Instead of framing ideas, we perform ideas, and the ideas in question are neither postmodern, social democratic, nor Marxist -- they are Hobbesian. And I don't mean the famous bit on the life of man being "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" either. Instead, we perform the Hobbesian ideas of equality in the following passage:
***** Nature hath made men equal, in the faculty of the body, and mind; as that though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind than another; yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man, and man, is not so considerable, as that one man can thereupon claim to himself any benefit, to which another may not pretend, as well as he. For as to the strength of body, the weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest, either by secret machination, or by confederacy with others, that are in the same danger with himself.
And as to the faculty of the mind, (setting aside the arts grounded upon words, and especially that skill of proceeding upon general, and infallible rules, called science; which very few have, and but in few things; as being not a native faculty, born with us; not attained (as prudence,) while we look after somewhat else,) I find yet a greater equality amongst men, than that of strength. For prudence, is but experience; which equal time, equally bestows on all men, in those things they equally applly themselves unto. That which may perhaps make such equality incredible, is but a vain conceit of one's own wisdom, which almost all men think they have in a greater degree, than the vulgar; that is, than all men but themselves, and a few others, whom by fame, or for concurring with themselves, they approve. For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves; for they see their own wit at hand, and other men's at a distance. But this proveth rather that men are in that point equal, than unequal. For there is not ordinarily a greater sign of the equal distribution of any thing, than that every man is contented with his share. *****
Every day, LBO-talkers, academic or non-academic, collectively & empirically demonstrate Thomas Hobbes' proposition that nature hath made men equal, especially in the faculty of the mind. A more effective & practical refutation of apologies for inequality (such as Charles Murray's) than this cannot be found anywhere. Therefore, I'd say that the regular LBO contributors are daily rendering a modest service to humanity.
Yoshie