From: moormajb@vuse.vanderbilt.edu (Joseph Moorman)
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 00:27:54 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: politics
Message-ID: <9310210722.AA20629@necs.vuse>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



It has been suggested that the politcis discussion be taken to
another forum, which I am somewhat in agreement with (though
I've enjoyed reading all the messages).  I, however, want to
take issue with a point made by Robert J. Woodhead:

> The maintenance and improvement of [that] society, and the betterment
> of your fellow human beings, ought to be a primary goal.

Maybe it's your primary goal; it's certainly the goal of every Marxist/
Communist/Fascist regime that has every existed.  I'm not accusing you
of being any of these, but I wanted to point out that these ideologies
all support the idea that one's self-interest is somehow evil and that
only actions done for the benefit of society or "fellow human beings"
are worthwhile and moral.  

I contend that one's self-interest should be one's primary goal (it is
that one's choice however).  This self-interest when combined with honesty
and integrity is completely moral.  It implies a recognition of others'
right to be motivated by their own self-interests.  Governments are 
established in order to make sure that self-interests do not conflict
(e.g. my self-interest in having the money in your pocket and your
self-interest in keeping it for yourself).  The U.S. Government may have
initially served such a purpose, but it comes nowhere near that today.
I'm not saying there are any better places either; hopefully there will
be soon.  


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|                                                              |
|    Joe Moorman <moormajb@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>                |
|                                                              |
|    To achieve Liberty in my time,                            | 
|    Ready to relocate to Oceania...                           |
|                                                              |
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