<Western Civilization

"From the perspective of intellectual and cultural content, Western civilization represents an understanding and acceptance of the following: the laws of logic; the concept of causality and, consequently, of a universe ruled by natural laws intelligible to man; on these foundations, the whole known corpus of the laws of mathematics and science; the individual's self-responsibility based on his free will to choose between good and evil; the value of man above all other species on the basis of his unique possession of the power of reason; the value and competence of the individual human being and his corollary possession of individual rights, among them the right to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness; the need for limited government and for the individual's freedom from the state; on this entire preceding foundation, the validity of capitalism, with its unprecedented and continuing economic development in terms of division of labor, technological progress, capital accumulation and rising living standards; in addition, the importance of visual arts and literature depicting man as capable of facing the world with confidence in his power to succeed, and music featuring harmony and melody."

- Dr. George Reisman, Professor of Economics at Pepperdine University's School of Business and Management in Los Angeles.

Excerpted from an article, "Education and the Racist Road to Barbarism" in The Intellectual Activist, Volume V, No. 4, April 30, 1990.



Ayn Rand made it even shorter, when challenged once to explain her philosophy while standing on one foot. She writes:

I did, as follows:
1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality
2. Epistemology: Reason
3. Ethics: Self-interest
4. Politics: Capitalism



If you want this translated into simple language, it would read:
1. "Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed" or "Wishing won't make it so." 2. "You can't eat your cake and have it, too."
3. "Man is an end in himself."
4. "Give me liberty or give me death."



As far as my beliefs go, that's certainly not the whole ball of wax, but it's a start.

Read Tammy's book. She is no idiot, although I understand the need for the Left to paste that label on their opponents. If you don't want to buy it, get it through the library.

The reason that so many such books are coming out is because they are reaching an audience. And not an audience of idiots either.

Rush Limbaugh says many times that his audience wasn't a malleable bunch of people believing everything he says, but Americans who were hearing for the first time validation of things they had always believed.