In recent years, many politically active people have been attracted to Ron and Rand Paul. In addition, there has been a huge resurgence in the free-market writings of Ayn Rand. Out of that tradition came the film Thrive, which has been very popular among well meaning but naïve members of the New Age community.
In response, the Praxis Peace Institute (www.praxispeace.org) published a pamphlet that exposed Thrive’s unstated, right-wing agenda.
Now we’ve taken the next step. After searching for a systematic, book-length answer to the seductive attraction of libertarianism, the members of Praxis decided to write that book. Six of us approached the subject from various angles, and the result is Uncivil Liberties: Deconstructing Libertarianism (http://www.amazon.com/Uncivil-Liberties-Deconstructing-Georgia-Kelly/dp/098861300X).
To see a description and blurbs, link to: http://www.madnessatthegates.com/Madnessatthegates/Uncivil_Liberties.html
My contribution is the introductory chapter, “The Mythological Roots of American Individualism.” After a while, I will post the entire chapter on my website. But for now, in hopes that you’ll consider buying the book (proceeds going to Praxis and its educational efforts), I simply suggest that you consider these three quotes that, I believe, encapsulate much of our American psyche:
Free money makes the rich strong and wise, while it corrupts poor people, making them stupid and weak. – Lewis Lapham
You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself. – Ivan Boesky
This is America. If you’re not a winner, it’s your own fault. – Jerry Falwell
madnessatthegates 