Re: Ayn Rand on Criminal Businessmen

[Charles Behney <charlesaugust@theriver.com>]

On Fri, 24 Jul 1998, Charles Behney wrote:

> On Fri, 24 Jul 1998, Charles Behney wrote:
>
> > Here's the Ayn Rand definition of a criminal under current US Code:
>
> First question: Who cares what Ayn Rand thinks?
>
Just another example of rhetorical excess....there are zealots across
the landscape. Ayn is provocative and admired for views that seem to be
the philosophical rationale of all things Microsoft. Is she the patron
saint for a bunch of agnostic mathematicians? Somebody likes her quotes
or she wouldn't be resurrected in Technocracia.

> >
> > So, the extreme libertarian view holds that the USA government considers
> > all businessmen to be criminals. Try telling that to a Congressman on
> > dozens of PAC pads, raising $50K a week from corporate 'criminals.'
>
> Rand is not a libertarian. *sigh*
>

But, she's quoted by what I consider to be 'extreme' libertarians,
rather than lapsed libertarians. Like me, sometimes.

>
>
> > As the french say, if there is no law, then there is no crime. Even
> > Declan knows that Microsoft is unethical.
>
> Ethics are one thing. The law is another.
>
Disclosure and discovery have been missing from most of  these court
cases. Once an ethical lapse is 'discovered' the out of court
settlement  that often follows usually makes the matter of illegality
moot. But the ethics charges remain like a vapor haunting the Network
Neighborhood consumers and competitors.

>
> -Declan
>
> PS: I'm leaving soon for a restful but work-related weekend in Aspen,
> Colorado, paid for by a (gasp!) multinational corporation. Have fun
> without me.
>
I thought you were already PAID by a multinational corporation. Ah the
perks of scaling Pikes Peak. HAVE FUN, and don't forget your batteries.

CAB