Ideal Major for Liberty Minded Career?

[Patriot123]

So to get straight to the point, I'll be applying to colleges in a year. I'm an incoming junior in high school, and I guess my ideal career would be working in the liberty movement. A job with the NRA. The Campaign for Liberty. [if they even employ?] Running for public office. Working as a legislative aid for liberty minded politicians/organizations. Something political. I'm interested in history, but I don't know if that would be an ideal major for a job for the career I'm looking for. I was thinking political science, constitutional law, public relations... so my question is this. What majors would be ideal for a career in the liberty movement? Would majoring in history get me anywhere for this sort of career, as well?

 

[Imperial]

lawyer is useful for the liberty movement.

you could be a professor which isn't a bad job at all. Linguistics might be something to consider.

 

[purplechoe]

http://www.mises.org/

 

[Mosheh Thezion]

liberty, is something they give to sailors...

liberty... was what they gave us to replace freedom in 1933.

Liberty... is not what I want,... I want constitutional freedom.

there is a difference.

civil liberties, were invented in 1933... to replace constitutional freedom and rights.

thats a fact... look it up.

new deal.. 1933..

you dont want civil liberties, because they come with 66 million laws and counting, and the only real benefit, is that rapist and murderers, get tv in jail.

-MEMAT

 

[emazur]

How about economics? The big government and bigger government advocates have their stable of drones - you can be the one that advocates the free market (if you go to a non-Keynesian school). You could find work as an economist (perhaps become an insider at the Fed), eventually run for office when you feel experienced enough, or you could be a teacher and help create our own stable of free market economists.

 

[Golding]

I agree that economics is a good major to consider. In all likelihood, you'd be learning Keynesian models, but you do get a good fundamental idea of strengths and weaknesses of specific arguing points. If you're ambitious enough, you could probably do your own research near the end of your years on whatever you please.

My only suggestion with an economics major is that you might want to consider a second major on top of it. It's a relatively quick major (there are some schools where everything could be completed in 2.5 years), and a lot of people declare in that field. Economics can help guide you toward your liberty mindset, while another major could help advance you with something (else) that you particularly enjoy.

 

[anaconda]

Double major in math and econ. Then get a Ph.D in econ. You'll have a blast of a life!

 

[hillertexas]

I suggest spending some time taking some classes in public speaking or theatre. First and foremost, you must be a great communicator.

 

[fisharmor]

If I were looking at schools, I'd be looking at a career path that could take me anywhere in the world.
It's entirely possible to start out as, for instance, an OB, or a football star, or a hollywood actor, and go on to be a public servant.
Not only possible, but, I would contend, recommended.
The goal in and of itself should not be to be a public servant. That's a large part of how we got into the national mess we're in. We need more public servants who were regular people at one point.

If I were doing it over again... well, I certainly don't regret my decision to go into computers. I think that the people that help the internet run are the biggest unsung heroes of liberty in the world right now. But besides that, whether you're talking about North Dakota or Niger, there's a computing need, so I'll always be able to find work, even if it's data entry.

Running with that idea, If I had to do it over again, I'd be looking at other disciplines, like electronics, or aero/hydrodynamics, engineering, architecture...
... because electronics guys can learn to wire outlets pretty easily,
aerodynamics guys can learn to fly pretty easily,
engineers can learn to run a lathe pretty easily,
and architects can lean to swing a hammer pretty easily.

I'm not trying to pee in your wheaties, but if you go directly into politics, it makes you a political hack. One on the right side, but still not a well-rounded person.

Round yourself out. Be one of the individualists whose liberty you're trying to defend.

When the dollar collapses, and society and the rule of law go with it, I'm still going to be able to troubleshoot computers, weld up a broken bicycle, frame a room, clean a rabbit, pour concrete, and replace an alternator.
At that point, I'll be able to trade for things I need.

I will not be needing an opinion on constitutional law.

 

[HippyChimp]

journalism

 

[yongrel]

It depends on what you want to do. A degree in political science can get you a job with most issue advocacy groups, such as the NRA. A degree in economics is very portable and can be applied to almost any subject after graduation. Philosophy is also popular among those bound for law school or think tanks. International Relations can place you in trade organizations and international NGOs.

In my mind, you can make any degree a pro-liberty degree. For instance, the Director of Outreach of the Libertarian Party has his degree in musical theatre.

 

[OptionsTrader]

liberty, is something they give to sailors...

liberty... was what they gave us to replace freedom in 1933.

Liberty... is not what I want,... I want constitutional freedom.

there is a difference.

civil liberties, were invented in 1933... to replace constitutional freedom and rights.

thats a fact... look it up.

new deal.. 1933..

you dont want civil liberties, because they come with 66 million laws and counting, and the only real benefit, is that rapist and murderers, get tv in jail.

-MEMAT

Liberty and civil liberties as the words have been bastardized are not the same thing.

What was it that Orwell said about the meaning of words...

 

[Austin]

Ron Paul urged people to pursue their hobbies and what they are good at. He said that in the coming times those skills will be useful..

 

[Patriot123]

I only threw the word politician in there at random... as an example. I just want to go into politics, in general. Working for C4L, the NRA, other liberty minded organizations, a legislative aid, etcetera. What majors would be desirable for those sorts of jobs?

