Why aren't more people libertarians?

[ClydeCoulter]

I think some people understand what is going on, but most people don't have a clue because sound monetary principles are not taught. The CEO may know exactly what he is doing. The retired pensioners probably don't understand what is going on and neither do the elderly. They look at it as if they paid their dues and do not look at it as a monthly shakedown of the young. They believe they have earned their position. That is a misunderstanding of what is going on.

More importantly, many young people are buying into doing away with government as the solution to their problems. They see government as their enemy rather than understanding the proper role of government. That is a misunderstanding of how to achieve liberty.

Ron Paul talks about the virtues of sound money all the time. He also talks about obeying the constitution. While most people see Ron Paul as the champion of liberty, they do not hear his message of being the champion of the constitution. His message is misunderstood.

So I see most people in America as being misinformed, intentionally, rather than being informed and understanding their world. They are propagandized in school, media, Hollywood, their churches, and online.

That is why I wrote that I did not buy AF's line, "But here's the fundamental problem: people understand, they understand perfectly what is going on, for the most part."

I think most people misunderstand rather than understand.

Yes.

I'm still in the process of "de-programming". I learn more each day, some from you all here, some from other sources/experiences.

I don't label myself as "libertarian".

I am having discussions with a couple of people, online (my oldest son and a brother-in-law). I'm listening and responding, hopefully we are each learning. Learning, if nothing else, how to discuss things without pointing fingers at each other.

We all have our own programming to deal with. Maybe some things won't be understood right now. Is pro-choice or pro-life the better moral choice? Does god(s) really exist? Some things won't matter until we learn to deal with one another and live with each other in the situation we are in already.

For every saying, that seems to make sense, there's an atidote. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink", "give him salt tablets". I think sayings and parables are just as bad a propaganda as any other tool, or can be. They, sometimes, give pat stances that prevent good discussion. I often times have to combat these things when trying to have a good discussion.

etc...etc...etc...I'm still learning

 

[SilentBull]

I think it is the fact that libertarianism is just never presented to the American people, by the media. They always hear only 2 sides to every issue. Many people would agree with libertarianism if only they knew that the option existed.

 

[July]

I think it's a combination of things.

First of all, most people actually don't realize they aren't free already. In America, we are always told we are the most free country on earth. But what do we have to compare it to? Few people check to see if that claim is really true, unless they travel a lot, which is not most people. What did Mises say about human action? That the opposite of action is not inaction, it is contentment. So when you are content, there's no real effort to change an existing state of being, because you are satisfied as you are.

Second, libertarian history and ideas aren't taught to children when they are young, and young people have few libertarian adult role models and elders to look up to as they age. So people will tend to follow their peers, and follow the example of others. Philosophy and politics isn't really taught either. And most people aren't taught real economics. So ignorance does play a part.

And lastly, the kind of personality profile that is curious, willing to challenge convention, who are intellectual, or naturally anti authority enough to go digging for the truth, or who are able to break free of propaganda, are rare personality types.... Personality types like INTJ or INTP, for example, are RARE. And those are the kind of people who tend to be early adopters, etc. The majority of society won't jump on board with an idea until it is popular and mainstream enough. Which is why libertarianism will never be popular until it can be mainstream and familiar to people.

I think it is possible for libertarianism to be popular and status quo someday. It's going to take a lot of deliberate effort by people who have naturally individualistic and anti authority dispositions to push themselves to be role models and leaders, though. That isn't so easy for many of us. It will also take naturally intellectual types with a willingness to present the message in a simplified way for the masses, so te ideas can enter the mainstream. This is easier said then done, because the very idea of doing that repels many with this kind of personality type.

 

[presence]

What's to sell?

Rule 1 - Mind your business.

Rule 2 - Keep your hands to yourself.

What's to sell? Convincing other people it is worth exploring and managing all the paradoxes those two rules create without creating more rules.

 

[SilentBull]

And lastly, the kind of personality profile that is curious, willing to challenge convention, who are intellectual, or naturally anti authority enough to go digging for the truth, or who are able to break free of propaganda, are rare personality types.... Personality types like INTJ or INTP, for example, are RARE. And those are the kind of people who tend to be early adopters, etc. The majority of society won't jump on board with an idea until it is popular and mainstream enough. Which is why libertarianism will never be popular until it can be mainstream and familiar to people.

Exactly. Most people just follow. Even if most people were "libertarian" only a minority of them would actually be able to explain why they are libertarian. People like us will never be the majority. But we can make our ideas mainstream enough so the rest of the people will follow, even if they are following for the wrong reasons.

That's why sometimes it is not worth wasting our time explaining every little detail of Austrian economics to people if what we want is for them to vote for our candidates. Our message needs to be simplified for those who really don't care to actually study the issues. For example, in a recent article I wrote I explain that federal student loans enrich the schools, and don't help the students. This message is received better than trying to explain to a liberal, Austrian Economics.