An Ethic of Avoiding Socialism
As I write this blog, it is the morning of October 2nd, 2013. Political history will show that the U.S. government went into a partial shutdown at the beginning of the month. The media has been documenting hardship and catastrophes, but in my life, yesterday was just a normal (though more profitable) day. How can this be when a government that has been so intricately woven into our lives is rendered dysfunctional?
My answer to the above question is simple. I go to great lengths to exercise a personally adopted ethic of avoiding socialism. This is not necessarily in accordance with the official Objectivist philosophy--which sometimes advocates collecting back what was taken despite the fact that it was placed in a kind of homogeneous pool of "state property". My view is that when that is done, the property is lost.
So, how do I implement my philosophy of "avoiding socialism"? It is simple: don't go to socialized places, don't make socialized choices despite the cost, and when there is too much difficulty, try to
minimize the use of socialized "stuff".
For example, I live about two blocks from a train station. There is a heavily utilized government passenger train system that goes to different towns and into Chicago. In the 15+ years I have lived here, I have never once set foot upon one of those trains.
To give another example of my determination, mailing a regular letter as a UPS parcel costs more than 20 times as much as the stamp that one uses to send it through government. I definitely need to improve my integrity, in this case, but I can remember at least ten times being so upset at the State that I mailed a protest letter, privately, despite the cost.
Finally, I'd like to share the ultimate defiance that one can do to avoid socialism--though the outcome may explain why I am not usually going to this extreme. Many years ago, I decided that I had had it with socialism, so would completely avoid everything with even a hint of government being where it didn't belong. I quit my job, bought a lot of food and drink, and camped out in my room. I figured that since the roads and sidewalks are socialized, I was living the best life I could. I unplugged everything electrical because they were public utilities, and disconnected my phone. Well, my family became alarmed, and, in the end, the State put me in a mental hospital. I guess I was too much of a threat to their concept of how government functions.
Now, I am not asking Americans to go to the extreme that I did in this last example. But, if you can just identify several non-socialized alternatives to how you have been conducting your life, and eliminate completely your participation in easily avoidable socialism, it can go a long way towards advancing the cause of Capitalism.
Pay your bills electronically. Don't send big packages through the USPS. Buy bottled water. Don't take classes at a government school. Purchase an exercise bike so you don't have to jog down the street. Avoid public parks and zoos. Don't go to the local library. Etc...
And, finally, I'd like to emphasize the crowning achievement of this cause if any of it still remains after the shutdown--Avoid Obamacare!
Paul Wharton
Objectivist Capitalist Medicine Promoter
Special thanks to Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) for being the fuel of my mind
