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[minarchist]

Hello friends, comrades, fellow citizens, humans and aliens! :cool:

My name is Daniel (or "Dan", but don't dare call me "Danny" or "Danny-boy"!), and I'm from Chicago, IL. I come here purely out of interest in politics, discussion and debate. It's something I love to do, and I'm also a "recreational" writer, haha.

I'm a software developer (totally self-taught) and I run my own small business consisting of some close friends and volunteers. I also have a part-time position at a large company. Yep, that's how I make it in today's world and society. :rolleyes: I'm also a big supporter of the "open-source" movement (free software for which the source code is publicly available) and free exchange of information. As a matter of fact, I'm running Linux right now, lol. But I do more than just USE things, I try to contribute to free software/technological developer, teach other people how to program and contribute knowledge and information as often as possible. Software development is a cool concept, really, because the MoP (means of production) is actually a computer program which compiles code; called a compiler. FYI, software is usually written in a programming language like C, C++, C# or Java, which is sort of a high-level "intermediate" language with strict rules (syntax and structure) that is sort of in between human language and computer land. Compilers "compile" (basically convert) your code into binary (1s and 0s) instructions that the electronics of the computer understand. It's a cool MoP, in my opinion, because you can get it for free! But of course, it takes a lot of hard work, study and practice for it to be useful. Just interesting, I think, because you don't need a factory and millions of dollars to produce something of immense importance; just a computer, some knowledge, a compiler and time.

I'm basically a sort of "Libertarian-Minarchist", and I kind of admire the idea of a working anarchy (though I fear it would be unstable). I do NOT consider myself to be either "left" or "right", and I hate these old naive French Revolution terms. The terms just ignore the complexity of modern politics; how can we classify everything based on words derived from a seating arrangement (French National Assembly of 1789)? :cursing: What's really annoying is how misused they are in America, where people decide which "wing" they like and then declare everything they don't like to be of the other "wing". It doesn't even account for the added dimension of authoritarianism vs anarchism/social liberalism. So I just don't like the left-right thing.

My main political conviction is that freedom and liberties basically supersede all else. If I decide to inject some heroin in my bedroom and have an orgy with a bunch of men, you shouldn't be kicking in my door to put a gun to my head, beat me and put me in prison. Note, I don't do heroin (or any drug other than tobacco) and I'm actually a straight male, lol. Just an example. People have a right to privacy and the freedom to do whatever does not harm other people or infringe upon their rights to that same liberty. Sometimes this is murky in application, but this is my philosophy. I think this is a birth right of all human beings. People like Joe Arpaio disagree with this idea though; your body is actually HIS and Uncle Sam's to control, LOL. I do, as early stated, believe there is a need for a minimal and very limited state, which is under the control of the people (NOT the government controlling people as it is now). The role of this limited state is to: 1) prevent/stop human aggression 2) provide infrastructure and basic services 3) give the people a way to self-regulate 4) to care for the genuinely handicapped, disadvantaged and poverty-stricken. Also... I really, really, really hate authoritarianism, totalitarianism, racism/discrimination, violence and "state nosy-ness". I oppose censorship, "moral laws" (which are often based on a religion) and the whole idea that the government can whip and control us like a flock of sheep to stay in their aristocratic positions; we have every right to make our own decisions and evict any state official, imho.

But I do have one question: Will you guys welcome/tolerate me here? The reason I ask is because of my beliefs about economic affairs and regulation. To begin with, I think trying to control the economy or get rid of it is futile, just like the DEA's "War on Drugs". People will just edge around it. A group of people could just form their own new economy with pine needles and teeth for currency, and some people will be able to climb to the top of the ladder. I just don't think eliminating socioeconomic class is possible due to human nature itself and reality. If it does happen, then great. It's a beautiful idea. I can live with it and love it. But only if it's something humanity itself wants and NOT something imposed by the state or some oligarchy. Maybe humanity will someday reach a point where we just don't need currency like we have now, and we can all cooperate... cool! But I think that's flowery idealism, more than any realistic proposition. TRUE equality only exists in mathematics; we aren't even genetically/physically equal. Most of you probably have a big advantage over me: you were born with straight, healthy spines, while mine is curved sharply in three places causing serious pain and impairment. However, I may be a bit smarter than other people, for example; we just aren't truly equal and can't be. :crying:

