Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Obeying the State

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."- Robert A. Heinlein

There are times I do things that the state demands, that I would rather not do. Paying some taxes is one of those things, and hiding certain activities is another.

When I do obey the state, it is not because I think the state is right, it is to avoid being killed by its enforcers. When you obey to avoid being killed, you also accept that you may need to act in self defense. Especially if you see an opening. Time after time it is demonstrated that working within the system only works to increase state control. If you don't think that "the game" is rigged, you are not paying attention.

Is that really the situation the government wanted to bring about? Does intent even matter at this point?