He always pictured himself a libertarian, which to my way of thinking means "I want the liberty to grow rich and you can have the liberty to starve". It's easy to believe that no one should depend on society for help when you yourself happen not to need such help.
Interpretation
The quote critiques the selfish interpretation of libertarianism, highlighting the disconnect between those who succeed independently and those in need.
Isaac Asimov's quote reflects on the philosophy of libertarianism, emphasizing that the desire for personal freedom can lead to a lack of empathy for those less fortunate. He points out the hypocrisy in thinking one can thrive solely on self-reliance while disregarding the societal support that others may urgently require, suggesting that a singular focus on individual liberty can ignore the broader social responsibility we have towards each other.
In practice
In a discussion about socio-economic responsibilities during a debate on political ideologies.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, but it disappears. It doesn't matter if someone dies.
Science does not promise absolute truth, nor does it consider that such a thing necessarily exists. Science does not even promise that everything in the Universe is amenable to the scientific process.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation.
Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.
During the century after Newton, it was still possible for a man of unusual attainments to master all fields of scientific knowledge. But by 1800, this had become entirely impracticable.
Nothing is more imminent than the impossible . . . what we must always foresee is the unforeseen.
Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s (God’s) ground…He [God] made the pleasure: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy [God] has produced, at at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He [God] has forbidden.
True virtue is life under the direction of reason.
Death is a great revealer of what is in a man, and in its solemn shadow appear the naked lineaments of the soul.
The sun teaches to all things that grow their longing for the light. _x000D_ But it is night that raises them to the stars.
This is the Great Theatre of Life. Admission is free, but the taxation is mortal. You come when you can, and leave when you must. The show is continuous. Goodnight.
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