I also feel that if freedom is truly desired, then economic freedom must exist by extension. The "economy" is just something we made up anyway; and we can make up new ones. If it's abolished, people will do just that to pursue ambitions and desire for power/influence. People will always exploit others for personal gain, sadly. But not all ambition and the practicing of private business is exploitive or "wrong", I think. If I find out I have some super awesome ability and you guys want me to employ it to help you, we can decide to make some exchange for my time and effort that we agree upon. If that improves my level of comfort, security and happiness, I see nothing wrong there. In fact, I think achieving your own happiness and increasing your comfort is an important aspect of life. It's unfortunate that there are truly disadvantaged people living in poverty, starving, sick, etc... but I don't see that as Microsoft's or WalMart's FAULT, though it is a problem belonging to ALL of us as human beings. If I trip, fall down my porch steps and break my leg, becoming disadvantaged, it's not your fault that happened to me (unless you pushed me, lol). But as a human being, I hope you have compassion within you and would help me if possible. If it made me unable to work, then I would accept aid, either private or from the state (which is a role of the limited state I believe in). I think it should be a goal of all humanity to try to improve the global standard of living, eliminate human suffering and help the "lower class" climb up. This is preferable to falsely demonizing people who are wealthy/comfortable and trying to lower their standard of living. There are about 6-billion of us, and even if we redistribute all wealth and eliminate currency/economy, there just won't be enough for everyone and we will all suffer. So I think it's a better mindset to think about helping the bottom-rung improve their lives, gain the capacity to produce goods/services and, rightfully so, profit from it. Just sort of a snapshot inside the economic section of my brain. ;-)

Anyway, I hope you guys won't chase me off because of my beliefs and because I may be different from some (or most) of you. I have lurked and read these forums for a little while, and found them very interesting and even informative/persuasive. I can assure you, I always shall remain civil and won't engage in mudslinging, insult matches and childishness. Even if I don't agree, I can see your POV and understand why you hold it. I'm not a person who is irrationally afraid of Marxism, Communism or what have you. I think if it DOES work, then it would be great. I just don't feel it's the way to go for the simple reasons above and some deeper reasons which would take some time to write and properly articulate. I hope this community is tolerant of differing opinions, as I do respect yours. =]

Thanks for your time, and it's been a pleasure!

[Q]

Welcome.

We will tolerate you here, but within the realms of Opposing Ideologies, or short OI. Communists agree that human freedom is indeed of utmost importance, in fact it is our desired goal to create a society in which humanity in genuinly free, that is communism: a stateless and classless global society, based on the economy of need (not profit).

However, we do not tolerate and fight against the "rights" of a tiny minority to exploit the majority through wageslavery because they happen to be the owners of the means of production. In other words, we are strictly against economic "freedom" as it actually means unfreedom for the vast majority of humanity and is just the "freedom" of the elite and petit-bourgeoisie to exploit.

Enjoy your stay and feel free to ask any questions you have.

[minarchist]

Thanks for rolling out the welcome mat, and I'll stick to the designated place if I want to challenge anything. However, I AM interested in learning more about what real Marxists, communists, anarcho-everythings and everyone else believes. Books and articles can only tell me so much and are often, admittedly, rather slanted. For example, I often laugh when I think back to my grade and high school days and remember the teachers basically implying (out of their own ignorance) that all communists wanted to take away people's ability to think and kill people. Just reading a one paragraph summary of "Das Kapital" or "The Communist Manifesto" points quite to the contrary, Mrs.Teacherson. :laugh: Sure, terrible things have been done in the name of Communism, but terrible things have been done in the name of God and/or Jesus too (and I don't think I mentioned, I'm actually a sort of non-convential Christian). Ugh, they tell us lots of stupid things in school. According to my 6th grade teacher, by now the Gulf of Mexico should be in my backyard and the world devoid of all plastics to reverse-engineer into oil, lol.

So would it be inappropriate to ask questions and speak on a non-combative basis in other parts of the forums? I might even ask a tough question or two (if it doesn't bother you guys), but I honestly just want to understand the POV. And I think knowing the real-life responses to obvious questions is important to learning more. You may even sway my opinion on some things. I was recently starkly opposed to the very idea of public health care, until a sly old Canadian asked how it was different than a fire department or police -- and I really had no answer. So I've had to do a lot of homework and thinking on it, and have come to a new POV and idea for a solution.

Anyway, I could say much about your response but I want to respect the rules. If I had some forums for golf, I wouldn't want people coming there to tell me "golf sucks, idiot!!!", lol. :lol: So I'm gonna do some shadow lurking and probably pop up in OI now and again unless it's cool to explore other areas on a peaceful basis.

[GPDP]

Welcome. In OI, that is.

Interesting to note how computer engineers, software engineers, programmers, and their ilk often tend to be libertarians. Perhaps it's something in the nature of the profession itself that lends itself to it. That, or it just lends itself to the kind of people who aspire for such work?

[Manic Impressive]

Welcome

There is nothing wrong with starting threads about Marxism or anything else in OI personally I think some threads that aren't about race or religion would make OI a better place. There are some communists who are restricted to that section and many of us post in there as well, it's not so bad and it is where you will find the most diverse opinions and some of the most heated debates. Enjoy:)

[Fawkes]

How ya doin' Danny-boy? anyway, welcome

[Dimentio]

The problem with capitalism is that capitalism isn't free. Capitalism is actually built around the idea that individuals should be awarded the right to exclusive access to information, territory, resources and income through the state, which means that the state is established to protect the status quo, making people unable to fulfill their creativity and their dreams.

Those who are upholding the kind of socialism expressed in the USSR aren't any better. What the USSR stood for was the very same system, but with the bureaucracy in control of the means of production. Those people usually defend USSR with arguments like more equal access to education and healthcare, but for us who are concerned with liberty such arguments are not worth the pixels they're written on.

