Do You Believe In Freedom?

So You’re Against The Nanny State – Do You Believe In Freedom?

This is a simple question, and there is no ‘wrong’ answer. The purpose is to help us find any inconsistency in our beliefs. The question is: Do you believe in freedom? Ultimately this question boils down to ‘do you want peaceful adults to be free to make their own choices?’

Now many will of course think ‘No, I don’t want people free to make their own choices.’  Well, although I disagree with you, I do respect you for having the awareness to make that statement.

You cannot create equality by treating people unequally.

Most people will instinctively say ‘Of course’, almost offended at the question. If you do think that people should not be free to choose many other questions arise. Who decides where the line is? As Milton Friedman says ‘Just tell me where in the world will you find these angels, who are going to organise society for us?’ There are no angels. The auto response is ‘the government’. As the government is made up of politicians, is this the same government who jumps into illegal wars, prints money, protects cronyism and practise paedophilia?

Do you want people to be free to make their own choices providing they are peaceful?

[pullquote align=”right”] Targeting one class of people with legislation is certainly not freedom.
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Do you want them to be free regardless of them making choices you may strongly disagree with? Perhaps they will choose to use drugs, yet be no harm to others. Maybe a local business will offer to pay an employee €4 per hour, perhaps the employee is quite happy to accept this wage for the experience, or simply for his own reasons. These two parties have come to an agreement together. Are you happy they are free, as adults to enter into this contract? Or do you wish some governmental authority to police this private voluntary agreement? The multi-billionaire decides he will not pay any tax, do you want him free to make this choice, or should he be policed by the state (the politicians we mentioned above who jump into illegal wars, print money, protect cronyism and practise paedophilia) to force him to pay what you think is suitable?

You Want Free Speech, How About Free Choice? – Do You Believe In Freedom?

Already you may see that many people in reality do not want  freedom for others, for whatever reason, although we all want freedom for ourselves. The reasons here are not important, what is important is simply pointing out that many people who call out for free speech or human rights, in effect do not want people to have total (peaceful) free choice.

I do find this absolutely fascinating. Millions will march in the streets for free speech, wave flags for various rights they demand (from governments who took them away in the first place, and celebrate if they are given back), yet when it comes to each individual having the right to choose to trade peacefully,  or do as they wish with their own hard earned money, silence prevails, or worse it is selective. Perhaps freedom to trade might be allowed for the poor, but anyone with any amount of wealth surely cannot be allowed it, even if they amassed that wealth through honest means, providing jobs and services. Free trade affects both the wealthy and poor. It means the poor man is now unhindered by the state to trade his labour in whatever way he wishes to survive. It also means he himself, can begin to trade in products and services and compete with the rich man. So if the poor man can wash your car, fix your TV, supply you with groceries to your home, or whatever possible idea you can think of, if he can do that more efficiently than the bloated corporation, for a lower cost, guess what, he’s in business. There are plenty of examples of very wealthy people who started out selling concert tickets or fruit and vegetables, or second hand cars. They had the initiative to take that risk and to strive for more. However as government gets bigger, the small businessperson is increasingly restricted.

I Want You To Pay For Me

The hypocrisy arises when people call out for more government, more regulations, new legislation for this and that. None of that equates to a free society. One of many flaws with democracy is that voters are voting for what they personally want, with no consideration to what might benefit millions of other people. They may give lip service of ‘this is best for society’, but have they done research? Asked a wide variety of people? Or just their own like minded friends? Why would you want everyone to think like you? Why would you want to elect a government who will force others to live within the constraints you deem suitable?

[pullquote] People generally want freedom only for those they identify with.
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Do you believe in freedom? Another response is ‘Yes, but…’ The only reasonable ‘but’ here should be regarding violence. If there is calls to tax any people differently to others then we are creating an unfair unequal society. You cannot create equality by treating people unequally. Targeting one class of people with legislation is certainly not freedom.

What is most frightening is many people are totally unaware of their own inconsistencies. So now you might notice most of these people shouting for fairness and equality and human rights, don’t actually want those things for everyone in society. They only want them for the people they identify with or like, with the intention of targeting those they resent, mistrust, misunderstand. I’d like to see more people be honest and admit they do not want to treat others equally, they do not want freedom to choose for other peaceful adults. So in reality, they want more control, more restraints, more policing of society. I suggest asking those people ‘Just tell me where in the world will you find these angels, who are going to organise society for us?’

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