Duke Prof Suggests Libertarian Views Might be the Result of Autism
“As an author, I have struggled with this”
Many liberals are clueless when it comes to Libertarian ideas but you would expect better than this from a professor.
Campus Reform reports:
Duke prof suggests libertarians are ‘on the autism spectrum’
A Duke University history professor recently suggested that many of the conservative and libertarian subjects of her book “seem to be on the autism spectrum.”
Nancy MacLean, author of the controversial book Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, made the comments during a February 7 lecture at the New York City Unitarian Church of All Souls, where she was slated to discuss “the roots and agenda of the radical right.”
She was delivering a presentation on her book’s conspiratorial thesis about the American libertarian movement, which she claims originated with Nobel Prize-winning economist James Buchanan. Almost exactly one hour into the event, an audience member asked her “where his motivations” and ideas came from, and whether those are ideas are “ones of personal greed or…malevolence.”
After praising the interrogator for asking “such a profound question,” MacLean speculated that libertarian views might be the result of autism.
“As an author, I have struggled with this, and I could explain it in different ways. I didn’t put this in the book, but I will say it here,” she answered. “It’s striking to me how many of the architects of this cause seem to be on the autism spectrum—you know, people who don’t feel solidarity or empathy with others, and who have difficult human relationships sometimes.”
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Comments
So many problems could be solved if we’d just pump anyone who disagrees with us full of drugs.
Or throw them in prison.
Or in front of a firing squad.
The Soviet Union used the convenient “mental illness” excuse too.
“It’s striking to me how many of the architects of this cause … don’t feel solidarity or empathy with others …”
I’ve known several liberals who simply assume that if you’re not liberal, you don’t care about people. Because if you cared, you’d be liberal.
So in the author’s mind this is all completely logical. That it has nothing to do with reality is irrelevant.
A pretty weak statement, really. It’s like saying that it’s striking how many enablers of rampant Leftism are outright criminals and perverts. Undoubtedly true, but hardly relevant to the ones who aren’t.
From what I have seen, large numbers of engineers, mathematicians and scientists are on the autism spectrum. In many cases they are geniuses. One example being Einstein.
People who abuse other people’s empathy soon find that there is none left.
The title of her book would be more sensible if she changed “The Radical Right” to “The Radical Left”. Then she’d have a point.
Consider (1) the number of people who have perpetrated these mass shootings, (2) the number of perpetrators who have been found to have been prescribed anti-psychotic or -anxiety medications and (3) the number of said perpetrators who espoused leftist causes. You’ll find a much higher correlation. But, that’s three variables and much more complex and easy to correlate than one variable with unproven speculation. I have empathy for those who simply lack knowledge but are willing to learn, and no empathy for those who ignore the facts and unwilling to face reality.