smear tactics are used quite often in politics (see http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/8092 for what smearing is). I find it awkward that a lot of thinkers have put so much thought in the economics and the society that would come about from classic liberal/libertarian/anarcho-capitalist theories... yet they miss one thing that they haven't dealt with : how to deal with the masses and the mainstream when it becomes popular.
As we know the MSM does a very good job at smearing political candidates... and smearing political ideologies. Once austrian economics becomes popular and people become delusioned with statist ideology like supply side economics and progressive thought how would you people handle the smears? Ron Paul already is a huge advocate of supply side economics... many love him and there are those that hate him.
So what happens when the statist MSM demonizes austrian economics because it's the opposite of everything they hold dear and it shakes and destroys their world-view about big government? What's the plan? It's not often that when a different view other from the false left-right paradigm in that we're in today comes about... and when someone expresses a different view they get demonized. So I want to know how that publicity would be dealt with.
You deal with the MSM by not paying any attention to it.
jmorris84:You deal with the MSM by not paying any attention to it.
Indeed. We shouldn't be trying to convince those people who don't want to be convinced (e.g., your typical MSM audience). If the idea gains enough momentum, media won't be able to stop it anyhow.
Life and reality are neither logical nor illogical; they are simply given. But logic is the only tool available to man for the comprehension of both.—Ludwig von Mises
Life and reality are neither logical nor illogical; they are simply given. But logic is the only tool available to man for the comprehension of both.
Smear campaigns are enormously expensive to mount, and for this reason are only truly useful in elections with only two candidates. Any smear campaign directed at austrian economics would only attract attention to it, and give the Mises Institute the opportunity to set the record straight for new people.
The fallacies of intellectual communism, a compilation - On the nature of power
The Internet is increasingly cutting the ground out from under the MSM. If the MSM were a cancer patient, we'd be worried for it.
Why anarchy fails
AJ: The Internet is increasingly cutting the ground out from under the MSM. If the MSM were a cancer patient, we'd be worried for it.
I think you underestimate the power that the MSM has on the sheeple. The MSM could easily just go out and say that all of the people here on this forum perpetuating these ideals are just anarchists and they could argue and say that our ends is the total abolishment of the state. We could respond by saying that not all of us are anarchists and that a majority of us are actually either classical liberals/libertarians... and it's just that anarchists are a driving force of the movement. But you have to keep in mind that a majority of people believe in what the MSM tells them too... so you would really have to have a plan to deal with it. I guess it would be a good time to set the record straight (in response to what someone else said)... but you're dealing with people that don't act rational here.
SilentXtarian: But you have to keep in mind that a majority of people believe in what the MSM tells them too...
I think this is become less true with every passing day. Unless they're watching the MSM outlets for information on the Kardashians. In which case, they have me beat.
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David Z
"The issue is always the same, the government or the market. There is no third solution."
David Z: SilentXtarian: But you have to keep in mind that a majority of people believe in what the MSM tells them too... I think this is become less true with every passing day. Unless they're watching the MSM outlets for information on the Kardashians. In which case, they have me beat.
I would disagree with you. I think that more and more people are just now starting to go away from the traditional media like fox news... and now they're just going to other types of media like MSNBC and CNN. There hasn't really been more of an awakening going on- it's just the same people just going to a different statist news source. I think that the people that you see going away from the MSM are the ones who have always been against it... other people just go to biased internet websites- which essentially is just the same as the MSM just in a more specialized format.