Libertarianism a "ideology of privilege for socially obtuse adolescent white guys"?

[alp227]

The Liberal Values blog excerpts from "" by Will Wilkinson at The New Republic:

Yet it irks me that, as far as most Americans are concerned, Ron Paul is the alpha and omega of the libertarian creed. If you were an evil genius determined to promote the idea that libertarianism is a morally dubious ideology of privilege poorly disguised as a doctrine of liberation, you’d be hard pressed to improve on Ron Paul.

Much of Paul’s appeal comes from the impression he conveys of principled ideological coherence. Other Republican presidential aspirants are transparently pandering grab-bags of incoherent compromise. Ron Paul presents himself as a man of conviction devoted to liberty, plain and simple, who follows logic’s lead and tells it plain. The problem is, often he’s not.

(...)

...libertarians have done a terrible job countering the widespread suspicion that theirs is a uselessly abstract ideology of privilege for socially obtuse adolescent white guys. Ron Paul sure isn’t helping.

[prairierose]

1. lovely description.........n/t

[brooklyn297]

9. +1

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Someone told me that Libertarians are Republicans who like sex, drugs and rock and roll. nt

[MADem]

3. ....obtuse white guys who want to smoke POT.... nt

[ZombieHorde]

5. That is a strange stereotype. nt

[MADem]

6. I think Bill Maher pretty much 'fessed up to that perspective a few year back, when

he was playing at being a serious libertarian.

Of course, there are "Crunchy Cons"--Republicans who like organic food and Priuses and pot, too....they're like Cafeteria Catholics, only they pick and choose from their party platform. It puts them at odds with the Jesus-Loves-Me-And-Hates-YOU crowd, but they ignore the cognitive dissonance because the whole "Keep yer money and screw the poor" perspective is such a draw for them.

[ZombieHorde]

4. Yes, but the definition should include women too.

It is also good for people who hate neighborhoods.

[TalkingDog]

7. I really wish people would stop lumping the Dalhi Lama, Nelson Mandela and Ron Paul together

Libertarianism can have both liberal and conservative adherents.

And for that reason alone I agree with the OP. People tend to think of it as a solely Conservative ideology.

But in reality, it falls on the spectrum from Authoritarian to Libertarian which can lead to Liberal Libertarians, Conservative Libertarians, Liberal Authoritarians and Conservative Authoritarians.


Trust me, We want the first and not the last.

[applegrove]

8. Yeah. The whole rand crowd are adolescents.