LearnLiberty starts meme, asks, "Why are YOU a libertarian?"

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

LearnLiberty started a meme yesterday by asking "Why are YOU a libertarian?"







Here is my submission:



William, 21: "I am a libertarian because I do not believe that governments have political authority, as argued by Professor Michael Huemer in his book, The Problem of Political Authority: An Examination of the Right to Coerce and the Duty to Obey."

Here are two other answers I came up with:



"I am a libertarian because majority opinions, elections, flags, anthems, rituals, traditions, badges, uniforms, charismatic orators and neoclassical architectural buildings have all failed to conceal from me the truth that threatening peaceful people with violence through governments is still wrong."



"I am a libertarian because I apply the same moral standards to governments as you apply to all nongovernmental persons and organizations in society."

Many of the people who participated in the meme are anarchist libertarians, but most appear to be minimal government libertarians. This may therefore be a fun way to expose many people to new views.

A few peoples' photos received over a thousand "likes" on Facebook. Professor Steve Horwitz's received 820 "likes":



Steve Horwitz: "I'm a libertarian because I do care about the poor… and I don’t care how good your intentions are"

You can see all 140+ peoples' answers here. For an archive of thumbnails of everyone's answers see here.

Re-posted from: Why are YOU a libertarian? - LearnLiberty Meme

 

[mosquitobite]

Wow, look at al those normal people! Where are the pot smoking hippies?

 

[fisharmor]

Wow, look at al those normal people! Where are the pot smoking hippies?

Oh, well, you know a cross-section of normal people wouldn't produce so many bowties, right?

 

[presence]

[h=1]Thread: Heinlein: I am free and specialization is for insects![/h]

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that



I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
― Robert A. Heinlein

..

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

Wow, look at al those normal people! Where are the pot smoking hippies?

Yeah, nearly everyone looks incredibly normal: http://whylibertarian.tumblr.com/archive !

 

[austrian_theorist]

I am a libertarian... because I believe in the non-aggression principle, people are better able to handle their money than government and coercion is the first step towards tyranny.

 

[CaptUSA]

I am a libertarian... because I don't want to force you to do what I want, anymore than I want you to force me to do what you want. Everyone is different and I'm ok with that.

 

[BuddyRey]

"I am a libertarian because majority opinions, elections, flags, anthems, rituals, traditions, badges, uniforms, charismatic orators and neoclassical architectural buildings have all failed to conceal from me the truth that threatening peaceful people with violence through governments is still wrong."

This one says it all.

+rep!

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

I am a libertarian... because I believe in the non-aggression principle, people are better able to handle their money than government and coercion is the first step towards tyranny.

Good one. Most non-libertarians tend to oppose aggression; they just have difficulty seeing that many of the government activities they support are aggressive. They have trouble seeing this due to their belief in political authority, which is why I think it's very important that we focus our efforts on this front. The first chapter of Michael Huemer's outstanding book "The Problem of Political Authority" is available here: http://spot.colorado.edu/~huemer/book3.htm

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

I am a libertarian... because I don't want to force you to do what I want, anymore than I want you to force me to do what you want. Everyone is different and I'm ok with that.

Well said.

There are many new answers up since yesterday: http://whylibertarian.tumblr.com/

I've read through about half of them. I'm going to read through the rest tomorrow. It's great to hear from so many libertarians like this, especially since I know so few personally.

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

This one made me think of anarcho-libertarian Prof. Michael Huemer's great presentation on The Progress of Liberalism: Michael Huemer at TEDxMileHigh.

 

[Sola_Fide]

"I am a libertarian because according to the media, Ted Cruz is, and Ted Cruz is the best."

 

[Occam's Banana]

I am a libertarian because ... hey, wait a minute! It's none of your damn business why I'm a libertarian!

 

[fr33]

Wow, look at al those normal people! Where are the pot smoking hippies?

LOL I guess that I could upload an image but I'll spare you.

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

I am a libertarian because ... hey, wait a minute! It's none of your damn business why I'm a libertarian!

I actually don't understand why this is funny. Libertarians have the right to not give their reasons for being a libertarian, but this doesn't imply that they should want to exercise that right. In other words, I don't see why someone wouldn't just want to openly state their reasons for being a libertarian.

Is the reason why this is funny because it is a cute way of saying "I am a libertarian because I believe that people have certain rights not to have their privacy violated"?

Or is it funny because it fits the characterization that libertarians care about their privacy more than most other people?

 

[kcchiefs6465]

....
Or is it funny because it fits the characterization that libertarians care about their privacy more than most other people?

It plays on the old, "Why did the [libertarian] chicken cross the road?", joke.

The [libertarian] chicken's answer? "None of your damn business."

 

[fr33]

I actually don't understand why this is funny. Libertarians have the right to not give their reasons for being a libertarian, but this doesn't imply that they should want to exercise that right. In other words, I don't see why someone wouldn't just want to openly state their reasons for being a libertarian.

Is the reason why this is funny because it is a cute way of saying "I am a libertarian because I believe that people have certain rights not to have their privacy violated"?

Or is it funny because it fits the characterization that libertarians care about their privacy more than most other people?

It's funny because there are segments of the libertarian population that so far in this thread (judging by the images) are not being represented. Probably a good thing PR-wise.

Would you like for the ex-cons that are really pissed off to post their images? Or how about those of us who feel that the US govt is a huge terrorist network?

Many of us are hairy, angry, and confrontational.

 

[Suzanimal]

It plays on the old, "Why did the [libertarian] chicken cross the road?", joke.

The [libertarian] chicken's answer? "None of your damn business."

Off topic but
I love libertarian chicken jokes, here's one that popped up on my fb page recently.

[/IMG]

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

It plays on the old, "Why did the [libertarian] chicken cross the road?", joke.

The [libertarian] chicken's answer? "None of your damn business."

Okay, I see.

This one made me laugh:

 

[PeaceRequiresAnarchy]

"From Matt in Australia, where voting is required by law":

Why are you a libertarian?



Great answer!