Just as it appears that a growing number of modern-day Republicans have gone off the deep end - going so far to the right that they've completely fallen off the spectrum and have started their own - it appears that a growing number of Libertarians are following a similar path.
Libertarians tend to like the saying, "I want the government out of my wallet and out of my bedroom!" In other words, they have attempted to differentiate themselves from the two main parties by saying the government shouldn't be involved in our lives from an economic standpoint (differentiating themselves from the Democratic Party) and from a social-issues standpoint (differentiating themselves from the Republican Party). Sure, that sounds well and good from a sloganeering standpoint, but then many take that very slogan and run with it as far as their minds can wander and it gets them into trouble on multiple fronts.
Libertarianism's main concern is in maintaining our freedom. Again, that sounds great, but it's gotten to the point where it seems that a growing number of such individuals aren't satisfied unless they're granted absolute freedom, and that's just not realistic.
It would be nice to be free to do whatever we please at any given moment and not fear potential consequences of our words or actions, but only in a perfect world. In an imperfect world such as this one, it's nice to know there are potential deterrents in place in case someone places another's life at risk with their words or actions. In other words, government is necessary on some level for a functioning society. Due to the imperfections of this world and the necessity of government, absolute freedom isn't possible.
Living in the United States (along with many other democratized countries), we're granted more freedom than most. Even then, though, our freedom is not absolute. In our own homes, it's semi-close to being absolute, but even then, that's not the case. We can't disturb the neighbors with a loud party or our stereo blasting past a certain time or we'll receive complaints and get a visit from law enforcement. On the highway, we're typically granted some leeway with regard to speed limits and the like, but even if we firmly believe we're driving safely, there is still the possibility of being pulled over and ticketed for bending a law so much it's completely broken. When out in public, this is when our freedom(s) is (are) most limited. We're often times "free" to do a certain thing, but there is always a limit. We're free to say certain things unless we're on a plane or in a movie theater. We're free to do certain things so long as it's behind closed doors. For as much as it may pain some to say it, there is no such thing as absolute freedom in this world.
This is where a growing number of Libertarians appear to go off the deep end, I think. These individuals come across as wanting absolute freedom, and in saying that, any amount of government is too much government. Yet government is needed for a functioning society and to prevent chaos. Anarchy may sound appealing to rebellious college kids, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not realistic if we want a functioning society. While Libertarianism may look attractive at first glance, it just doesn't hold this allure after pondering about matters more in-depthly.
Libertarians tend to like the saying, "I want the government out of my wallet and out of my bedroom!" In other words, they have attempted to differentiate themselves from the two main parties by saying the government shouldn't be involved in our lives from an economic standpoint (differentiating themselves from the Democratic Party) and from a social-issues standpoint (differentiating themselves from the Republican Party). Sure, that sounds well and good from a sloganeering standpoint, but then many take that very slogan and run with it as far as their minds can wander and it gets them into trouble on multiple fronts.
Libertarianism's main concern is in maintaining our freedom. Again, that sounds great, but it's gotten to the point where it seems that a growing number of such individuals aren't satisfied unless they're granted absolute freedom, and that's just not realistic.
It would be nice to be free to do whatever we please at any given moment and not fear potential consequences of our words or actions, but only in a perfect world. In an imperfect world such as this one, it's nice to know there are potential deterrents in place in case someone places another's life at risk with their words or actions. In other words, government is necessary on some level for a functioning society. Due to the imperfections of this world and the necessity of government, absolute freedom isn't possible.
Living in the United States (along with many other democratized countries), we're granted more freedom than most. Even then, though, our freedom is not absolute. In our own homes, it's semi-close to being absolute, but even then, that's not the case. We can't disturb the neighbors with a loud party or our stereo blasting past a certain time or we'll receive complaints and get a visit from law enforcement. On the highway, we're typically granted some leeway with regard to speed limits and the like, but even if we firmly believe we're driving safely, there is still the possibility of being pulled over and ticketed for bending a law so much it's completely broken. When out in public, this is when our freedom(s) is (are) most limited. We're often times "free" to do a certain thing, but there is always a limit. We're free to say certain things unless we're on a plane or in a movie theater. We're free to do certain things so long as it's behind closed doors. For as much as it may pain some to say it, there is no such thing as absolute freedom in this world.
This is where a growing number of Libertarians appear to go off the deep end, I think. These individuals come across as wanting absolute freedom, and in saying that, any amount of government is too much government. Yet government is needed for a functioning society and to prevent chaos. Anarchy may sound appealing to rebellious college kids, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not realistic if we want a functioning society. While Libertarianism may look attractive at first glance, it just doesn't hold this allure after pondering about matters more in-depthly.
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