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Principles are Universal, not Convenient

by | 11:31 am, October 28, 2009 | 3 Comments

Last night I attended a DMYR general meeting.  Brett Moore, the night’s MC, asked me to attend so that I could plug my awesome website Complete Colorado. (if you pay attention to the Drudge Report check us out, we are the state based Colorado Drudge, but only better).  Needless to say, my presence at such a Republican event was shocking to some.

Mike Rosen was the keynote speaker last night and evidently, he also looks at this website.  (hi Mike).  He mentioned during his time on stage that he saw the comments on the blog post promoting his attendance at the DMYR event.  The comments he was referring to were made by myself, Michael Sandoval, and Dave Williams — the Colorado Libertarian Party chair.  Dave mentioned that Rosen was in favor of the GM bailouts.  I mentioned that Rosen holds the distinct honor of knowing the most about Austrian economics, while simultaneously holding statist views.  Turns out, Rosen read the comments and responded to them saying he was “reluctantly for TARP.”  He added that he is still reluctantly for TARP because doing nothing would have been far worse.  He then went on to say that he has studied Austrian economics extensively, including having read Mises’ Human Action “cover to cover.”  But, he goes on to say, we live in “reality” and in this world, doing nothing was “not on the table.”  He then went on to criticize all us “principled” folks who stood against, and still stand against, any and all bailouts.

Well okay Mike.  That’s all well and good, being wishy washy on your soft principles, but don’t forget that you criticized Republicans during the George W majority years for compromising on their principles in order to stay in power – both on the radio AND in your speech just 10 minutes before you justified your own compromises.  You can’t have it both ways Mike.  Furthermore, just because doing nothing was not on the table politically doesn’t mean you had to compromise your principles.  Are you in politics?  What did you have to lose by staying principled Mike?

The fact is, Mike Rosen views his “principles” like all Republicans and Democrats view theirs – by convenience.  When it is easy and convenient to hold a principled position, they do so.  When times get tough or they stand to lose something, they magically lose their principles.  And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that is not what the definition of a principle is — a principle is something that is applied UNIVERSALLY, at all times to all people, in all situations.

What Republicans and Democrats refer to as principles are merely preferences.

If stopping an employee from negotiating a mutually agreeable wage with an employer is wrong because third parties do not have the right to infringe on voluntary transactions, then one conclusion we can draw is that the minimum wage is immoral.  Now take that principle and apply it universally, to all parties, at all times, and to all contracts, decisions, and transactions.  Think about it. Do you not like the outcomes you get in some scenarios?  Too bad. Those are the consequences you must deal with when principles are applied universally.

Is it wrong to kidnap another human being against their will?  Yes?  Okay, now apply that principle to all parties, at all times, ever in history?  Oh no!  You mean we cannot conscript soldiers during war?  You mean we can’t force people to sit on juries they don’t want to?  Too bad.  Those are the consequences you must deal with in order to claim you are principled.

I realize that applying basic principles universally is scary, as some of the outcomes we reach are sometimes outcomes we are uncomfortable with.  However, applying principles universally is an important thought experiment that allows us to see whether we really believe in something or we don’t.

Let me close by suggesting just two principles I live by and apply universally.  You are more than welcome to run millions of thought experiments in order to reach as many conclusions as possible with these two — warning: some outcomes will scare you.

First principle: You own yourself.  No one else has a higher claim on you than you do.

Second principle: It is ALWAYS wrong to initiate force on someone else.  (notice the use of the word initiate.  Self-defense is absolutely moral).

As you can see, the second principle is really just a logical extension of the first principle.  In my view, all we need is the first principle, as everything else is logically deduced from principle one.

Please apply my two principles universally – to all people at all times, ever in history.  You will then see why I believe what I believe and how I reached my own conclusions over the years.

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Category: Capitalism, Economics, Philosophy

Comments

  1.   elpresidente
      October 28th, 2009 @ 11:38 am

    AnCap–
    1st: Except your girlfriend.
    2nd: Is the wearing of spandex considered “initiation of force”?

    LOL

  2.   BlueCarp
      October 28th, 2009 @ 2:50 pm

    Our current economic ship is being helmed by those “realistic” people in the two major parties. They are equally at fault. Their “realistic” compromises are driving that ship right into an iceberg. If you give this system your sanction, you are part of the problem. Rosen, and his smug “realism,” is part of that problem.

    I don’t think either Patrick Henry or Thomas Payne were realistic. I have no doubt the colonial versions of Rosen mocked them, too.

    One should not compromise with those trying to steal from you. When you do, you are complicit in your own theft. And you have no one to blame but yourself.

  3.   Anne Wood
      October 28th, 2009 @ 3:12 pm

    Curious if you apply these principles to your children. If so, you might be interested to learn about the philosophy of radical unschooling. :)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Unschooling

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