#52 – Sep Current events clarified

Addiction – A Definition 1. A physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, such as a drug or alcohol. In physical addiction, the body adapts to the substance being used and gradually requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses. See more at withdrawal. 2. A habitual or compulsive involvement in an activity, such as gambling.

Statism and Violence The state is the conceptual name for those with the legal right and obligation to initiate force. Are those in the state addicted to violence? Taxation, theft, war, unjust imprisonment, fiat currency, excess regulation, insane debts, controlling the young, unfunded liabilities… Let’s find out…

References:

Question 1 Have you used drugs other than those required for medical reasons? Translation: Have you in the government ever used acts of violence other than those required for the self-defense of citizens?

Question 2 Have you abused prescription drugs? Translation Have you abused the power of violence?

Question 3 Do you abuse more than one drug at a time? Translation Do you abuse more than one form of violence at a time? War, prisons, regulations, taxation, torture, renditions, fiat currency etc.

Question 4 Can you get through the week without using drugs? Translation Can you get through the week without using violence?

Question 5 Are you always able to stop using drugs when you want to? Translation Are you always able to stop using violence when you want to?

Question 6 Have you had "blackouts" or "flashbacks" as a result of drug use? Translation Do you impose blackouts, censorship or control the media as a result of your use of violence?

Question 7 Do you ever feel bad or guilty about your drug use? Translation Do you ever feel bad or guilty about your use of violence, and promise to use it to end war, end poverty, end drug use, end debt, end illiteracy etc?

Question 8 Does your spouse (or parents) ever complain about your involvement with drugs? Translation Do your citizens (or voters) ever complain about your involvement with violence?

Question 9 Has drug abuse created problems between you and your spouse or your parents? Translation Has your use of violence created problems between you and your citizens or your voters, or those in other countries?

Question 10 Have you lost friends because of your use of drugs? Translation Have you lost allies, support and credibility because of your use of violence?

Question 11 Have you neglected your family because of your use of drugs? Translation Have you abused your citizens because of your use of violence?

Question 12 Have you been in trouble at work because of your use of drugs? Translation Have you been in trouble at work because of your use of violence? Corruption, debt, ever-expanding power..?

Question 13 Have you lost a job because of drug abuse? Translation n/a

Question 14 Have you gotten into fights when under the influence of drugs? Translation Have you started fights, wars and unjust incarcerations when under the influence of violence?

Question 15 Have you engaged in illegal activities in order to obtain drugs? Translation Have you engaged in theft or coercion in order to enforce your preferences? Um, by definition…

Question 16 Have you been arrested for possession of illegal drugs? Translation Have you been arrested for using violence or starting wars or unjustly imprisoning citizens? n/a

Question 17 Have you ever experienced withdrawal symptoms (felt sick) when you stopped taking drugs? Translation Have you ever experienced withdrawal symptoms (felt sick) when you stopped using violence? Soldiers returning home, government shutdowns…

Question 18 Have you had medical problems as a result of your drug use (e.g., memory loss, hepatitis, convulsions, bleeding, etc.)? Translation Has your country’s health care system developed problems as a result of your use of violence?

Question 19 Have you gone to anyone for help for a drug problem? Translation Have you gone to anyone for help for an addiction to violence? A philosopher, say, or Austrian economic advisors, or Libertarians, or Ron Paul…

Question 20 Have you been involved in a treatment program especially related to drug use? Translation Have you ever tried to manage or reduce your addiction to violence by passing balanced budget amendments, signing peace treaties, promising “no new taxes,” privatizing sectors of the economy, lowering taxes etc?

A few more questions… Do you lie or cover up your addiction? Is your current addiction sustainable? If not, will there be great suffering when you crash? Do you manipulate the gullible to avoid the reality of your addiction? What are the odds that you can actually help yourself? Who can help you now?

Thank you! For more on the philosophy of personal and political liberty, please visit: Free podcasts, books, articles, videos – and a thriving online community of people taking on the challenge of pursuing philosophical freedom in their own lives.