Editor’s Break 043 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: social coercion and voluntaryism, rights in the negative sense and as a social convention, how markets, and not governments, increase peace and tolerance in society, using force when persuasion fails, the negative aspects of the so-called “thin blue line”, what Utopia is and why the free society is not Utopian, the foolishness in treating celebrities as authorities on politics and economics, and more.
Tag: coercion
Authorities They Are Not
Political discourse is an open-access activity. Anyone can have a say. Among those whose opinions and allegations receive the most notice are celebrities — especially entertainers, actors, TV news figure and pundits, athletes, and people who are famous only for being famous — and politicians. The prominent attention that these persons’ statements garner is unfortunate, to say the least.
A Matter of Scale
At what scale do you suddenly think that human interaction and peaceful coexistence requires, or is even helped by, giving some people permission to forcibly rule everyone else?
Let’s Take a Time Out
Think the following question to yourselves: How come with all of the hundreds of thousands of laws that have been passed since the inception of America, our social structure is collapsing to the point where hateful class warfare has developed? Our infrastructure, our education system, our justice system, our healthcare system, our welfare system and our defense system are all in a deplorable state. Why is it that way?
“Witch!”
Why is the act of making accusations suddenly so trendy? Maybe it’s just a snowball effect, or jumping on the bandwagon. The more who accuse, the easier it is to come forward with your own accusations.
Freedom’s Simple Formula
Freedom means being allowed to take whatever risks are acceptable to you without being subject to violence or force from others. It means you have the right to use your body and property however you see fit.
Insurance, or Forced Charity?
On a Facebook thread (not mine) that I saw recently, someone wrote, as an objection to the idea of turning health care over to the market, “In a totally free market for healthcare, people with pre-existing conditions would be denied coverage.” Well, yes.
There’s No Reason Money Changes The Nature of a Trade
What is happening when consenting adults have sex? They are trading emotional and/or physical feelgoods. And when money is involved? They are likewise trading emotional and/or physical feelgoods… Say what now? It’s true.
How Public Shaming Makes Real Change Harder
As long as we jump straight to public shaming and enemy-labelling, most people won’t have the internal fortitude to take the necessary steps to change. Public shaming should be a last resort when all hope of change is lost.
True Humility is Leaving Others to Live in Freedom (7m) – Peaceful Anarchism 026
Peaceful Anarchism 026, “Humans are not mathematical equations. They are sentient beings with free will. They must be respected as such. One cannot assume to know what another sentient human being considers valuable or prioritizes. That is committing the fundamental folly of the violent ruler who rules by force and coercion.”