5 posts tagged “violence”

Firstly I must warn you that this film is very violently graphic. That for some reason I was unable to watch it twice. That my first impressions were one of complete shock and horror. So I ask you to consider that feeling as you decide to watch it.

A major criticism of libertarian thought is that it is all doom and gloom and that it cannot accept compromise of any sort. That it is an all or nothing mantra espoused by a dank and less than cheerful minority. Now I can agree that indeed there are those within Libertarian circles that seem to be wracked by fury and bluster that to the average man would naturally seem quite irrational and indeed somewhat unproductive. However, I can clearly understand the frustration of the Libertarian in a world for which is gathering moss on any kind of revolutionary ideas or philosophical thought. Freedom is clearly a concept that has improved our lot, as this has been clearly shown by the wealth of nations within Europe and the US. The free market has brought with it many freedoms to our lives unthought-of in our parent’s day, let alone our grandparents. One can only imagine the world our children could inhabit with true freedom.

However, it is clear that we are not really free in the very real sense of free. Yes we are freer than most Chinese, Muslim or African people are. We are indeed much freer than our ancestors were. But just because we are freer than at any other time in our history does not mean that we are actually free. The word ‘freedom’ is used in the vernacular by all democratic govt’s. They have stolen its meaning so as to reinforce the idea that govt, taxation and the use of force are all arcane to us. As one can see from the interview that Jan has with this US senator, we see them become visibly angered by his questioning of the govt’s moral veracity. Clearly these questions hit nerves most of us wouldn’t dare touch. In this case Peter Stark tells Jan, ‘get the fuck out of here, or I’ll throw you out the window’. Clearly a violent statement made by someone reacting irrationally to a line of reasonable questioning. It clearly illustrates the tight hold that the state has on the minds of the majority.
 
So can we call this freedom then? Well as I said earlier, it may well be freedom compared to women in Muslim countries looking for equality. It may well be freedom compared to an African trying to feed his family or a Chinese man writing his blog. However our freedom is not real freedom, because real freedom would not use force against us. Real freedom would be to volunteer to pay your taxes without threat of fines, prison and violence if you so decided not to. Real freedom would be to choose your children’s education. Real freedom would be to choose your health provider. Real freedom would be to choose where you lived and not be confined by imaginary borders created by the state.
 
I understand that these thoughts create a sense of fear in most people. The reaction of the senator was a clear example of this. We have been told for so long that it is only the state that can manage our affairs and no one else. We somehow bestow meaningless virtue upon our politicians and public servants as if they do everything out of altruist desire alone. Govt is very similar to the comforting warm feeling people experience when they imagine a God that loves them. To challenge these thoughts is bound to create anxiety and uncertainty within most individuals. Therefore it is only natural for them to feel fear once this lie has been exposed.

I often ponder whether politicians are as unaware of the states use of violent threat. Is it possible that even our leaders have sedated themselves from its reality? Perhaps this is just me trying to make sense of what I consider to be such an obvious flaw in our system. However, I think they are only too aware of this threat as they feel a constant need to sugar coat everything with generalisations and hyperbole. Their constant use of rhetoric is a clear example of the smoke and mirrors politicians like to employ as a means to less constraint on their eventual decision making. Let’s face it, whenever has a politician made any real sense?

No, the freedom I dream of is a freedom to not be dictated to by individuals or a collective thereof that tells me to do what they say, not as they do. Real freedom is possible and indeed so are real ethics alike. But only without the mechanism that allows us to be manipulated, cajoled and frightened into subservience, which in turn allows this corruption to seep within the consciousness of us all.  For too long the instrument of govt have been convincing us that ethics can only come from statehood and dogmatic acquiescence to it. It’s like saying we must support Everton football club and no other, come what may, however better the other sides maybe. The state is seared within us from childhood. We are told to take sides and indeed to praise all things state like. These ideas are permeated within us from a young age, whether by school, parenting or media, as a means to making us willing slaves that accept our plight as being for the greater good.

So when George Bush talks about freedom he understands only to clearly the need and desire each of us has have for such a notion. However, he goes about defacing its true meaning by expecting us to live within the confines of freedom under a benevolent dictator. However, it is unclear how long people can live within the twilight of religion and statehood. Indeed, I have no doubt that it will change at some good time in the future. Whether I'm here to see it or not, mankind has always striven for freedom and freedom is what he will get when he is good and ready for it.

Looking on the latest military conflict to hit the news in South Ossetia, a small region of Georgia on the southern borders of Russia. Yet again we see the gargantuan misuse of a state military, bought and paid for, off the backs of  individual hard labour. One can only imagine the death and carnage that is going on over there. The systematic use of sophisticated modern weaponry still leaves us gaping into a pit of contemporary human barbarity and despair.

Almost predictably, corny expressions of unease regarding this war are emanating from the west. President Bush has demanded that the Russians go no further than South Ossetia in an almost tacit acceptance of the violence inflicted thus far. It’s at these times that governments show their true colours behind their rhetoric. The west of course is only concerned with the oil pipeline that links Azerbaijan to Europe. As a result Russia sees this part of its old territory as an important pawn in its ever growing power regarding the worlds future energy resources. So the west sits on the fence and throws light criticism at the Russians as a means to shrouding their true position on the matter.

