How to Live a Libertarian Life - More Liberty Now Podcast 0003

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We libertarians want to live in a fully libertarian society, where non-aggression is the rule, we can trade freely and get the most out of our lives. That sometimes seems far away so how can we get that feeling of liberty now, in our own lives? How can we make it reality, too? And, can we advance the evolution to a libertarian society by living a more libertarian life today?

Absolutely.

What’s required in order to have a libertarian life?

that you identify yourself, that you know who you are, that you know what you want, what kind of a life you want, what kind of pursuits interest you, where your self-interrest lies and that you pursue that self-interest relentlessly.
that you identify what risks you are willing to take and which ones are out of bounds for you.
that you live by the non-aggression principle, which means peaceful, constructive behavior, honesty, integrity and only using violence or deception in defense of yourself and any others whom you have a specific obligation to protect.
that you prioritize your principles and your life goals over short-term expediency.
that you constantly seek out new forms of liberty and test the limits of practical liberty in your life in those areas that matter to you, to maximise your space for living free.
that you never give up your belief in the primacy of liberty in social relations with other people, that you never submit to intimidation when you can reasonably avoid it.
that you labor honestly to serve others through the marketplace when you require resources, or that you procure them directly from the environment in a responsible fashion.
that you are accountable for your actions, responsive to requests to resolve disputes and prompt to make whole anyone whom you cause damage.
that you are peaceful but firm in your dealings with others. You know the limits of what you will tolerate from others. You know when you will cede and when you will defend.
that you live by not just the non-aggression principle also other basic human values that support human life, because without human life the non-aggression principle is meaningless.
that you cultivate maximum economic, emotional, intellectual and spiritual independence.

What are the benefits of a libertarian life?

There is still a lot of liberty out there for the taking, despite the paper laws, regulations, bureaucrats and cops. You can help yourself have an awesome life by placing a high value on the principle of individual liberty and self-determination.

You can get rich, explore the world, feel happier inside, be proud knowing that you are living a principled, examined and ethical life.

You can reach the heights of success and happiness and network with other people like you, so that together we can lead the evolution of human society in a direction that honors human dignity, respects liberty and catalyzes good things for everyone.

You can achieve your goals and know that, in doing so, you harmed no one.

What are the disadvantages of a libertarian life?

In this world, a lot of people want to take the easy way out. They don’t want to think a lot about things. You will inevitably be out of sync with the people you grew up with, your family, your co-workers and most of your peers.

Other people will look at you funny, question you, ridicule you, call you names and cut you out of their lives.

This can lead to chronic doubt and feelings of insecurity. There is a constant tension because you are outnumbered. People want to tell you how to live your life and they endorse de facto slavery.

It is very challenging to live like this. You are under assault at all times not just through personal relationships but also via the culture in the form of news, TV shows, movies, music, books and other media.

How to lead a libertarian life?

Always Be Liberating: Constantly be on the lookout for ways that you want to be freer. Identify and take note of them. Think every day about how to achieve these goals. Disregard your preconceptions. Network with like-minded invididuals.
Be as free as you can: Identify the ways in which you currently feel comfortable expressing your liberty and make a habit of expressing it as much as possible.
Consciously calculate the risk of any given action you want to take and weight it against the potential reward.
Some things in life you have to protect above everything else. Know your proirities and orient your life around them. If you have a mortgage and two kids at home, then you can’t be a street activist that confronts cops. Those two things are simply incompatible. Likewise, if you are a YouTube personality, you can’t go out and start an illegal drug business on the side. There’s too much of a spotlight on you and the PR points cops can score by caging you for a long time are too tempting to them.
Start a business. Serve others through free exchange. Take care of your customers. Build assets over time. Be a mentor to other libertarians so they can do the same. With wealth comes the ability to actualize your liberty; i.e., freedom.
Work on you, your confidence, your passion, your values, the alignment between what you say and what you do, your inner strength
Remember that you are the center of your universe. You have to take care of you first.

Discussion Questions

What are 10 things you can do this year to live a more libertarian life?
What is the first step towards a more libertarian life?
What does it mean to you, personally, to live a libertarian life?
What obstacles to a more libertarian life can you clear out of your own path, without any action on the part of others?
What apparent contradictions are there when living a libertarian life in a statist society and how can they be resolved?

Questions

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