Is Ayn Rand's vision coming to pass?
Since the presidential election, I have been hearing what may be a new paradigm in this country. It results from a combination of:
1. a sense of helplessness regarding the economic implosion;
2. a sudden epiphany that the massive market dominance of Big Government-Big Business-Big Investment Banks precludes any competitive opportunity for individuals/small business; and
3. a fear that the new ascendancy of political liberals will magnify both the implosion and the dominance of the Bigs.
I am hearing Ayn Rand's voice in the vox populi. People are talking about opting out of the system, going all cash, moving to a farm, buying only necessaries, withdrawing from the salary/intrusive tax returns/government "services" and regulations cycle of existence. There seems to be a sudden and dramatic loss of faith in the institutions that dominate this country.
If enough people move in this direction, would government have to become more representative and responsive? Would it actually shrink? What about banks? Would they become more local and anchored to their communities? The credit card industry might also weaken with the shift away from debt to cash.
Might be the start of something big.
1. a sense of helplessness regarding the economic implosion;
2. a sudden epiphany that the massive market dominance of Big Government-Big Business-Big Investment Banks precludes any competitive opportunity for individuals/small business; and
3. a fear that the new ascendancy of political liberals will magnify both the implosion and the dominance of the Bigs.
I am hearing Ayn Rand's voice in the vox populi. People are talking about opting out of the system, going all cash, moving to a farm, buying only necessaries, withdrawing from the salary/intrusive tax returns/government "services" and regulations cycle of existence. There seems to be a sudden and dramatic loss of faith in the institutions that dominate this country.
If enough people move in this direction, would government have to become more representative and responsive? Would it actually shrink? What about banks? Would they become more local and anchored to their communities? The credit card industry might also weaken with the shift away from debt to cash.
Might be the start of something big.
posted by alison @ 4:19 PM
3 Comments:
At 3:25 PM,
Hope said…
It's funny you should say that because this bailout crap keeps reminding me of "Anti-dog-eat-dog" legislation. Not allowing things to fail is like never letting a child develop antibodies.
At 4:04 PM,
alison said…
Well put. If you can't fail, there is no tautness pushing you to succeed.
At 12:21 PM,
Anonymous said…
Saw your post to Peggy Noonan's column - your reference to Ayn Rand does seem appropriate. Your assertion that our two party system should be expanded in European fashion is interesting, but I suggest this would lead us even further from coherence. More likely it would lead to increased cacophony since our voting public doesn't possess the education necessary to make good decisions even with only the two parties to evaluate.
The road map for superior governance is already in place. As divinely inspired as the old and new testaments, our Constitution has been truly revered by only one major party. The RNC has factions within that contaminate its identity as protector of that faith, and present what amounts to DNC infiltration. The purging of that element would lead to a much clearer choice, but only if voters have the intelligence to appreciate the difference.
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