For Context: I live in the United States of America.

  • lugal@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    For Context: I live in the United States of America.

    It’s so cool that you say that! Most Americans just assume they are the default and don’t have to say where they are from.

    For Context: I live in Europe

  • worfamerryman@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    I’m from the states and I’m always a little afraid they will find some strange reason and then put me in jail.

    Like, in 2005 you downloaded a movie… jail!

    Or

    You made a mistake on your taxes 4 years ago… jail!

  • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Define constantly, define afraid.

    If you continually maintain readiness for government violation of your rights, no problem. If your heart rate is elevated and you’re sweating in fear, that’s a pretty serious problem.

    As Bruce Lee said, “Do not be tense, but ready”.

    Yeah the government is a monster and it might come get you. That’s true. But the likelihood it’s coming to get you right now is very low and being in constant fear is no way to live. And the government isn’t the only monster.

      • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Well I’m a libertarian because it takes into account all the other monsters. The goal of government is to maximize freedom. That doesnt’ mean anarchy, because people are less free under anarchy than they are under properly-operating government.

        IMO a government should be just powerful enough to prevent other governments from forming. Like, the purpose of an army in a democracy is to prevent other armies from coming to install a dictatorship over the people.

        Or to mirror the common saying about guns: “The only way to stop a bad government with an army, is with a good government with an army”.

        But the other monsters are gangs, corporations, individuals. And a good government enforces rules that prevent those other monsters from taking away your freedom.

        But yeah. Basic point is that libertarian => government’s purpose is to maximize freedom

        • ComradeKhoumrag@infosec.pub
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          1 year ago

          I get the sentiment, and agree with it in theory. But in practice, the libertarian party in America is going to give you corporate tyranny

          • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            We already have corporate tyranny. That’s why Lemmy exists.

            But why do you think that about the American Libertarian party specifically?

            • ComradeKhoumrag@infosec.pub
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              1 year ago

              So, I was gonna do a lot of research into seeing if the libertarian party actually proposes policy the way you suggested (in that corporate tyranny limits freedoms and therefore the libertarian party would be for policy that regulates corporations) but that’s a lot of work I don’t wanna do so instead I’m going to ask you if you’re aware of any such policy

              By the way, I am very pro small business (I partner with some friends in our own business, actually), and recognize the sentiment of “if the government regulates the market, then who regulates the government”. I would like to see the government solve positive and negative externalities by providing contracts to small businesses, as well as have the government function as a competitor to big corporations. But from what I can tell, the libertarian party is libertarian in the sense that they think government should have no authority over the markets.

              Again, I want it to be extremely accessible for individuals to take initiative in the market, but eveb right wing economists recognize that market failures exist for capitalism (such as in climate change or cybersec) and those negative externalities need to be addressed through some kind of regulation

  • diskmaster23@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Well, are you a capitalist? Then no. If you aren’t, you definitely do. Here is the thing, we, workers, are stronger together.

    • 001100 010010@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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      1 year ago

      I don’t really care about the Capitalist-Socialist spectrum, I just want to live a normal happy life without tyrannical oppression. Capitalists are evil, and so far any Communist/Socialist societies have become totalitarian regimes and now ended up as Capitalist anyways, but even worse than your typical Capitalist country that still has democracy (China is a State-Capitalist country with no democracy, ironic, given how Communist they claim to be).

      • GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        so far any communist/socialist societies have become totalitarian regimes

        Uh. You need to broaden your perspective. 1) many countries in Europe have more socialistic governments than the USA. 2) socialism is a spectrum with varying levels. The USA while ostensibly capitalist, has socialist roads and schools and police.

        • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Socialism is when people own the means of production. I’d argue that’s different than infrastructure, though it is a murky line between infrastructure and capital.