Of course the images we see above are far worse than we would ever see in Iraq or Afghanistan and are liberally displayed throughout most western newspapers. This is Russia after all, for whom the western press is free to condemn and criticise at will. The cursed hypocrisy of the west is as virulent to see as at any other time before. They use politics as a means to hoodwinking their relevant populaces into believing their stories through vague gestures and sound bites. Now I also include the Georgians in this duplicity, as they are hardly without blood on their hands. As liberal as the west has been in its coverage of Russian aggression, it has shown scant regard to Georgia’s mister minors.

'LET FREEDOM REIGN'

As a result of all this I was left imagining a world free of conflict and unnecessary violence.  ‘I have a dream’, a phrase that was used by the late Martin Luther King, was steeped in imagery. That imagery was of a future where oppression would no longer be the norm and that freedom would at last reign. Of course, as most modern anarchists, we always have our doubts regarding the eventual shift in the zeitgeist and no more so than when we see these behemoth governments acting in such a wantonly destructive manner, such as we see in this conflict. Our gut tells us, ‘how on earth do we stop these enormous bullies?’ How and when as individuals do we ever see the moment when we can stand up to these tormentors and face them head on in a fair and equal manner?

Stefan Molyneux wrote a wonderful blog  recently regarding the safety of a free state society. It may not answer all the questions regarding personal defence, but it’s by far the broadest and most in depth challenge to the assertion that only a state can protect us militarily. It did of course allow me to dream of a society free of the tyranny of state control and coercion. A place in which voluntaryists would roam with complete protection from any force that felt a need to attack them. A world in which freedom would indeed reign and that culpability would be placed upon the individual or entity that committed any act of violence against them.

An overwhelming sense of sadness fills me now, not just for the poor innocent lives being destroyed through this current conflict. Indeed I feel a sadness that grows from my yearning for such a society, for which I am sure I'm unlikely to experience within my lifetime. However I am quite sure it is a vision of a future, whether near or far, that will at some dawn be seen as the only possible future worth having.

I was listening to an excellent podcast today given by a Stefan Molyneux of Freedomain Radio... It was a discussion primarily about having BIG philosophical thoughts.
 

Stefan Molyneux

   Podcast   (right click mouse and save as to download)

He brought up an interesting point in regard to concepts we all have when dealing with reality. When we talk of religious faith, parents, the law, nationhood and more importantly government. We often discuss these concepts as real, when in reality there is nothing real about them. These are ideas created from language and given credibility by us, and in particular by those that seek to mould us, but in reality they don't actually exist.

Some of us like to think that we have reached our rational zenith, particularly in regards to religion. Atheism is more popular than ever in its history. People are clearly lapping up the reason behind such truths as, 'there are no gods'.

However, it is clear that we still live with MANY other mythologies that are so ingrained in us, that we are almost completely blind to them. Reality of course, are the senses such as smell, taste, hearing, seeing, touch and perhaps the 6th sense could be considered the intellect. All these senses allow us to move around in this world in a safe and personally beneficial manner. But we are so taken by the myths as outlined above, that we forget the REAL senses that we use, almost without thinking, to clearly find our way within this world.

None of these mythologies can be considered as tangible or physically present, we cannot measure them empiracally. They are concepts that are forced onto us by others. By whom, you may ask? Well people who seek to have power over you of course.

Anyway, I thought I would list the real meaning of these words we show conformity too:

• Religious faith
  

Myth - A form of righteous piety that fosters contentment & makes all mankind equal.

A form of justifying bad behavior (via forgivenesss from a non entity).

• Parents
  

Myth - Virtuous people that sacrificed themselves for their children’s endeavour.

Biological coupling of two individuals.

• Law
  

Myth - Protector of the innocent.

Obey my ideas with threat of force

• Nationhood
  

Myth - Personal identity that offers a comforting idea of the self.

Geographical borders created and enforced by those that control the guns

• Government (democracy)
  

Myth - A system of power that allows us to have some say in who governs us

Holding power over the majority by a powerful minority that monoplolise violence.

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As Stefan says, 'no concepts exist outside of your mind'. These are just expressions that do not exist in any kind of physical state, they are made up. In other words, they are not a statement of truth, a non sequitor.

Indeed, it is true as a friend of mine said, that these concepts have real outcomes and effects on our lives. Take the police for example, in real terms these are just people like you and me. However, because they wear a uniform we attribute power to them that we would'nt attribute to just anyone else, just them.

Of course, this all comes down to whether we believe that these mythologies provide any benefits for us in our daily lives. My impression is that they have been at best a hinderance and at worse the manufacturer of disaster in most peoples lives, aided and abeted by a paid police force, that in practice, ONLY protects their political masters. We all know the reality of reporting a crime, that this generally involves a slight chuckle from the officer and a filling out of insurance forms. The police will only use real force when either they need to be seen to be doing a good job, such as solving the murder of children or serial rapists etc. Or because they are protecting their masters, of whom you can be sure, are not us the general tax paying gulaggers.

There are many more meanings that these words actually indear. But overwelmingly they are words that force us to conform, to be controlled as well. They are made up by wicked people that seek to have power over us..

Never has Jean-Jacques Rousseau's words been echoed more.

"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. ..."