[calinet6]

This is anecdotal, but the one hardcore libertarian I knew fit this stereotype perfectly.

We all have varying degrees of empathy and ability to understand and act on the intentions and emotions of others, but those of us who are on the lowest end of the empathy scale tend toward libertarian ideals. It is no coincidence.

[mindcrime]

Plenty of libertarians have all sorts of empathy in my experience... it's just a matter of priority of principles. If I see someone in pain or who is hungry, I do feel for them, and hurt for them. I've been dirt poor myself, so I know how it feels. But I still wouldn't say that there hunger or pain justifies create a system that violates my rights to attempt to correct the injustices in the world. The bottom line, for most libertarians, is that - at the end of the day - we demand to live our lives free from the use of coercive aggression / force, or fraud to manipulate our choices or to control us and our property.

Now, sure, some libertarians are non-empathetic assholes who don't give a shit about their fellow man. But that's a tautology when applied to any group. But nothing about being libertarian means you have to be an asshole, or an uncaring robot or any of those things.