Hello and Welcome
Greetings, my name is Robert and I have been a “small l” libertarian for a few years. I’ve only recently became active in “big L” Libertarianism. I decided to create this weblog to voice my opinions and to relay, what I would consider, pertinent news and happenings.
I suppose that a few personal details are in order, so here we go: I am a 29 year old Caucasian male. I am a life-long resident of Fort Worth, TX. I am unmarried, but I do have a large extended family. I smoke alot, though I am actively planning to cut back substantially on my next birthday. I do not drink alcohol regularly, some who know me would even state that I do not drink at all. That is untrue, however. I spend an excessive amount of time sitting in front of my computer, doing no particular thing. I am an information junkie.
Now for some social-political views: I believe in the priniples of self-ownership. I believe that I, as well as everyone else, have the right to freely associate with any other person, group or entity. I believe that I have the right to defend my life or livelihood from the use of force or fraud, or any threat therein.
My economic-political views have recently changed dramatically. In the past I favored tighter control on businesses. I thought that commercial enterprises were the corrupt and never cared for anything other that the bottom-line. In my history class I’ve read about the sweatshops that employed children and paid them with a meager wage. I’ve read about the early attempts at unionization and what the government and business did to thrall those attempts. For a long time, I viewed the slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need,” a justifiable maxim. I have also advocated that a salary cap on the owners and managers of business. I thought that individuals such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet could live just as well at a maximal salary of $100,000 dollars a year.
I now emphatically believe that I could not have been more wrong. The story behind my particular epiphany is a rather short one. Most of my friends consider the discussion of politics as great waste of time. I have one friend, however, who is always an exceptional debate partner. One day during a discussion about the distribution of wealth in the United States, I declared that the above slogan should be The guiding principle of our political lives. I knew from past discussions that she did not agree with the view. On that day she went further and responded that many would consider such a statement a very offensive policy to promote. She said it in such a way that it did give me a reason to believe that she, herself, found the idea offensive. When I asked why, she stated that I should read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
Up until that point I have always believed that Ayn Rand’s works are best if avoided, especially Atlas Shrugged. I did read Anthem in my youth, but I never appreciated it. The reasoning behind my aversion to Rand’s works were juvenile and not fitting for detailed analysis, except to say that at the time, I thought that it would be destructive to my world-view if I i did read it. My friend was insistent, however.
So upon the recommendation of my close friend, I went to my local library and checked out the book and began reading it. While following the plight of the innovative and industrial protagonists as they navigate the more and more treacherous waters of the looters and moochers, I started to add my own verbal and increasingly colorful commentary. In doing so, I was also greatly aware that my world-view was being torn down, brick by brick.
Upon finishing the book I realized that there is thin line (if there is a line at all) between economic freedom and social freedom. Also, one must have both to enjoy political freedom. That’s the end of my short story. The reason why I shared my story on the change of my economic world-view is to state that the reformulation of my personal philosophies is an ongoing activity. Some of the opinions that I will share will rough and incomplete, if not outright non-sequitur.
Having stated that, I make no demand of any person to read this weblog. Further, of those who do read this weblog, I do not insist that you agree with me. Finally of those who do read this weblog and disagree with any idea herein, I do not require you to be silent or to speak up. If you do wish to read and comment, you are more than welcome to do so. Even if it to say how very wrong I am. I make no attempt to assume I know everything. That is a fool’s dream.
For Liberty.