What are you going to do with your Steemit gains (if they ever come), what do you do with them now if you have made it? Do you identify as an anarcho-capitalist?
To me, it seems that what most here really just want to do is buy themselves a better position on the ladder of the system, still caged, still controlled, still told when to sing, just in more comfort, a better neighborhood, a nicer car. Lambo! Right? So much for anarchy when people will spend their gains burying themselves deeper into the system they claim to renounce.
I myself am not an anarcho-capitalist, well, perhaps I am as I don't even really know what one is and, don't really care for labels. You can call me one if you want but, you can essentially call me whatever the hell you want, it doesn't make me it.
What I am interested in however is the reduction of suffering in this world and an increase in well-being. I am not talking about some marketing study to create top ten lists, I am talking about increasing the opportunity for as many people as possible to discover their talents and fulfill their potential.
For me, ancap concepts of free markets will always fail if the freedom of some depends on the enslavement of others. Why? Because that is just capitalism. Free markets without an ethical or moral stance means the most heinous of human behaviors are accepted, as long as there is a market for it. Much like the world we live in now where people in the worst circumstances are producing products that they can never dream to own - most will never even see the finished product for a chance to admire its design and beauty.
So many talk about freedom and government tyranny here yet, if given the opportunity, they would blue pill it straight back in if they were granted a higher position, more status and a better salary. Maybe the bars are replaced with windows to give the illusion of freedom but, one is still trapped within the system.
Instead of buying their freedom and that of others, they buy into the system and sell the others into slavery or more commonly, just turn a blind eye to the suffering. This isn't about charity, it is about necessity, one that the ancaps seem to turn away from.
The problem is that there are boundaries or there are not, which means if anyone is caged, all are caged. Do you understand why? It is relatively simple isn't it? Let's say that the entire world is free and living harmoniously in anarchy, all except for one small nation where a dictator rules. As soon as there is that boundary fencing them in, it also fences the rest out. Even though the rest live without authority, that fence is a dictator of behavior. Would you cross it? At what cost are you willing?
Now, in that scenario perhaps the majority could free the oppressed but, we are a long, long, long way away from having an overwhelming majority of free folk. For the most part, we are all bound by the system, forced to adhere even if it causes us harm. We are all bound by debts to people who have engineered the system for centuries to indebt us. You may say, I am not in debt yet, why must you pay taxes to a system that keeps sliding further and further into debt? Where does it end?
Do you choose not to pay? How about your neighbors, your parents, your siblings? Are they still enslaved? Are they still tied to a dictator? Are you free to free them? Of course not. How free are you if you see people suffering and you are unable to help them? Perhaps you are free and just unwilling?
No, I don't think that for the most part people want to live in a world knowing that their 'freedom' is only possible because of the enslavement of others. Do they? I don't at least.
The problem is that everyone wants to be free before they will lend a hand to others without realizing that they can never be free until they start lending hands. Again, I do not speak of charity although at times, it may be charitable, I speak of doing what is morally and ethically necessary to reach the position one claims to want. Or, do you expect those in power now just to give it up?
It doesn't work if only the odd people 'get out' of the system, it has to be a concerted effort, a drive out en masse, and that can't happen when the majority are only interested in looking out for themselves until they are comfortable enough to help others. What is enough? The system is set up to make sure that the majority needed will never have enough to walk away as it convinces us to buy back in time and time again.
I don't know about all of the intricacies of political ideals and their claims but, a free market and a society to operate requires many people working together toward a common target of that idealistic freedom, doesn't it?
It seems to me that no matter what people call a system, if everyone keeps buying-in and supporting the current one, it is unable to change much from where it is. Most likely though, if you want to change the world for the better you need to put out your hand, and instead of begging and expecting something to be put into it, lend it to help another. I don't think it would take long to cover the majority required to tip the scales.
But, for the most part, no one is likely to think much about their own behaviors and how they will affect their and other people's future positions because in general, we are short sighted animals. We are in it for a quick meal even if it means tomorrow we will starve.
As someone mentioned to me a few moments ago, we are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. I talked of golden tickets, but the metaphor still holds truth.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
The most "helping hand" we can provide is to learn and educate, to evolve consciousness with care for truth motivating us towards moral truth, and share that knowledge with others for our aggregate understanding and behavior to change for the better. Then a causal free market can work, as we won't be supporting the "most heinous of human behaviors", and they won't gain the monetary support to continue doing what they do. We are empowering them with our purchases and our ignorance. If we stop feeding them, stop buying into products and beliefs that empower them, then we can change the condition of our world/lives drastically. We need to point the finger at ourselves, all of us, if we want to change things.
Completely agreed.
Why must man be free? Can he not be content with his lot as allotted by the divine or fate? If man truly desires to be free, then he must also be willing to accept the responsibility and consequences of his freedom. Much of humanity decides upon poor choices, incurring debts and costs that can not be repaid to their creditors. Does not the creditors have the freedom to send his thugs to reclaim what was loaned by enslaving his debtors? If the debt can not be repaid within the debtors lifetime, then is it not logical that his children be enslaved also? Or is the conceptualization of freedom via "anarchy" only pertain to the debtors, much like the pricuples, about which communists and socialists ramble? What you preach regarding freedom only for debtors, is nothing more than demand for entitlements, not true freedom.
You think that is 'all I preach' ?
In this post, yes. The post calls for an egalitarian utopia of free men with equal distribution of resources, where no man is in "bondage" or "slavery." The unchangeable reality is that life is inherently unfair, but man is responsible for conducting his life within the parameters of his limitations.
Give everyone equal distribution of all the external resources, and within one year, men will structure their society exactly as it had been, with masters on top and drones on the bottom. A man exists in certain social strata precisely due to his aptitude, tendencies, choices, and cultural background. Human hierachal social structure is not due to high level conspiracy, but due to man's innate condition.
