Liberals often recite the phrase:
"Government is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together."*
But why isn't that as or more true of the market? Recently a great number of friends have been gushing (as have I) about the TV series "The Queen's Gambit." How many people worked collaboratively - and voluntarily -- on that? How many of us watched it - voluntarily - with enthusiasm, making all their work pay off?
"Choose" to do together? There's more choice in the market than government. I don't choose to have my government always be at war with Westasia, but I'm forced to fund it anyway. Where is choice in that, when both parties support it? This "choosing" in politics is largely an illusion. We make a big noise about it every two to four years, giving the illusion that the choice is much more substantive than it is. Meanwhile, we make daily choices in the market whether to do things together or not, often with hardly a consciously reflective thought given to the significance of the fact that we do get a real choice.
Government? That's simply the name we give to those things others force me to do with them, without regard for how deep my moral opposition to those things is.
*attributed to former Massachusett Representative Barny Frank.
Congratulations @nooses! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP