[lbo-talk] more noxious crap

[Matthias Wasser]

Barack Obama says he wants to minimize damage to capitalism and American
hegemony; that's what he was elected on, that's what every institution wants
him to do, that's what's in the American people's interests, and that's what
he gives every outward sign of making a good faith effort of doing. Not
every sincere, compassionate, thoughtful person (one can't know individuals'
hearts, but let's be charitable) is a stealth leftist. Sometimes they just
really do want to achieve the opposite of what you want to achieve.

I don't see Carrol as denying human agency here. Saying whose side one is on
or what one's ultimate goals are is more existential choice than rational
calculation, and people who choose differently than you arent' neccessarily
crazy or despicable or hypocrites. They're just someone you're going to come
into conflict with if you both intend to live up to your principles.