I Chose Liberty - Ludwig von Mises Institute

268 I Chose Liberty: Autobiographies of Contemporary Libertarians
Michael and I hit it off debating gun control, socialism, taxation, the proper role of
government, etc. He patiently and lucidly dismantled every objection I offered to libertarian
thinking, especially the non-aggression principle. To my further dismay, he showed how
libertarian approaches were generally better solutions to practical problems as well, such as
supplying medical options to people of very restricted means.
After I shook off my somnambulistic adherence to the ideology I inherited from my
“education,” he introduced me to Walter Block and Murray Rothbard. The first book I
read on libertarian philosophy was Walter’s Defending the Undefendable, a giddy joyride in
logic and principle. These erudite thinkers took an interest in a pinko with lots of questions,
and encouraged me to pursue my studies for a Ph.D. in psychology.
After reading and rethinking many premises I held about society, morality, and
plain old justice, such as the right of a third party to forcibly intervene between consenting
adults, the discussions with Murray, Michael, and Walter caused me to be somewhat
of an anomaly among psychologists and colleagues (a mostly socialist lot). For this, I
thank them.
As with Albert Ellis, a psychology mentor, Rothbard, Block, and Edelstein have challenged
my dogmas forthrightly, and I consider them mentors too. OK, mentors from Hell,
but still.
For Murray’s 60th birthday party presented by the Mises Institute at the Waldorf, I
played the part of the young Murray in his play, “Mozart was a Red.” This was Murray’s
satirical take on Ayn Rand’s Objectivists, a group he once attended. I played him as a genial
Everyman surrounded by rigid dogmatists who lambasted him for asking innocent, but
penetrating questions. It got great laughs, and Murray took this surprise rendition of his
dormant play with great humor.
I later did a stand-up routine that roasted him with my imitation, recounting some
of the experiences I had with him, such as the ancient fakir incident. He took all this
attention graciously, and shook my hand as I passed him by. Years later, I attended a
lecture given by Bill Bradford, editor of Liberty, and in the middle of it, he paused,
pointed me out and shouted, “You’re Murray Rothbard! You’re great!” The audience was
left to wonder.
So how did Murray handle the unengaged students? At a Chinese restaurant on the
Upper West Side with Murray and a few of his acolytes, I asked him how he stayed so
cheerful and humorous despite the minimal classroom response. He laughed and said,
“I lay it out as I see it and I figure that if they get it, great. If they don’t? Ha! The heck
with ’em!”
Nando Pelusi, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice in New York City.