[Nolan]

Welcome. That's quite a long intro.

[F9]

i dont know if i am using C++ too much lately but i had the impression that i would see a programmer when i get it. I didnt got the reactionary part, but hell i am not and god(or maybe i am?:che:)

[Jalapeno Enema]

Hello, Dan, from IL's after-thought, ESL.

Very detailed into. I admire people who understand computers, but I'm certainly not one of them; you're all lucky I can manage to log on.

[minarchist]

Thank you all. Very friendly and civil people, all of you.

GPDP, you're right. There are a lot of libertarians who are software developers. I think it's a bit of both. Once you learn how software and computers work, it changes a lot about how you view the world. Being a software developer even changed my view of God and religion. I was raised in a home where we interpreted the Bible literally, and believed that God had come to earth over the course of history and performed "magical" miracles to intervene in the fate of man. But my opinion became different not long after I began to write my first 3D simulation "worlds" which were complete with their own physics and laws. I listened to Will Wright talk about his (somewhat agnostic) beliefs and view of God, and how in a way, programmers create digital worlds which we are like the "God" of.

After lots of thinking, my years of struggling with how the Bible and science could both be right came to an end. It seems so obvious to me now that the Bible was NEVER supposed to be a scientific book, but just a moral guide. How retarded would it be if John wrote something like "And Jesus stood up before the multitudes and said: Look ye into the heavens! Out there be some black holes. These are where super-massive stars have collapsed into a single point, and powerful gravity sucks in even light. Let ye hear mine explanation...", LOL! :laugh: The two things have nothing to do with each other. And why should the Bible be assumed to be 100% literal when practically ALL ancient (and modern) literature us full of expressive language, parables, analogies and metaphors? Why don't we see the story of Adam and Eve as a metaphoric parable talking about the Neolithic Revolution -- when mankind became civilized and became aware of "good" and "evil"? Once I began to reevaluate things like that, I came to see God as less of a "magic man" in the sky and as more of a brilliant architect or programmer. If one believes in God, you must believe he is omnipotent and omnipresent. The idea that he has to come to earth and perform and miracle to change something means he made a mistake! Therefore all miracles are no less miracles, but have natural, scientific explanations because they were destined to occur -- just like I can design a video game and set the player's "destiny" before it even happens. When the Reed Sea is parted in Exodus, was it "magic" which moved the water, or natural geological forces? Wouldn't an omnipotent God have designed the natural forces of the earth to cause this at the very moment it was destined to occur? Of course! The need for "magic" would mean God isn't God. I see the universe as the greatest program ever written. It's written in the programming language we have tried to understand for eons, and we call it "physics". This is just one way the actual art of programming and software development has changed deeply rooted beliefs in me. For a while, I was worried that maybe there was no God. But I realized there is no program without a programmer. The characters I create in my simulations can never reach me or "prove" I exist either. But I do. And I'm also not governed by the laws and logic of my creation. And I see my God as an axiom. The very act of denying debunks itself. :) But don't want to start any arguments here, and I respect differing opinions on religion and atheism. And you will NEVER hear me try to condemn others or say you're going to "hell" -- that's totally wrong and anti-Christian, and both Jews and Christians are forbidden to try to "play God" and condemn people to hell. Disagreement is healthy, and means we're using our brains.

But what made me become a libertarian is really my struggle. I was born into a poor, lower-middle class family and grew up in a tiny trailer. I never worked hard in school, and made C's and D's the whole time. In my latter years of high school, I got into heavy pot smoking 24/7 and was always experimenting with new drugs and having sex with every woman I thought was physically attractive. I pretty much abandoned my strict, Christian upbringing. I found myself a high school graduate with a pretty severely messed up back (spine), working in a miserable warehouse. The pay was terrible, and I was trying to keep my family afloat. I was living with my mother, brother and two hopeless friends in an overpriced rent trailer after my parent's divorced. My mother was a teacher, but all of her money went mostly to credit card debt. So I was trying to break my back and keep food on the table, plus fuel my recreational drug habits and buy extremely expensive pain medications to keep my back from killing me. I decided enough was enough, and I was going to get out of there.

So I pushed myself through self-study to learn how computers work and how to develop software. I also almost totally educated myself in history, politics, culture, language, and social sciences. I even taught myself to speak German pretty well. And it all worked out. I quickly went from that meager lifestyle to great success. I bought my own Mercedes-Benz convertible at age 19, and then sent myself on a month's vacation to Germany. :lol: The struggle I went through and my ability to overcome through my own personal resolve and my individuality sort of molded me into a libertarian. By breaking present laws by doing things like using drugs, I learned more than it cost me. Honestly, tripping on LSD made me question almost everything -- it highlighted how stupid authoritarianism and the establishment really is, haha. So it sort of found me, I guess. I became someone who values the individual's spirit and freedoms above the institution and establishment. I guess that's my brief story in a nut shell. :)

[Sasha]

OP resticted according forum guidelines