Re: MD the ideology of capitalism - the Ayn Rand question

From: Arlo J. Bensinger (ajb102@psu.edu)
Date: Wed May 11 2005 - 01:25:55 BST

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    Platt,

    > I agree. I don't see how what I said contradicts what you point out. I
    > never claimed that you or I or any other person exists apart from the
    > social, biological, society, biology, or inorganic levels. As individuals we
    comprise all levels, plus the ability to respond to DQ. That doesn't preclude
    our being self-reliant people who earn their own way as producers instead of
    sponging off others.

    I guess my point was that those who make use of, for example, publically-funded
    libraries, or public roads, or even enjoy recreational access to our state
    parks, are not "sponging off others". Society as a whole benefits when more
    people have more access to these infrastructure supports. This in turn produces
    "more wealth", which in turn can be applied to strengthening infrastructural
    support.

    I don't think our disagreement on this diverges until we talk about programs to
    help the severely disenfranchised (most of which, I do admit, have failed...
    mostly because they have been band-aid solutions at best). That is, I think the
    societal benefit of a public roadway system is for most people self-evident,
    same with public libraries and museums.

    I am only emphasizing the reciprocal relationship between these things and the
    "wealth" any generation can produce. That is, it is easy to see them as nothing
    more than "products", rather than support (latches) than enable individuals to
    produce greater wealth.

    Does "sponging" occur? Of course. When the government deliberately keeps
    unemployment set at a particular level to offset inflation (for those of us
    working), by definition those without income "sponge"? What is the alternative?

    Arlo

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