I hadn't seen you posting in a long time - like, a few years - and so I thought I'd reminisce by caricaturing your outspoken and ardent support of a libertarian perspective. To be quite honest, I admired your frankness and it has made me think about the notion of liberty and the market system in a whole new way, so that I've come to be more sympathetic to your argument in recent years. Once, I was an idealistic, "go left or go home" type of supporter, now I'm more realistic, despite still having criticisms of the system that you support. My friend, reading your arguments here were no small part in at least getting me to engage with these issues... in fact, I wouldn't remember you at all if your ideas didn't make an impression, right?

A few too many other people had been making silly comments, that's why I kind of lost patience with this place and don't visit much any more. The Libertarian/Socialist debate ended in a big flame war 'blow-up' about 6 months ago, and I kind of said f**k 'em all. So that's the history behind my sensitivity.

Incidentally, I myself have moved somewhat to the left of my laissez-faire positions in my early days My position these days could best be described as
'Semi-Libertarian'. So yes, exposing yourself to the oppsoite point of view can enable one to reach more sensible, accurate positions. I'm still very very confident a high level of Libertarianism is the best system for everyone though

So, no disrespect was intended. I just thought I could poke a little fun at what I remembered of you by exaggerating your viewpoint by way of classic parody. Good to see you're still around, incidentally.

Hey, no problem, it came across as a bit silly though. Like I said, I don't actually visit this board much these days. I'm working hard towards the Libertarian cause - especially helping the 'Free State Project' : 20 000 Libertarians are converging on the state of New Hampshire - we're going to try to take the state over and incubate a Libertarian revolution from there. Things are going very very well. The governer has already been converted and there's a 'network' of Libertarian activists deeply embedded into the politics of the state. You may be interested in looking at the link below. Creating a whole society from scratch is pretty exciting stuff

Zaph

'Live Free or Die, Death is Not the Worst of Evils'