Another Kind of Dancing

There is a simple answer to Ayn Rand and the entire neoliberal project. Summarized in the idea of a public thoroughfare, even the inherent suggestion of freedom from restrictions implied by the language of the term paradoxically negates independent initiative and self-reliant achievement. We cannot have public roads without community accord, a socialist perspective, and we cannot have community accord without negotiation and agreement, more socialist perspectives. A public road is not a free-enterprise operation. Among the many conflicted institutions called into existence by the founding fathers that we so readily turn to for validation, public roads, like freedom of speech and religion, require consensus for application. The founding fathers realized early on that for property owners to practice absolute control of access to their property would not work to anybody's advantage. Paying a toll at every property line would make travel for any purpose impossible, so they agreed to modify property rights for the good of the community, and created public roads, a totally socialist idea. A public road is a pretty difficult socialist idea to get around without a private helicopter and a place to land. When anyone mentions the moral and political superiority of Ayn Rand, ask them about public roads, and where they parked their private helicopters, at least until we figure out how to collect for the use of private airspace. Wouldn’t that make Ayn dance with glee?

Here's Thinking for You,
Iffy