Actually, both younger and older generations embraced deeply misguided views of psychology by buying into the idea that being governed by one's reason and being in touch with one's emotions are mutually incompatible. For the older generation, this false dichotomy was symbolized in popular culture by the lead characters in the original _S…
Actually, both younger and older generations embraced deeply misguided views of psychology by buying into the idea that being governed by one's reason and being in touch with one's emotions are mutually incompatible. For the older generation, this false dichotomy was symbolized in popular culture by the lead characters in the original _Star Trek_ series, particularly Spock as the emotion-suppressing champion of pure logic, McCoy as the logic-spurning emotionalist, and Kirk as trying to strike a balance between the two, though without ever being able to clearly articulate how one can systematically apply logic to an understanding one's psychological nature to formulate a rational hedonism.
For the older generation of libertarians (particularly the tail end of the boomer generation), this was manifested by a polarization between the followers of Ayn Rand (who championed a Spock-like rejection of emotions as a source of ethical guidance) versus various other libertarian tendencies that were seriously turned off by Rand's hyperrationalism and by her intolerance of anyone subscribing to philosophical deviations. While Bryan is not a Randian (at least not an orthodox one), he had enough early exposure to Rand that he still seems to equate reason with emotional suppression.
Generally speaking, younger generations haven't transcended this dichotomy; rather, they have been channeling McCoy and rejecting reason on the basis of New Left ideologies that have been festering since the 1960s. Such ideologies hold that emotional responses are arbitrary subjective constructs (often adopted unconsciously by individuals at the behest of more powerful groups and institutions in society) and/or are a product of one's genetic inheritance. Instead of appealing to reason, younger generations tend to prefer mob intimidation, censorship, and the circulation of unquestioned authoritarian propaganda, the premise being that you can't trust anyone to think things through for oneself or to think differently than yourself about anything and therefore must be cajoled not only into doing the right thing, but even to think and say the right things under the influence of the emotions of fear and shame.
Actually, both younger and older generations embraced deeply misguided views of psychology by buying into the idea that being governed by one's reason and being in touch with one's emotions are mutually incompatible. For the older generation, this false dichotomy was symbolized in popular culture by the lead characters in the original _Star Trek_ series, particularly Spock as the emotion-suppressing champion of pure logic, McCoy as the logic-spurning emotionalist, and Kirk as trying to strike a balance between the two, though without ever being able to clearly articulate how one can systematically apply logic to an understanding one's psychological nature to formulate a rational hedonism.
For the older generation of libertarians (particularly the tail end of the boomer generation), this was manifested by a polarization between the followers of Ayn Rand (who championed a Spock-like rejection of emotions as a source of ethical guidance) versus various other libertarian tendencies that were seriously turned off by Rand's hyperrationalism and by her intolerance of anyone subscribing to philosophical deviations. While Bryan is not a Randian (at least not an orthodox one), he had enough early exposure to Rand that he still seems to equate reason with emotional suppression.
Generally speaking, younger generations haven't transcended this dichotomy; rather, they have been channeling McCoy and rejecting reason on the basis of New Left ideologies that have been festering since the 1960s. Such ideologies hold that emotional responses are arbitrary subjective constructs (often adopted unconsciously by individuals at the behest of more powerful groups and institutions in society) and/or are a product of one's genetic inheritance. Instead of appealing to reason, younger generations tend to prefer mob intimidation, censorship, and the circulation of unquestioned authoritarian propaganda, the premise being that you can't trust anyone to think things through for oneself or to think differently than yourself about anything and therefore must be cajoled not only into doing the right thing, but even to think and say the right things under the influence of the emotions of fear and shame.