Hello Steemit.
I'm here to discuss history, philosophy, science, economics, law, politics, culture, art and more. Here is my brief but honest introduction post.
While I don't mind labels, I am constantly learning. So have been through my fair share already.
My family's politics could be summarised as traditionally English, leaning conservative, but also affected by boomer 1968 values, including socialism, but also reaction. So a bit of a mess, but ultimately leaning right. Early adulthood saw me enmeshed in ideas of traditional European anarchism and getting to grips with Marxism and post-modernist thought, this served me well at university.
I was opposed to the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions at the time and have remained a non-interventionist libertarian.
I was an activist for a few years and participated in some high profile and influential direct action with a small but effective group of eco-warrior anarchists. I have long since abandoned them.
I've always had an interest in economics and have studied the field with a degree of passion, this is possibly due to how the Savings & Loans crisis impacted my family in the late 80s.
Ron Paul 2008 saw me transition from left to right anarchism, as I began to find Marxist ideas and their influence as morally problematic. I've studied Austrian Economics avidly as an amateur since then. Mostly the Mises, Rothbard, Hoppe line. I could probably read more Hayek. I've also studied the Friedmans (Milton, David and Patri) and other economists and political theorists from various neighbouring or opposing schools of thought (Aristotle, classical liberalism, Locke, Chicago school, neo-classical...).
For a long time I regarded myself as an anarcho-objectivist having been lit up by Ayn Rand and Leonard Piekoff.
I would no longer describe myself as an Austro-Libertarian or a Randian, though I still find some value in those camps.
Around 2015, post-modernist critical-theory had attained unbearable levels across society for me. And around the same time, the migrant crisis, terrorism and the changing face of Britain compelled me to break free of many unhelpful (counter-productive even) jewish ideas of libertarianism leading nowhere, and to explore a much broader field of libertarian and reactionary thought, and beyond.
A big part of this personal revolution was shifting my focus from ethics to epistemology, and favouring a more empirical and particularist rather than rationalist or a-priori approach. I would be lying if I didn't say Jordan Peterson's work wasn't influential in this regard (though I have many others to thank for their insights also). Epistemology remains probably the most fascinating and enlightening aspect of philosophy for me.
So since then I have been begun to explore the ideas of Sean Gabb's Libertarian Alliance, Enoch Powell, Nietzsche, Dostoyevsky, Jung, Thomas Carlyle. Ideas which have resonated with my intuitions at a deeper level.
I am not "alt-right", though I do sympathise with their concerns, I do approve of the European Identitarians (specifically Generation Identity) and I am a "race-realist" (for want of a better term). I do consider myself part of the New Right being particularly influenced by the current Propertarian ideas of Curt Doolittle, Bill Joslin's Sheepdog Nomocracy and others in those circles who are not really known. Especially their epistemology and the ideas of Testimonialism and full-accounting.
I tend to describe my self as a paleo-libertarian, generally an anti-statist, a receptive contrarian, an optimistic realist, with neo-reactionary and tribalist tendencies. I seek the restoration of an aristocratic (militia based), decentralised (localist) and hierarchical eugenic order, while also embracing tech-futurism and holding individual liberty as the coveted prize of sovereignty. I value wisdom but also action. I consider all the British Isles to be utterly sacred, and the Anglo-Saxons the most valuable people on the earth.
I post often on my FB profile. Comment often on YT. And occasionally post on Twitter and alternative social media sites. I will try and keep my effort-posts to Steemit.
https://facebook.com/oliver.westcott
https://twitter.com/olly_westcott
https://youtube.com/channel/UCtAOSy2BdutWf1DGPzGWEXQ
https://soundcloud.com/oliver-westcott-158170359
https://minds.com/oliverwestcott
https://gab.ai/OliverWestcott
https://vk.com/oliverwestcott