I'm curious, kstigs, have you always had a 'libertarian' perspective? Have you ever had the inclination to play the social engineering game?
I guess "failure" would be subjective in this case. Imo, there are ways it has failed but more importantly it has succeeded into bringing a lot of people to the idea of liberty and ultimately the ideas of a stateless society. Which I believe Ron Paul would ultimately want. I can't blame them on their judgements though since they believed the movement would legitimize the state, which in a way it did. Its really hard to tell what the movement intended to do.
@James Most of my income is made in grey/black markets so I see agorism as a reaction to growing state influence. But I am pretty healthy and am a cheap skate so I don't have the pressure to seek state assistance...although it did get pretty rough for a couple years after college. I also agree as far as not seeing how being 100% agorist would work.
I haven't always had a libertarian perspective. I was raised as a relatively typical "progressive" liberal. I think my heavy cannabis use freshman year was at least partly what led to my "awakening" to libertarianism. I'm not sure what you mean by the social engineering game, but I don't think I've ever really been into social engineering. I consider myself pretty shy and most of the "hacking" I did as a teenager included getting passwords from looking over people's shoulders and exploiting obvious vulnerabilities in my high school's "security" system. Until my senior year, I could open a command prompt with administrative access on basically any computer in the school. Senior year, they made it so only a few special programs could be run on their computers which did stop me in my tracks for the most part. I was still able to bypass their internet filter to watch youtube or watch some pirated film. I think Paul's campaign could've spread the message to even more people if Dr. Paul hadn't let Jesse Benton and Mr. Tate manage his campaign. Furthermore, I doubt that even Dr. Paul believes that the only way to achieve a free society is through government if his farewell address was any indication of his beliefs. No one is saying to go cold turkey. Agorists would like to gradually reduce people's dependence on the state and have them form their own voluntary systems that provide the services the state now provides. I wouldn't sacrifice your own (or your family's) well-being because you don't like accepting money from a gang of thieves. Get yourself healthy and then you can start working towards weaning yourself (and your family) out of dependence on the state.
Was it the marijuana? (which brings you more in depth thought, imo) or was it the act of defying the law and experiencing the deceit that went along with it?
I think it was the marijuana since I had a fair amount of experience with disobeying the law just from my driving alone. Before I went to college, I had put in several thousand miles behind the wheel at 85+ mph.
@kstigs I was referring to social engineering as in: seeing a 'problem' in the world and thinking of state laws as a solution. I'm so jealous of computer savy folks...I'm quite computer illiterate.
Fuck Stefan Molyneux...the guy introducing him gave some poweful insights. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAdSjlnNbs8]The Ethics of Capitalism Part I (Capitalism & Morality Seminar 2012) - Stefan Molyneux - YouTube[/ame]
Ron Paul has been the most successful of all the libertarian leaders at bringing people to the liberty philosophy. Imo Stefan is just jealous of that success. The man on top of any particular field is usually hated on. I like most of Stefan's views, but when he talks about Dr. Paul I don't see reason and logic, I see childish jealousy.
I'm glad Stefan seperated this segment from the rest of his last show. I'm not trying to diminish the courage that everyone who speaks/acts in accordance to NAP has (history shows it can easily cost a person their life)...but the caller in the video has some balls of titanium alloy. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIUwK8EMyA8]Have You Lived Courageously Today? - YouTube[/ame]
I just finished reading Universal Preferable Behavior. A damn good read. http://www.freedomainradio.com/free/books/FDR_2_PDF_UPB.pdf
Well guys I got a promotion at work I am now a manager, woo hoo! Unfortunately its still part time (Everybody except for two people are now part time employees where I work). But hey goes to show hard work can still pay off in the good ol USA. And with my income tax return I should be able to pay for my surgery. So I am feeling pretty good right now, I'm in pain still but nothing a little weed can't cure and hopefully in Febuary that will go away too. More on Topic. Does Stefan Molyneux have a commune of some sort? Or an actual physical Learning Center or headquarters?
@Mairuzu Thanks for the quotes on UPB. I have just listened to Stef address callers with questions about it, but never thought the book was entertaining as well. Gotta shuffle around tomorrow's plans. @James Good to hear, bro. Good luck with your plans.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9bRDNgd6E4]Violence in America: The History of a Catastrophe - YouTube[/ame]
This video is an eye opener. I have a feeling the founding fathers or at least some of them, were minarchists
He lives with his family (wife and daughter) and he does not have a "physical learning center or headquarters" to my knowledge. Most of his videos, podcasts and radio shows are done from the comfort of his own home.