I can easily tell some of my anarchist coworkers by the black flags on their desks. I inherited one of these black flags from a former developer, and I treat it with reverence. I do go back and forth, though, on whether it should be on my workstation.
Tag: consent
“Let Me See Your ID First.”
One thought that keeps running through my mind is that believers in the State must expect everyone to swap “government-issued ID” when they meet (and be able to tell if it is “real”), just in case anything happens later on. Maybe they believe the State should issue “Approved for Sex” cards, with age restrictions on which partners you’re allowed, of course.
Are We Sure It Can’t It Happen Here?
One runs a risk whenever one cites the 20th century’s great terror states while discussing current ominous developments in the western democracies. Apparent comparisons of the United States or western and central European countries to Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia will inevitably be hooted down with accusations of alarmist conspiracy-mongering and worse, shameful ahistoricity. Nevertheless, that must not keep us from noticing and pointing to contemporary events that bear an eerie resemblance, however slight, to things that went on in those totalitarian terror states.
On Antinatalism
I’m not exceptionally well versed on “antinatalism”, the belief that it is morally wrong to procreate. Some antinatalists make the argument that procreation is morally wrong because it is nonconsensual as far as the offspring is concerned. Other antinatalists make the argument that because there is suffering in life (some times and places more than others), it is morally wrong to create a life that you know is going to suffer.
Nothing but Legalized Theft
The loot from the tariff revenues goes into the hands of government officials, and the income from artificially stimulated demand for domestically produced goods goes into the coffers of crony capitalists.
On “The Implication”
In Season 6, Episode 3 of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, Dennis unknowingly explains the source of government authority. Mac and Dennis just bought a boat and are purchasing supplies. Dennis mentions the need for a mattress, which causes Mac to wonder why. It was Dennis’s intention in buying the boat to use it to attract and bed women.
Foreign Policy, Part I
While I favor Agorism, Voluntaryism, and Anarcho-Capitalism, I do have a solid knowledge base on the United States Constitutional Republic. This article will focus on normative foreign policy in this context, and later articles will deal with more philosophically palatable foreign policy questions.
Rule by Majority Unfair to Minority
Allegiance to a group shouldn’t be assumed, mandatory, or dependent on where you live. Let people choose their own groups, and let the groups’ territories overlap the way those of clubs or churches do. Let people switch between groups, or opt out, as their needs and circumstances change.
Markets aren’t Miraculous; God Bless the World
I was wrong to ever describe anything the market does as a miracle or as miraculous. Why? Because the positive effects of markets broadly described above do not depend on any sort of divine intervention, and its totally ridiculous to say that they do. Rather, they are the natural result of individuals and groups engaging in market action. No divine explanation necessary.
Funding Higher Education Debate: My Opening Statement
Why should higher education receive government support? There are two main arguments. The first is the economic argument. Government support is allegedly economically beneficial not merely for individual students, but for society as a whole. The second is the humanistic argument. Economic effects aside, government support is vital for the promotion of intrinsically valuable ideas, culture, and values.