Liberalism - The Sirens Song
From Wikipedia:
After reading the above some of you are probably saying, "Whoa, that's not liberalism, it's closer to libertarianism." Indeed, the above is not what passes for liberalism today. Modern liberalism is more closely associated with socialism, which Wikipedia defines as:
Common good is another expersion for public good. In the Nuttall dictionary, modern liberalism is given this definition:
One can better understand this definition if they consider how individual achievements may have to be sacrificed for the 'common good'.
Not withstanding, the lure of modern liberalism is strong. What's not to like about the elimination of poverty and war, the reduction of crime, and other feel good social programs? The lure of liberalism can be likened to the tempting call of the Sirens in the Odyssey, which if unconditionally obeyed spell disaster to the ships crew as they sailed past the isle where the Sirens rested.
The idealistic paths of liberal programs are covered with pitfalls of reality much like the shoals around the Sirens isle. Some examples: Welfare program end up enslaving the recipients to government hand-outs. Gun control takes guns from the non-criminals leaving the defenseless against real criminals. Liberal programs are the social Sirens call and as Odysseus did to his men, you do best to cover your ears until you are out of the range of the liberal tempations
Liberalism is an ideology which holds liberty as the primary political value and seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on the power of government and religion, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a free market economy that supports private enterprise, and a system of government that is transparent.
After reading the above some of you are probably saying, "Whoa, that's not liberalism, it's closer to libertarianism." Indeed, the above is not what passes for liberalism today. Modern liberalism is more closely associated with socialism, which Wikipedia defines as:
Modern or new liberalism as social liberalism which contends that society must protect liberty and opportunity for all citizens, and advocates some restrictions on economic competition, such as anti-trust laws and price controls on wages ("minimum wage laws.") It also expects governments to provide a basic level of welfare, supported by taxation, intended to enable the best use of the talents of the population, to prevent revolution, or simply "for the public good."
Common good is another expersion for public good. In the Nuttall dictionary, modern liberalism is given this definition:
Liberalism, Modern, “practically summed up” by Ruskin, in “the denial or neglect of the quality and intrinsic worth in things, the incapacity of discerning or refusal to discern worth and unworth in anything, and least of all in man.”
One can better understand this definition if they consider how individual achievements may have to be sacrificed for the 'common good'.
Not withstanding, the lure of modern liberalism is strong. What's not to like about the elimination of poverty and war, the reduction of crime, and other feel good social programs? The lure of liberalism can be likened to the tempting call of the Sirens in the Odyssey, which if unconditionally obeyed spell disaster to the ships crew as they sailed past the isle where the Sirens rested.
The idealistic paths of liberal programs are covered with pitfalls of reality much like the shoals around the Sirens isle. Some examples: Welfare program end up enslaving the recipients to government hand-outs. Gun control takes guns from the non-criminals leaving the defenseless against real criminals. Liberal programs are the social Sirens call and as Odysseus did to his men, you do best to cover your ears until you are out of the range of the liberal tempations
Justin B.
likwidshoe
Lestat
Ken McCracken
robert108
