this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2023
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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago (14 children)

Define constantly, define afraid.

If you continually maintain readiness for government violation of your rights, no problem. If your heart rate is elevated and you’re sweating in fear, that’s a pretty serious problem.

As Bruce Lee said, “Do not be tense, but ready”.

Yeah the government is a monster and it might come get you. That’s true. But the likelihood it’s coming to get you right now is very low and being in constant fear is no way to live. And the government isn’t the only monster.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (7 children)

And the government isn’t the only monster.

Very important. Otherwise you become a Libertarian or a Theocrat.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Well I'm a libertarian because it takes into account all the other monsters. The goal of government is to maximize freedom. That doesnt' mean anarchy, because people are less free under anarchy than they are under properly-operating government.

IMO a government should be just powerful enough to prevent other governments from forming. Like, the purpose of an army in a democracy is to prevent other armies from coming to install a dictatorship over the people.

Or to mirror the common saying about guns: "The only way to stop a bad government with an army, is with a good government with an army".

But the other monsters are gangs, corporations, individuals. And a good government enforces rules that prevent those other monsters from taking away your freedom.

But yeah. Basic point is that libertarian => government's purpose is to maximize freedom

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Libertarians are anarchists with suits. I hope you are a edgy 16 year old because I think you got a lot to learn about how the government works and how society works

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Libertarians are anarchists with suits

You don’t see this as “edgy” at all? Like what value are we to obtain from this comment as readers?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

The American libertarian party and anarchists in all of their flavors (minus an-caps) are wildly different. What brought you to that conclusion?

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