Drunk driving. Terrorists. Natural disasters. Diseases. "Breakdown of social order". Lack of government control. All these things are supposed to cause fear. As they say: "meh".
I seem to have a different outlook than most people, perhaps even different from most libertarians.
I am not afraid of things that seem to really scare some people.
I oppose enforcement of anti-drunk-driving "laws". In fact, I think drunk driving "laws" should all be eliminated completely.
Yes, I believe if you do drive drunk (or sober, for that matter) and cause harm to a person or someone else's property, then you are in debt. Some debts are impossible to pay.
I have been told that driving drunk is the same as pointing a loaded gun at an innocent person's head. But I don't quite believe that. There seems to be a real difference there, even if I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps it is the intent behind the act.
"Might hurt someone" just doesn't cut it with me.
"Terrorists"? I've never seen one- at least one who didn't work for government. Do I fear them? Do I believe I need to give someone else my liberty so that they can protect me from terrorists? Nope. Sorry.
Natural disasters? They will happen. Take precautions. It's the best way to guard against harm when they do happen. Will that guarantee your safety? Don't be silly. But it's better (and smarter) than sitting around refusing to do anything and expecting someone else to come bail you out.
Diseases. Probably about the same thing as "natural disasters". Avoid doing things that increase your chances of catching a communicable disease, but don't expect me to sit around wearing a dust mask spraying disinfectant on everything I touch. I fear medical treatment more than I fear disease. I fear the expenses, too.
"Breakdown of social order"? Might happen. If it does I am as ready as I can be under the circumstances. I'm adaptable.
Lack of governmental control? Fear it? I crave it. I'd rather see chaos or anarchy than a rigid, ordered "society". Either things will work out OK, or they won't. If they don't... well, that's life. Some will say I just don't understand how bad it could be. Probably not. But I have been in plenty of situations beyond the realistic reach of government, and things worked out just fine. Bring it on!
Perhaps my problem is a lack of fear.
The State needs "us" to be afraid. All the time. Of everything except its employees (well, other than when it wants us to be afraid of defying or killing them). I can't live that way. I don't have that much fear- not enough to go around. I have to ration my fear carefully. Those things just don't get any.
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Again, spot on, Kent.
ReplyDeleteThe fear campaign will now begin in earnest...
How do you deal with fear? By being free. Free to change those things that can be changed and free to adapt to those things that cannot be changed. The government has taken away much of our freedom: our ability or even desire to change and adapt. The aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy are excellent examples of that. Many people did not prepare until the very last minute for these disasters and relied upon the government to solve the problem. How is FEMA working out for you?
ReplyDeleteOthers who did prepare are ridiculed as "Preppers". In the case of Katrina, property owners who attempted to protected themselves and their families where disarmed and left virtually defenseless.
The fears fueled by the government/media alliance are designed to create a frenzy among the people to accept more government control. The"War on Drugs" and the "War on Terrorism" gave Nixon and Bush/Obama, respectively, the opening to institute new draconian laws and to limit further our freedoms. Once in place, these laws remain even when the alleged reasons for their creation have long-sensed vanished or the "wars" proven ineffective or counter-productive. As Robert Higgs as noted, there is a "ratcheting effect" so that new restrictions are adding without eliminating the old ones. Once lost, the freedoms are rarely, if ever, recovered.