Neat quote saw when reading. Admitting you’re wrong in a genuine way is something you see rarely these days.

“In a 2024 interview, he said he renounced his libertarianism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic after a libertarian group asked him to speak at an anti-mask rally. “The fact they sent me this email is something I need to be very ashamed of, and I need to change” adding “Many times when I identified as Libertarian, people said to me, ‘It’s just rich white guys that don’t want to be told what to do,’ and I had a zillion answers to that — and now that seems 100 percent accurate.”[56]”

  • Cris@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I’ve always had a lot of respect for Penn’s sincere “individual freedoms as long as they don’t infringe on the individual freedoms of others” brand of libertarinism that advocated still caring about other people, and isn’t about just deferring to corporations

    I’m not surprised he no longer identifies with libertarianism, given what it’s increasingly come to mean. I may not look at the world exactly the same as him or always agree with him but people with sincere principles always have my respect.

    The way he and Teller made a show to basically showcase other magicians is super cool. If you look up Penn & Teller: Fool Us on YouTube you’ll see tons of magicians publishing their segments on the show on their personal channels, which must mean Penn and Teller negotiated that performers would have rights to their own performances and can publish them themselves.

    Thats fucking cool. (Also a great show, it makes a great YouTube binge!)

    • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      That’s what I thought libertarianism was until my mid 20s. That’s seriously what I was taught that it was to be a Texan. If you don’t like what your neighbor is up to, don’t fucking look. The issue is that dumb motherfuckers keep expanding on what they think “infringing on the individual freedoms of others” means. Now it just means “anything I don’t like”.

      Hell, I’m still anti-authoritarian for individuals (companies should be heavily regulated). If you’re not hurting someone else I don’t really care what you’re doing. Anyone that does has too much time on their hands.

      • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        This is because modern political libertarianism was literally financed by fossil fuel and tobacco billionaires who opposed all regulations; especially health, environmental, and labor. They seized libertarianism as a means to destroy the government. Prior to their takeover in the 70’s, Libertarianism was considered to be progressive.

        Most libertarians don’t know what libertarianism is, because they are conservatives who believe their narcissistic “fuck you, got mine” conservatism is libertarianism.

        • tehmics@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Yeah, I was really confused when I used to identify with libertarianism, and got lumped in with conservatives. I always hated those authoritarians, and the corporations they rode in on.

      • crowleysnow@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I think you (past you at least) would have identified as a libertarian socialist and those other idiots are libertarian anarchists.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        Hell, I’m still anti-authoritarian for individuals (companies should be heavily regulated).

        That’s more or less my political ideology. “I think gay married couples should be allowed to protect their weed farms with guns.” But as soon as it comes to income, I’m hardcore authoritarian. Don’t even get me started on how I feel about rental properties. What I have to say about landlords could get me a visit from an FBI party van

    • leftytighty@slrpnk.net
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      2 days ago

      Anarchism is the better version of libertarianism. Left-anarchism gives all of the liberties but without capitalism. If only capitalist realists could get past that hurdle.