Normally, one conflates ideas, and not people. Do these libertarians see similarities between Progressivism and Stalinism, or do they have the same emotional reaction to Progressives that they have for Stalin?
As nearly as I can figure it, they think that the ideas held by progressives and liberals are so similar to state communism that anything faintly leftish is on the short route to genocide.
People failing to see degrees of a problem, is a problem. But notice that you’ve identified hatred of ideas, though unfairly exaggerated, and not hatred of people, or even attributing malicious intent.
Even Hayek, who had some of that all or nothing attitude, didn’t even attribute malicious intent to Socialists, to whom he dedicated The Road to Serfdom.
Me, I’ve started to question intent more closely, as I see the theocratic impulse to force others to live by your values as one of the worst possible intents.
I wish I could agree with you, but I run into (Reaction-influenced?) libertarians who conflate liberals, progressives, and Stalin.
When you say conflate, what do you mean?
Normally, one conflates ideas, and not people. Do these libertarians see similarities between Progressivism and Stalinism, or do they have the same emotional reaction to Progressives that they have for Stalin?
As nearly as I can figure it, they think that the ideas held by progressives and liberals are so similar to state communism that anything faintly leftish is on the short route to genocide.
Or at least the Road to Serfdom.
People failing to see degrees of a problem, is a problem. But notice that you’ve identified hatred of ideas, though unfairly exaggerated, and not hatred of people, or even attributing malicious intent.
Even Hayek, who had some of that all or nothing attitude, didn’t even attribute malicious intent to Socialists, to whom he dedicated The Road to Serfdom.
Me, I’ve started to question intent more closely, as I see the theocratic impulse to force others to live by your values as one of the worst possible intents.