The morality of Paul Ryan and the Republican Party
Posted by Charles II on April 19, 2011
Phoenix Woman has plowed this field before, but it should never be forgotten that the “conservative” movement has at the center of its morality the murder and dismembering of a 12 year old girl.
Via Think Progress and Thom Hartmann.
9 Responses to “The morality of Paul Ryan and the Republican Party”
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Phoenix Woman said
Indeed.
shrimplate said
Infantile selfishness.
Charles II said
I know an autistic man. Empathy is a concept completely alien to him. When he’s interested in something, you could be on fire, hanging off a cliff. It is not important to him. He does not notice.
Randers reminds me of him.
Daniel Nichols said
The murder and dismemberment of a 12 year old girl? Did I miss something?
Charles II said
Why, yes. Rather obviously, you did. It’s called a link. If you require a less technical explanation, please do let me know.
Phoenix Woman said
If you watched the videos to which Charles linked (and in fact posted) you wouldn’t have missed anything. But since you didn’t, here’s a good text-based link:
http://exiledonline.com/atlas-shrieked-why-ayn-rands-right-wing-followers-are-scarier-than-the-manson-family-and-the-gruesome-story-of-the-serial-killer-who-stole-ayn-rands-heart/
MEC said
I recently read an essay in the Independent the discusses the relationship between evil acts and lack of empathy. I think narcissism is a factor, too.
Daniel Nichols said
Sorry; the first video began so boringly that I just skipped to the second. Wish I hadn’t judged so hastily; it turns out very interesting indeed…
Charles II said
What makes this significant is the connection between the bastardized understanding of Nietzsche that Nazism misappropriated and the bastardized understanding of freedom which the Tea Party misappropriated. They both originate in the false doctrine that freedom is the elevation of the ego to godhood. But if one person gains great power, then he/she inevitably makes others powerless. Taken to the extremes–and Nietzsche and Rand were people of the extremes– this is freedom for one person, and slavery for everyone else.
The author with real insight into the nature of this false doctrine was neither Nietzsche nor Rand, but Dostoevsky, who wrote Crime and Punishment. As he shows, the “freedom” that those with the “Will to Power” seek is no more noble than the murder of a helpless pawnbroker.