There's a Difference?

Bruce Charlton recently posted Why the future is theocratic not libertarian. Of course, if you ask any liberal, you'll find they think of theocracy and libertarianism as synonymous. Sometimes, they even have facts backing them up.

On the other hand, he also claims to have been a libertarian:

But libertarianism is not a viable alternative to liberalism. (I speak as an ex-libertarian, one whose libertarian writings are all over the internet!) Libertarianism replaces the self-loathing, paralysis and ideological group submission of liberalism with a high-minded but actually psychopathic selfishness and a focus on personal, individual gratification.

He has a little bit of a point. Libertarianism is frequently sold on the basis of legalizing common vices that are still technically illegal. I suspect most people who have indulged in such vices are embarrassed about it now. They may think of libertarianism as the irresponsible-twit ideology. Maybe we should de-emphasize vices or at least emphasize voluntary ways of combating them.