Russell Madden

Writer, Objectivist, freedom-lover, gamer. Enjoys films, mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi. Reason, reality, liberty in all things. Buy my work on Amazon.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong...

OR

I’m not arguing. I’m just explaining why I’m right...

OR

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken...

&

“There are some ideas so absurd [or stupid] that only an intellectual could believe them.” (faux Orwell quote)

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

As usual, those who disagree with me don’t bother actually to address the points I made or the principles involved.

Moral and philosophical illiterates.

Animal level emotion devoid of anything remotely resembling reason or critical thinking.

Big surprise.

I guess they all went to the same high school:

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Their mistake was treating a private matter as a venue for getting clicks.

Oops. Sorry. “Engagement.”

Idiots.

But…

Their lives. Their choice.

And criticism of their decision assumes abortion is a priori wrong.

They aborted a fetus, not a kid.

Both sides in that debate assume what they are supposed to prove.

Check your premises.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@JRed_209 @Nerdrotics An acorn is not an oak tree.

A potential is not an actuality.

A rational person does not equate those two things.

And none of that addresses any of the points I discussed.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@JohnStossel @naomibrockwell The government can only properly do what it is ALLOWED to do.

None of its business.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Reason over emotion.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Their mistake was treating a private matter as a venue for getting clicks.

Oops. Sorry. “Engagement.”

Idiots.

But…

Their lives. Their choice.

And criticism of their decision assumes abortion is a priori wrong.

They aborted a fetus, not a kid.

Both sides in that debate assume what they are supposed to prove.

Check your premises.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

It can be more than a little difficult to remain optimistic in today’s collectivist, statist, mystic/altruist world. Emotional fuel is scarce and difficult to maintain.

But I suppose freedom lovers experienced similar reactions when FDR mounted a full frontal assault on liberty and rights.

We clawed back from that abyss.

Let’s hope we can do so again...

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

👍🏻

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@JohnStossel @Anastasia_esq @PacificLegal Ayn Rand was right.

This principle applies to ALL levels of government.

The only moral approach.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@JohnStossel @Anastasia_esq @PacificLegal Ayn Rand was right.

This principle applies to ALL levels of government.

The only moral approach.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

😬

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Sure.

Right after the U.S. economy collapses from an almost $40,000,000,000,000 national debt and ≈$200,000,000,000,000 in state debt and federal unfunded mandates and the world becomes a surveillance and anti-freedom nightmare that would shame Orwell and Huxley.

🦄🦄🦄🌈🌈🌈

🙄🤦🏻‍♂️

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Sure.

Right after the U.S. economy collapses from an almost $40,000,000,000,000 national debt and ≈$200,000,000,000,000 in state debt and federal unfunded mandates and the world becomes a surveillance and anti-freedom nightmare that would shame Orwell and Huxley.

🦄🦄🦄🌈🌈🌈

🙄🤦🏻‍♂️

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Full context.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Well…

I’ve known a lot of very intelligent people who excel at ruining their lives and those of their loved ones.

One can be of moderate intelligence, be productive, and be a wonderful person…as opposed to tons of Ivy League morons who believe and practice the most ludicrous things imaginable and are statist and collectivist jerks of the highest order.

Neither freedom nor IQ are sufficient—or even necessary—conditions to guarantee a worthwhile human being…though both (in conjunction with the proper philosophy and morality) probably make it easier to succeed in life.

Lots of factors are at play. Free will cuts both ways.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Well…

I’ve known a lot of very intelligent people who excel at ruining their lives and those of their loved ones.

One can be of moderate intelligence, be productive, and be a wonderful person…as opposed to tons of Ivy League morons who believe and practice the most ludicrous things imaginable and are statist and collectivist jerks of the highest order.

Neither freedom nor IQ are sufficient—or even necessary—conditions to guarantee a worthwhile human being…though both (in conjunction with the proper philosophy and morality) probably make it easier to succeed in life.

Lots of factors are at play. Free will cuts both ways.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@RandPaul Nothing quite so ludicrous as the State trying—and failing—to solve a problem IT created…

🙄

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Good luck with that...

🫤

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Sure.

As I wrote:

Most of the problems Gary cited are the result of our retreat from traditional Western norms of self-responsibility, respect for the rights and lives of others, and an increasing erosion of freedom and objective standards in the name of “tolerance” and other nihilistic “values.”

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Context…

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

A lot of good things about Japanese culture exist that would be nice to see here.

But it is also more collectivist and conformist.

Individualism and freedom naturally create situations that are more messy, less polite, less efficient, more chaotic, and result in more social friction as people assert themselves and their values against opposing philosophies.

Clean streets etc. are great.

But despite the multitude of problems Western culture is facing, I’d rather live here where I can carry a gun without permission, resist social demands I reject, and practice my own values.

Most of the problems Gary cited are the result of our retreat from traditional Western norms of self-responsibility, respect for the rights and lives of others, and an increasing erosion of freedom and objective standards in the name of “tolerance” and other nihilistic “values.”

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

A lot of good things about Japanese culture exist that would be nice to see here.

But it is also more collectivist and conformist.

Individualism and freedom naturally create situations that are more messy, less polite, less efficient, more chaotic, and result in more social friction as people assert themselves and their values against opposing philosophies.

Clean streets etc. are great.

But despite the multitude of problems Western culture is facing, I’d rather live here where I can carry a gun without permission, resist social demands I reject, and practice my own values.

Most of the problems Gary cited are the result of our retreat from traditional Western norms of self-responsibility, respect for the rights and lives of others, and an increasing erosion of freedom and objective standards in the name of “tolerance” and other nihilistic “values.”

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

No. We do know.

As I wrote, nothing that is an actuality, that exists, is or can be infinite.

Unbounded does not mean infinite.

The surface of the earth is unbounded. You can travel anywhere on its surface. But that surface is certainly not infinite.

The universe is analogous to that but in three dimensions rather than two.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

@elonmusk Not really.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Yes, the fundamental problem is the presence of bad ideas.

But bad/wrong ideas don’t exist in some ethereal, Platonic noumenal realm. They only exist in the minds of physical, individual people. They don’t enforce themselves. PEOPLE implement them in the real world.

Those who initially suffer from ignorance of the truth are not morally culpable.

But they can only be excused for so long. When the truth is pointed out to them, and they still refuse to accept it, then they become evaders.

Those who deliberately evade reality and try to/do impose their faulty ideas/policies on innocent others ARE bad; evil, in fact.

Such destructive fools deserve no benefit of the doubt.

What they deserve is, well…

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Check your premises.

[Russell Madden @maddrus]

Yes, the fundamental problem is the presence of bad ideas.

But bad/wrong ideas don’t exist in some ethereal, Platonic noumenal realm. They only exist in the minds of physical, individual people. They don’t enforce themselves. PEOPLE implement them in the real world.

Those who initially suffer from ignorance of the truth are not morally culpable.

But they can only be excused for so long. When the truth is pointed out to them, and they still refuse to accept it, then they become evaders.

Those who deliberately evade reality and try to/do impose their faulty ideas/policies on innocent others ARE bad; evil, in fact.

Such destructive fools deserve no benefit of the doubt.

What they deserve is, well…