Gus S Calabrese wrote some rather cryptic words:

> A number of you on this list ...

Not clear to me who that is. Russell and me (the only ones responding so
far, AFAICS)? Could you please talk plain and open?

> ... fancy yourselves as great philosophers that can deconstruct any
> argument made for a different political system ...

I don't know what the argument is that you are referring to. And how it has
been deconstructed. Could you please talk plain and open?

> ... than the pathetic one that the planet labors under now.

I'm not sure what planet you're talking of, but the one I'm living on
labors under a number of systems and more importantly people... you and me
being among them :)

> Yes, it is true that any proposed modifications ...

There were no proposed modifications in Juan's message. It was more of a
religious statement: the world is divided in statists/sheep and
libertarians.

> ... of how man interacts with man will be flawed in some way.  The real
> questions are: Do the proposed modifications lead to more
> self-actualization for more people ? 

To help answer that question (and the one about what exactly the proposed
modifications are, when applied to real-world disputes) I asked two
questions about how to apply Juan's idea of freedom. Is this what you call
"destruct an argument"? If so, that must be a really weak "argument" if it
can be destructed by asking two rather plain and simple (and obvious)
questions.

> Do people become ends unto themselves rather than means to an end ? 

Whether someone is a means to an end, an end unto herself or a beginning
depends rather on the person than on something else, no? Isn't that what
freedom is all about, in essence? I'm a firm believer in people, and the
force in everyone. Of course there are situations that make things easier
and others that don't, and situations differ WRT the importance and
visibility of specific characteristics -- but everybody makes of his life
what is his or hers to make of it. That's part of freedom, for me at least.
Without that, a political system won't do much to change anybody's freedom
(IMO).

> Even if self-interest is driving you, ...

Why "even"? What do you mean with this? It doesn't seem to be related to
the second part of the question.

> ... wouldn't you do better in a world that was not regulated by a bunch
> of mediocre assholes ?

That depends a lot on the alternatives to compare to :)

Gerhard

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