Living in a world that feels backwards
Note: This is a condensed version focusing on core arguments. For the full essay with detailed personal reflections, please see the complete version.
Understanding libertarian philosophy creates mental clarity but also frustration. Once you see that violence is wrong and free markets solve problems, you can’t unsee it. The challenge is living in a world built on principles you now recognize as fundamentally flawed while finding constructive ways to move forward.
Accepting libertarian philosophy brings absolute consistency. No more endless debates about tax rates (the only acceptable amount is 0%), school funding, or social programs. The principle is simple: Violence is wrong, free markets work.
This isn’t arrogance—it’s humility. Instead of thinking a few bureaucrats can solve complex problems, you trust millions of people working separately to find solutions. This approach has consistently produced better results throughout history.
Two guiding principles: 1. Always be the 20% (Pareto Principle) - Excel in multiple areas rather than obsessing over perfection in one 2. Always abide by non-aggression - Never initiate force, take accountability, let people learn from mistakes
The Matrix analogy applies: What has been seen cannot be unseen. When you understand how the world actually works, everything makes sense, but it becomes frustrating to explain to others.
The harsh reality: We cannot cure child hunger with more tax money or fix education with better public schools. These programs don’t work. The promise is compelling, but the reality is failure.
The communication problem: It’s like knowing 2+2=4 but being unable to demonstrate this simple equation to most people. Most people shut down when their fundamental beliefs are challenged.
Politics cannot be reformed from within because the system is built on violence. Voting is immoral—by voting, you’re asking someone to threaten others under penalty of death to comply with your wishes.
Politicians are motivated by power, not results. Even principled people become corrupted by the system. If Alan Greenspan (a student of Ayn Rand and sound money advocate) couldn’t reform the Fed, no one can.
The system creates division: Republicans and Democrats take turns wielding violence to force each other to comply. Maybe we should stop forcing people to pay for things they don’t support.
Understand human incentives:
- Corporations are driven by profits
- Politicians are driven by votes
- People are driven by self-interest
Knowing these patterns makes it harder to be surprised by behavior that shocks others. You can predict outcomes based on incentive structures rather than hoping people will act against their interests.
Never recommend violence against government. When government threatens violence, either run or comply—determine which has less downside risk.
Change minds through understanding: Relate to people, empathize with their perspectives, understand their reasons for believing what they do. Only then can you potentially change minds. No one ever changed their mind by being yelled at.
Focus on people you care about: Don’t waste time debating strangers online. Invest in relationships where you can have real conversations over time.
The concern is valid: Who takes care of the most vulnerable in a stateless society?
Current system failures: Despite massive government spending, people fall through cracks worldwide. Public education deteriorates, leaving disadvantaged children further behind.
Free market solution would be superior: - More wealth creation - Free markets generate prosperity that lifts everyone - Better education - Customized to individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all - Efficient charity - Private charities spend 70-90% on programs vs. government’s administrative waste - Personal connection - Local organizations understand community needs better than distant bureaucrats
Trust human nature: People would donate to help others—not for tax breaks, but because it’s right. Private charities would be far better equipped to provide personalized care.
If you reject a stateless society, you must accept one of two positions:
Other rights can override it, making aggression acceptable in certain cases.
The problem: If another right supersedes self-ownership, what is this ultimate right? Can it be universally applied? How do you reconcile the inconsistency—if water rights override self-ownership, how can you argue the water belongs to you in the first place?
Self-ownership is primary, but government is required to protect it.
The problem: To protect self-ownership, we must first surrender self-ownership? How much do we surrender—1% for police, more for military? This is obviously hypocritical.
Picture a society built on self-ownership and non-aggression where free markets flourish without government constraints. Put aside “gotcha” arguments and assume free markets work.
This isn’t utopia—humans will still have disputes, crime, and conflict. But the social fabric would be built on peaceful cooperation with consistent, universal principles. While not perfect, it’s impossible to imagine this wouldn’t be a massive improvement over today’s violence-based system.
We judge historical figures by present moral standards, not their era’s cultural norms. The universal application of non-aggression makes slavery as morally reprehensible 200 years ago as today.
The question: What universal moral principle guides your actions with such consistency across time and cultures?
The libertarian answer: The non-aggression principle. Violence is wrong. This principle transcends time, culture, and circumstance.
Understanding libertarian philosophy changes everything. You gain mental clarity but face the challenge of living in a world that operates on principles you now recognize as flawed.
The solution isn’t to become bitter or withdraw from society. Focus on what you can control, use free speech to plant seeds of understanding, and trust that millions of people working freely will solve problems better than any government program.
The fundamental truth: Violence is wrong, and free markets solve problems. Everything else follows from these simple principles.
This concludes the four-part introduction to libertarian philosophy. The journey from recognizing the immorality of government to understanding how free markets create prosperity leads to a consistent worldview based on non-aggression and voluntary cooperation.
Disclosure: The content herein is my own opinion and
should not be considered financial advice or recommendations.