RRD: It is odd to find myself in the role of "optimist" in this case, but I believe that Dr.Peikoff is overly pessimistic; and--in any case--wrong about his view that our current situation is worse than that which our country faced during the American Civil War. What do you think of the 2012 presidential election results? « Podcast « Peikoff
http://www.peikoff.com/2012/11/19/what-do-you-think-of-the-2012-presidential-election-results/ In the podcast Dr. Peikoff said that at the end of the Civil War "everyone knew that at the end,Freedom & normalcy would return". (quoting from memory).
No not based on what I know about the Civil War they didn't. Lincoln certainly did not. When he spoke of the danger of America perishing from the earth he was quite serious. He regarded the war as essentially being divine retribution for the sin of slavery. He predicted that if the South were not defeated, the result would be a further progressive disintegration of the United States until there was nothing left of the country. Nor was Lincoln alone,to many in the North it seemed that victory was impossible until the tide was turned with the ascension of new generals such as Grant & Sherman. The fact that we now know the outcome,just as we now know the outcome of FDR's presidency ,does not alter the fact that what people FELT at the time was anything but the comforting belief that freedom would be restored at the end.
At this point the argument may be made that the Civil War Era was different philosophically than our own.
This is certainly true,though "different" does not mean better or worse. One could argue that there was greater respect for Individual Rights in those days; ( Dr.Peikoff has not made this argument but some might.)
But to do so one would need to set aside the minor problem that close to half the country seceded from the Union essentially to preserve the right of slave owners to buy ,sell,trade,& rape human beings.
But as slavery was never truly in danger from Lincoln's presidency,even that is being too generous .The South seceded because they thought that Lincoln would put slavery on the path to eventual extinction. (fn1)
Given that a significant portion of the populace refused to acknowledge that Blacks were even human & given that many who did oppose slavery did so for religious reasons ,I am not convinced that those days were--overall--more rational then today & I am not convinced that our current situation is as bad as,or worse than,that faced during the Civil War,whether philosophically,politically,or practically. That said, I grant that there may be other reasons than those that I have listed here for believing that our situation is worse than that faced during the Civil War,(perhaps in connection to Dr.Peikoff's view that we are the first "Disintegrationist" society in history,Disintegration being the "D" in DIM see below) ,but I am not yet convinced of that based on Dr.Peikoff's podcast . ( Note: I have not yet had the opportunity to read his book The DIM Hypothesis which lays out his views of the state of the world in more detail) . In any case the election is,however,a disaster. A Link to Dr. Peikoff's book The DIM Hypothesis:
The DIM Hypothesis: Why the Lights of the West Are Going Out « Peikoff http://www.peikoff.com/books/the-dim-hypothesis/
Footnotes:
fn1
Certainly not all Confederates supported slavery,some hated the institution but sincerely believed that Lincoln would exceed the powers invested in him by the Constitution,but many did support succession for the express purpose of preserving slavery.
http://www.peikoff.com/2012/11/19/what-do-you-think-of-the-2012-presidential-election-results/ In the podcast Dr. Peikoff said that at the end of the Civil War "everyone knew that at the end,Freedom & normalcy would return". (quoting from memory).
No not based on what I know about the Civil War they didn't. Lincoln certainly did not. When he spoke of the danger of America perishing from the earth he was quite serious. He regarded the war as essentially being divine retribution for the sin of slavery. He predicted that if the South were not defeated, the result would be a further progressive disintegration of the United States until there was nothing left of the country. Nor was Lincoln alone,to many in the North it seemed that victory was impossible until the tide was turned with the ascension of new generals such as Grant & Sherman. The fact that we now know the outcome,just as we now know the outcome of FDR's presidency ,does not alter the fact that what people FELT at the time was anything but the comforting belief that freedom would be restored at the end.
At this point the argument may be made that the Civil War Era was different philosophically than our own.
This is certainly true,though "different" does not mean better or worse. One could argue that there was greater respect for Individual Rights in those days; ( Dr.Peikoff has not made this argument but some might.)
But to do so one would need to set aside the minor problem that close to half the country seceded from the Union essentially to preserve the right of slave owners to buy ,sell,trade,& rape human beings.
But as slavery was never truly in danger from Lincoln's presidency,even that is being too generous .The South seceded because they thought that Lincoln would put slavery on the path to eventual extinction. (fn1)
Given that a significant portion of the populace refused to acknowledge that Blacks were even human & given that many who did oppose slavery did so for religious reasons ,I am not convinced that those days were--overall--more rational then today & I am not convinced that our current situation is as bad as,or worse than,that faced during the Civil War,whether philosophically,politically,or practically. That said, I grant that there may be other reasons than those that I have listed here for believing that our situation is worse than that faced during the Civil War,(perhaps in connection to Dr.Peikoff's view that we are the first "Disintegrationist" society in history,Disintegration being the "D" in DIM see below) ,but I am not yet convinced of that based on Dr.Peikoff's podcast . ( Note: I have not yet had the opportunity to read his book The DIM Hypothesis which lays out his views of the state of the world in more detail) . In any case the election is,however,a disaster. A Link to Dr. Peikoff's book The DIM Hypothesis:
The DIM Hypothesis: Why the Lights of the West Are Going Out « Peikoff http://www.peikoff.com/books/the-dim-hypothesis/
Footnotes:
fn1
Certainly not all Confederates supported slavery,some hated the institution but sincerely believed that Lincoln would exceed the powers invested in him by the Constitution,but many did support succession for the express purpose of preserving slavery.
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