And again, would history be of any use for a job at those organizations, or as a legislative aid?

 

[Original_Intent]

journalism

In journallism, I have to believe you will be beaten into their mold or you will fail. i.e. you will not be allowed to succeed.

I think Constitutional law would be a great idea. I agree witht he Poli sci comments above - it will make you a political hack, become a well balanced individual first and then pursue politics if that is your leaning.

Any classes that give you public speaking experience will be great for you.
I really enjoyed my philosophy classes, but I wouldn't major in it unless you want to be a philosophy professor. I am also sure it depends on your instructor - some want to teach you what to think, others want to teach you how to think - seek out the latter, avoid the former.

Economics could be interesting, but I wouldn't major in it. Most of the economic theories you will be exposed to would be so flawed, and if you try to make a case for Austrian economics you will probably be in conflict with your teachers and your grades may suffer. Or maybe you are the type of person that would thrive on that kind of conflict. I wouldn't.

I enjoyed history and I think it is very valuable, beware of revisionist history though. I would check the sources on your textbooks and compare it to writings written during the period you are discussing. not what I would major in but a good understanding of World and U.S history is a big plus.

The most important thing is to go into something you feel passionate about.

 

[Andrew-Austin]

First things that popped up in my mind were: journalist, economist, revisionist history professor.

Thezion;2122978]liberty, is something they give to sailors...

liberty... was what they gave us to replace freedom in 1933.

Liberty... is not what I want,... I want constitutional freedom.

there is a difference.

civil liberties, were invented in 1933... to replace constitutional freedom and rights.

thats a fact... look it up.

new deal.. 1933..

you dont want civil liberties, because they come with 66 million laws and counting, and the only real benefit, is that rapist and murderers, get tv in jail.

-MEMAT

The word liberty had been around for a long time before 1933, its basically just a synonym for the word freedom....

In journallism, I have to believe you will be beaten into their mold or you will fail. i.e. you will not be allowed to succeed.

Online journalist.

I agree witht he Poli sci comments above - it will make you a political hack, become a well balanced individual first and then pursue politics if that is your leaning.

Yeah I agree, your better off studying political "science" on your own, before taking classes that will just force feed you nonsense.

Ron Paul urged people to pursue their hobbies and what they are good at. He said that in the coming times those skills will be useful..

Yah, don't feel like you HAVE to do something political in nature.

Working for C4L, the NRA, other liberty minded organizations, a legislative aid, etcetera. What majors would be desirable for those sorts of jobs?

And again, would history be of any use for a job at those organizations, or as a legislative aid?

History of mass movements, election campaigns, changes in social trends, influence of government from think tanks and special interest groups.

 

[ladyjade3]

Aim to do something productive, providing a service for which there is a demand, that you are well-suited to provide.

If I had it all to do over again, or if I were in school right now, looking at the job market and economy right now, I'd learn HVAC repair. Or plumbing. That way I'd always have a job. I'd work for liberty in my spare time, my own way, beholden to no one. And if you're good at working for liberty, a job might come along.

You don't need some expensive university to teach you how to think. You haz da interwebz.

My humble opinion.

 

[Andrew-Austin]

You don't need some expensive university to teach you how to think. You haz da interwebz.

Amen, I just dropped 80 bucks buying books from mises.org, far less expensive than some class pushing PoliSci crap. Also just downloaded quite a few audio and .pdf books for free. I don't get a fancy piece of paper declaring what I have learned, though.

 

[Mosheh Thezion]

constitutional freedom... means the protection of the common law, which is the only law allowed for in the constitution which applys to people.

So why are people tried in statute courts????

Because they dont have constitutional rights, or freedom anymore.

They have civil liberties!!!

Which is not the same thing.

I suggest studing history, otherwise, you wont know why.. about most things.

if you study economics, remember they aRE going to teach you, modern debt and finance economics... which started in 1933

if you study law.. they are going to teach you statute law.. which started and become dominant in 1933.

If you study politics, they will teach you economics based on a biased acceptance of the new deal of 1933, and the never ending state of emergency, which they will probubly never mention, unless you have a good teacher.

And remember one thing... Teachers are told what to teach, and how to teach it, and only a rare teacher will go the extra step, and suggest that you ask.. WHY!


just remember, to keep an open mind, and remember, everything is not always the way they teach it.

Everyone here, was taught the NEW DEAL OF 1933, in school...

every school teaches it, but.. they dont explain the details... they leave that out.

In this way, they can say... "you were informed"

even though they forgot to mention the part about slavery, and the complete loss of what used to be constitutional freedom.

-MEMAT

 

[Njon]

I have my B.A. in history; it was a good major. I chose it long before I was converted to liberty, but still, it was a good choice. You need to be careful, though, for anti-Constitutional professors, but I suspect that sort of thing happens even more in political science.

Economics was mentioned; that might be good, but it depends on what you want to do. If you're thinking of working on general policy for a liberty organization, I suppose poli sci would work well, but I suspect that most of what you'll hear there is typical socialist v. neocon debate. At least with history you get to study context and use the past to draw your conclusions. Look at Dr. Thomas Woods; his Ph.D. is in history.