In every “The State vs.” suit, the defendant is being accused of violating an applicable law. Everything else is secondary, and in every case the injured party is “The State”, not the actual victim(s) of a violent crime. The grievance being redressed is not that which is being held by the true victim(s) of a violent crime, but that of “The State” having its rules disobeyed. And what is the result of a conviction in such a criminal suit brought by “The State”? The defendant is charged, must pay some fine to which “the State” will profit, and/or lose his freedom by being forcefully kidnapped and thrown in prison, of which his life expenses are paid not by “the State”, but by everybody else, including the original victim(s).
Tag: action
Ignorance is Easier
Being in utter darkness about why I’m not getting what I want is more comfortable than the knowledge that it’s because of some attitude or behavior of mine that’s out of whack. It’s easier to handle being treated badly by someone for no apparent reason than to find it it’s because I’m an unpleasant conversationalist.
Capitalism vs. Socialism: General Thoughts on Bruenig
Bruenig builds her case on quotes from famous, pre-modern philosophers, interspersed with philosophical jargon. She references virtually no facts from the last two hundred years. When people who agree with me make arguments like this, I cringe. How can anyone expect to figure out anything about the real world using this fruitless method?
Can You Explain Why Slavery is Wrong?
We’ve encountered some reasonable refutations of this premise, with the biggest critique being around the claim that it’s “self-evident”. In that way, it looks like the other weak arguments. When I’m asked to prove that I own myself, I don’t have a quick and easy answer, I can’t produce a receipt. But I am responsible for my actions, and I chose how and when to use my body. These are qualities of ownership. And even with a gun pointed at my head, the decision to cooperate is still ultimately mine. I couldn’t forfeit control if I wanted to.
Troll the World with Positivity
This is true trolling – to overwhelm conventional wisdom with unconventional wisdom. You will troll the trolls by taking their art form and using it for good. You will troll the world with positivity. You will be absurd in your joy until everyone else realizes they are being absurd in their misery.
2nd Amendment, Voluntaryism, Laws Create Crime, & Pushing Boundaries (36m) – Editor’s Break 064
Editor’s Break 064 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: the so-called Founding Fathers and the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution, what voluntaryism is all about, why laws create more crime than they deter and how to adequately deter criminal behavior, creative verse destructive actions, the importance of pushing boundaries and civil disobedience, and more.
Don’t You Know What Socialism Is? II
Earlier today I posted the above graphic in the Facebook group, Another 2000+ Libertarian Quotes.* On reflection, I could have taken the word, “legislative,” out.
A Straightforward View of Morality and the Government
If an action is immoral for me and you, it is also immoral for others, including those who constitute the government. Election to public office is not a licence to lie, defraud, extort, rob, kidnap, or murder. Those who believe that government officials, employees, and contractors may morally do what other individuals may not do are morally bankrupt.
Capitalism vs. Socialism: Reply to Bruenig
Since Elizabeth Bruenig has posted her whole opening debate statement, I thought I’d reply point-by-point. She’s in blockquotes; I’m not. Before I get started, though, let me say that personally, Elizabeth seems a gracious and kind human being. Still, even if I were an avid socialist, I’d be baffled by the way she tackles the issue.
Knowledge Judgment and Action Judgment
Knowing how to read and react to a situation, when to say/not say things, and other “soft”, social, and emotional intelligences. I’m not sure if judgement can be taught to someone who lacks it. Judgement can certainly get refined through experience, and someone who has it can gain highly specific forms based on contextual feedback. I’ve been using the broad catch-all word “judgement” to describe this trait for a long time. Yesterday it occurred to me that judgment manifests in two very different ways. Or maybe it has two levels.