Politics is your neighbor and his like-minded friends rallying together to lobby for government to shift their policies in their favor. If your neighbor and his friends hate intrusive government, those policy shifts may be a good thing for those who value peace and prosperity. But if your neighbor and his friends hate people wealthier than them, or people with a different skin color, those policy shifts are sure to bring about an exacerbated level of conflict, and thus a reduction in prosperity.
Tag: order
Tribalism and Economic Nationalism – Cut from the Same Cloth
Why would anyone underestimate the benefits of interacting with foreigners? It might be because they are, well, foreign. Combine this bias with an ignorance of Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” (spontaneous order) and a suspicion that exchange is zero-sum rather than positive-sum, and you have the making of an economic nationalist.
Puppets on a String
How often does the mainstream media give attention and coverage to people who calmly and rationally explain the concepts and principles of voluntaryism? Answer: pretty much never. And how often does the mainstream media give attention and coverage to “alt-right” types frothing and ranting about Jews, blacks, immigrants, etc.? Answer: as often as possible.
Progressives Have Too Much Faith and Trust in Political Power
If you’re wealthy, that’s proof positive that you are taking advantage, or exploiting, those less wealthy than you. By definition. In every case. (Never mind their next best alternative is less desirable for them.) But here’s the rub: in order to fix wealth inequality, progressives are choosing to increase power inequality. And which is the greater threat to every income class of mankind?
How an Airborne Ranger Became a Voluntaryist
Government directives to do evil (whether by commission or omission) do not override our conscience and our understanding of right and wrong. I favor agoristic obviation of government institutions. I support voluntary alternatives to government services as much as I can and continue to encourage government institutions to reduce and eliminate their restrictions on our freedoms.
My Ongoing Battle with Leviathan
In January of this year (2017) I was notified that my 2015 tax return was going to be audited. 2015 was the first tax year that I wasn’t completely a W2 employee. Half the year was W2, the other 1099. Surprise, surprise, I was one of the lucky ones chosen to be told I owe more money. I responded to the audit request with a request of my own: give me the information you used to determine your code and constitution apply to me, and I’m happy to cooperate.
Government Law is a Death Penalty
“The force of law” is not just getting punched by a cop. It’s getting murdered by a cop if he deems it necessary to escalate his attack on you, and he’s been granted permission by his bosses to do exactly that. It happens daily all over the world.
They Keep Using That Phrase, “Net Neutrality”
As the FCC considers repealing the 2015 Net Neutrality rule, its supporters are desperate to associate bad things with its absence. So desperate that Demand Progress is advertising examples of Net Neutrality as violations of Net Neutrality.
Abnormalities and Treating Others with Kindness
Abnormalities aren’t normal. We don’t need to normalize abnormalities in order to have the kind of society that treats people with respect. We don’t need body positivity, trans awareness, gay awareness or anything else. We only need to teach people to be polite and treat assholes like they are assholes.
Suit, Robe, or Uniform: Does it Matter What Criminals Wear?
My bias aside, we shouldn’t believe that all business people strictly follow free market principles. Perhaps, even, most of them don’t. Who knows? What I do know is that every single person is capable of behaving in ways contrary to voluntaryism, and a strong majority of us have at some point in our lives.