tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078465565826697532.post4639776605676143898..comments2019-11-05T19:00:55.979-05:00Comments on autonomy rules!: stupid government bullshit liesFriendstacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14627520987199375398noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078465565826697532.post-54938363266372281112008-06-08T16:46:00.000-04:002008-06-08T16:46:00.000-04:00oh, thank you so much for the comment, Jeremy. yo...oh, thank you so much for the comment, Jeremy. your blog is now bookmarked, and i'll be checking it out over the next few days, i'm sure of it.<BR/><BR/>YOU perceive me as being angry. that's not *my* problem, really. and even if i am angry (nobody can know if that's the case but myself), there's not a damn thing wrong with that, either, so long as i use that energy constructively rather than to hurt people, no? ;-) fuck a bunch of people tell me i'm bad because i'm not in control of my emotions. i'm not a bad person. doesn't matter what anyone thinks, so long as i know that my actions are in accordance with my conscience, my own inner sense of right and wrong.Friendstacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14627520987199375398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078465565826697532.post-56873359547057182182008-06-08T16:01:00.000-04:002008-06-08T16:01:00.000-04:00Excellent post! I made a related point in my rece...Excellent post! I made a related point in my recent critique of a marketing approach to libertarianism. Part of the problem is that intelligent and unintelligent people alike share the misconception that a <I>political identity</I> is the same as arriving at a political position through self-examination and reasoned thinking based on a wealth of information and history. No, simply adopt some pre-packaged conclusions and wham! you're "involved". And the more they identify with an ideology, the less they're inclined to think about it. Systems of thought *can* be analyzed, but most people accept them without bothering. Electoral politics plays into this.<BR/><BR/>A lot of this is also because our authoritarian culture artificially limits the physical and intellectual freedom of people. There are certainly people who find ways to live free, but the state and authoritarian institutions do an excellent job of providing ready made templates into which people can slip (essentially identities and rules) while browbeating any lack of conformity. It's very subtle but effective.<BR/><BR/>The best you can do here is be honest with yourself and others while controlling your need to pass judgment. Yes, it takes discipline to juggle the lack of consonance between what you believe and what others say and do, but part of being free is starting to take responsibility for our reactions, emotional and physical, and become inwardly-directed, self-realized people. Anger is not a necessary response.<BR/><BR/>Besides, too often we voluntarily participate in the legitimation of these stupid modes of thinking by not calling them out. Most of us try to ignore them. I think the best counterargument is a life lived as an example of your values, so that at least you can speak with basic authority. Also, by politely but firmly rejecting people's lies that they've told themselves or learned elsewhere, you help provide reinforcement for self-direction and critical thinking without using force. Doing it without anger, though, is crucial. This requires self-knowledge to be able to know oneself well enough to not be threatened by people's opinions.<BR/><BR/>Again, great post!Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08046932749797197182noreply@blogger.com