Economic systems and incentive structure affects the degree with which wealth discrepancies manifest, but no system can ever erase the deep core of human condition: man is bound to serve a master. Politico-economic systems only determine what type of masters a man serves.
What a subject. One that I enjoy
It is our responsibility to choose the leaders that make the rules for us. We here (in the US) are a products of the leadership that we have chosen. From local to federal . Everyone wants to bitch and moan, but they have no idea what the chosen ones have put into practice . They are elected and receive a salary of $150k a year. and after a couple of years their multi millionaires And year after they vote them in. How did they reap such rewards. So the fault is our own.
We all live in a box of our own making. We like and are comfortable in this box. It make us feel secure.
The world keeps getting smaller and smaller. We are exposed to more and more information about the surrounding world. That we did not know or could not obtain years ago.
I have seen many types of Governments and fought against some. The people of the world are the same now as they always have been.
A free market is the best system there is. Its provides the opportunity to succeed, not guaranteed .
The problem is the same as it always been. We need to escape the bubble were in and take stock in our own communities . Look closely at who you elect to represent you. Don't just turn on the news and consume the propaganda being given you. ask question , be informed then make your decision .
I'll informed , and just going along has caused more of the worlds problems then anything else. "For evil to succeed all it takes is for good men to do nothing"
Every body here want the Federal Government to solve there problems.
(dumb asses)
Jesus did I rant. Good thing I had to let the dogs out, so I'll end here
Even when it hurts us, restricts us and damages our potential.
Indeed, and it comes with the responsibility of the group to help each other
I quoted this on a comment yesterday :)
that statement is so true and applies to a lot of aspects of life. But it seem that the people with the least help out the most and the people with the most help themselves. That is where you hit the nail on the head with your post. I know of people with means and there not the ones who I hold accountable. I do hope I was clear in that.
Thank you for responding
I enjoy your insight and feedback,
thanks
First apply your mask and then help others around you who may need assistance.
If you have flown a few time you will have heard this as they give you all the safety instructions when they explain about the oxygen masks.
This really is something that people need to apply to their lives also IMO. You can't really help others in a meaningful way until you are coming from a position of being secure. This isn't to say you need to be financially free or crazy rich, just you need a level of security that you aren't still drowning in life.
Someone who has a solid footing can do so much more for others and help them reach the level they have already reached.
This makes me think of a zombie shoe I was watched at some point. End of days and this group of mainly young guys with 1 older(wiser) man find a farm with chickens. They could have lived off the eggs forever, but instead they wanted meat and ate the chickens. After a week they lost what would have been a great long term food source. The Dad had pushed the group to not each the chickens, but he was outnumbered. Hence why he was the smarter one.
Know it's just a TV show, but without question this instant gratification mentality is very prevalent today.
Indeed, I use this analogy too.
I'm here for the community and the friends that I have made on here. When I'm not here, I'm trying to better my life. When I'm on here, I'm trying to better the lives of others. I guess I help others outside of Steemit as well, but my reach is much shorter. I have more of a lengthy reach when I am on here, or at least that's how I feel...
I feel the same, true or not :)
Perhaps, and there will come a time when a person will achieve his well-being, not walking on the bones of other people. So many people dream about this, starting with Thomas More (16th century), inventing their ideas to improve the world. In my country, one government is changing for another, but none thinks about the interests of ordinary people. And I would very much like freedom from such rulers.
Well thought out philosophy behind this article well done :-)
Completly agree, i dont share many of the ideas, but this makes me think about it alot more.
That is all I ever ask of people. Thanks.
Thanks a heap, i have been discussing this topic alot lately.
And my thinking has been refined, challanged.
Im still connected to the metaphoric matrix, but i do believe this is the inevitable out come of societys evolution. Democracy and the system we live in now is just one evolutionary step towards this ideal utopia.
Maybe my kids or my kids kids will live free, untill then we all need to make changers in our selfs to make the changers the world needs.
Thank your thoughts have given me alot to think about.
And regardless of what you believe, we should all strive for the change you wirte about.
I hope this for my daughter but it is unlikely at this pace but maybe, maybe grandchildren. It is just a series of small steps but steps nonetheless. Thanks for dropping by too.
I am going to retire early. I am self employed doing something I absolutely love, but still working in the capitalist system. I have no boss to answer to, but I still have to pay taxes etc. I would love to live in a society where everyone was doing what they love to do, but human nature being what it is, I don't see that happening anytime soon as there are too many that value power more than true freedom.
Easy answer. Early retirement in my village, fishing, swimming all year round and the occasional fun trip abroad.
Oh yeah, I will also get a lada niva and pimp it like a tank.
And yeah most nodern "ancaps" are hypocrites and idiots
They are already tanks.
I think this system is very unsuccessful, I agree with you in all my dear brother @tarazkp
It is a system of creation for a specific category, which is the only one that enjoys life and well-being.
I think that its founders are fighting today and are making a regime that never lets it fall, because it is a system that serves their interests only, and if it falls, they fall.
I hope that all humanity will be in one class, living in safety, peace, cooperation and love.
Thank you dear for everything you provide and share it with us
I'm obviously hoping that they eventually lead to some form of early retirement, but I am not getting my hopes up too much. Eventually they will hopefully be worth a lot, but at this point I'm just enjoying my time with the community and hopefully will make something of it eventually.
I am agree with you brother @tarazkp,next time i try to do more than now,and make it better..thank you for article,great one...
I like to the article you are talking about the welfare, because we know much pain due to the crush the economy, even going monopoly everywhere due to the Act of capitalist. Thanks
I found a guy who is going to make me a solid silver cannon in exchange for STEEM
Nice photography!!