Your Objectivist Big Tent Doesn't Exist
Posted by WesleyMooch 12 years, 3 months ago to Philosophy
For those who believe Objectivism is the Big Tent that welcomes Reaganites, Ryanites, Christians, Libertarians (my camp, but less so by the day), and all other manner of rabble -- it isn't and doesn't.
Objectivism doesn't compromise.
A is A.
Objectivism doesn't compromise.
A is A.
This process of reason, checking your premises, re-evaluate and approach it again is what I like about Objectivism.
I do not consider myself any of the groups mentioned, nor a constitutionallist. I am me, I am on my own journey towards understand all the truth there is to understand, and so should be any person.
When confrunted with a situtation that I think is right but does not stand up to a mental test of reasoned thought, I look for a new answer, new truth. To me that is the way of anyone who really wants to get to the best solution to a problem, and not necessarily prove their solution to be correct. To many that consider themselves one of these groups have lost sight of that, and there are very few if any liberals/progressives that have not lost sight of the search for truth completely.
However I also think it impossible to separate ones politics from ones religion and either of those from ones philosophy. If they are not interconnected you get a dichotomy (or more) of existence and essentially conflict with self.
While each of these three are generally in seperate arenas, I think a person has to evealuate themselves and the world around them by these three. Together they make up a code by which one lives there lives.
Note: It is important to clarify the definitions of these three terms as I intend them to be.
Religion does not indicate a necessity of a belief in god, thought I do have a belief in a god.
Religion is to me a set of values by which one lives their life, Philosophy is a detailed and scientific view of those values and politics are those values in action through discussion and law.
Also, people can agree on a philosophy and disagree on how to apply it.
In its simplest form religion is defined (World English dictionary) as "Something of overwhelming importance to a person" and goes on to use football for an example of a persons religion.
The term religion means very different things to different people. Atheism for example is a religion in my view and should be classified as such with Buddhism or christianity. All are about a code of life that one should live by
Religion is also defined as;
"a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects"
and
"a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs."
(From dictionary.com)
All of these definitions align with my view of religion well.
I respect the fact that my view of religion does differ from many views, that is the nature of so OK with that..
"Big Tent Objectivism" simply means welcoming people who hold reason as their absolute, who place nothing higher than the judgment of their own minds, who believe in Objective Reality, and who believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with being selfish.
And it simply isn't proper to describe people with whom you disagree as "rabble." You can learn anything from anyone, and there's nothing wrong with welcoming "Reaganites" or "Ryanites" (ridiculous neologisms) into a conversation that they probably have never considered before.
WHY?
Because we have the same ideals. Ideaological sameness leads to consistency. Objectivism is an ideology. Many people claim to agree with Rand, yet somehow are still just party hacks or defend persons of bad policy.
I was able to predict Ron Pauls debate answers because we have the same philosophy, the same ideals.
Ayn Rand had a book where so many people agreed in the Gultch because they all held the same moral code and were consistent. They were black and white...NEVER gray.
human nature unfortunately shows that a majority of people here will be gray..its just life. These are the people I think "Wesley" is refering to.