Thinking About Politics

by Peter Saint-Andre

2001-11-24

As an indication of how far back into reality I've been pulled by recent events, I've even started thinking about politics again! Although I've always felt that politics is only one aspect of life (and not nearly the most important), that did not stop me from becoming heavily involved in the Libertarian Party back in the mid-1990s, writing numerous letters to the editor on topics of the day, and the like. Last night I started doing some reading related to an essay I've long wanted to write entitled "Anarchy, State, and Objectivism". As might be expected, partly I just like that title (evocative as it is of Robert Nozick's famous book on political philosophy), but more seriously I would like to figure out where I stand politically, and how that relates to the philosophy of Objectivism (there is not a little of "Objectivism, c'est moi" in my writings, I suppose).

In my teens and early twenties I was probably best characterized as somewhere on the Randian Right, then I discovered libertarianism as a political movement, then I became officially apathetic for a few years (which, conveniently, enabled me to pretty much tune out the Clinton presidency) -- for a while there I even thought of writing an essay entitled "In Praise of Apathy"! I still think there is wisdom in some degree of political apathy, since it can bespeak a healthy regard for pursuing one's own life and goals rather than losing oneself in the body politic.


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