Rather than wallow in our own despair, how about we count the reasons for which to be hopeful about the future of liberty and sound economics? I'll start things off:
There are more Austrians now than ever before in history. Let the implications of that sink in for a moment.
We have the internet, which gives any idea the opportunity to go viral. Witness the Keynes vs. Hayek rap video.
We have the Mises Institute, churning out hundreds of young scholars every year, and publishing and selling tremendous quantities of great books.
We have Mises.org, dispensing terabytes of information, unrestricted, into every corner of the globe. It has gone completely open-source recently, and achieved digital immortality.
We have Human Action and Man, Economy, and State.
Thanks to the tireless work of the intellectual giants who came before us, we have a complete theoretical framework for economics, ready to supplant all the scientistic nonsense when the time comes.
Add your own!
The "powers that be" are looking more powerless and ineffective by the day, to the masses.
We have Ron Paul fighting the good fight out in the political sphere, educating young people and swelling our numbers every day.
there is a general awakening happening globally. and ideas of liberty are becoming more and more common place upon the tongues of people day by day even in casual conservation
JosephBright:We have Mises.org, dispensing terabytes of information, unrestricted, into every corner of the globe. It has gone completely open-source recently, and achieved digital immortality.
On this issue, I find myself not as optimistic as others. What will prevent governments from eventually controlling all of this information? It seems that it is only a matter of time.
wilderness:there is a general awakening happening globally. and ideas of liberty are becoming more and more common place upon the tongues of people day by day even in casual conservation
2012 baby! It's the dawning of the age of Aquarius!
Free State Project in New Hampshire. About 10,000 have signed up.
DD5: JosephBright:We have Mises.org, dispensing terabytes of information, unrestricted, into every corner of the globe. It has gone completely open-source recently, and achieved digital immortality. On this issue, I find myself not as optimistic as others. What will prevent governments from eventually controlling all of this information? It seems that it is only a matter of time.
I could download and store all of Mises.org onto a tiny flash card, which can be hidden easily. How can they control that?
Jackson LaRose: The "powers that be" are looking more powerless and ineffective by the day, to the masses.
... I like it!
The internet shall be our salvation.
JosephBright:I could download and store all of Mises.org onto a tiny flash card, which can be hidden easily. How can they control that?
Or go "helicopter Ben", and burn 10,000 DVD-R's and aerially distribute.
No, but how will you distribute? door to door? Distribution is the major issue.
Jackson LaRose: JosephBright:I could download and store all of Mises.org onto a tiny flash card, which can be hidden easily. How can they control that? Or go "helicopter Ben", and burn 10,000 DVD-R's and aerially distribute.
They are authorized to shoot down any flying machine not licensed and authorized to fly.
JosephBright:Add your own!
We're right.
"If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion."
DD5: JosephBright:I could download and store all of Mises.org onto a tiny flash card, which can be hidden easily. How can they control that? No, but how will you distribute? door to door? Distribution is the major issue.
I don't think it is ever going to get as bad as you are implying, but if it did, we have history to guide us. How did people distribute such information in the past under oppressive regimes? Answer: The underground, and black markets. Think of how Animal Farm gained a readership in the Soviet Union. Remember, governments are inefficient at most everything, censorship included. If there is a demand, the (black) market will find a way.
DD5: Jackson LaRose: JosephBright:I could download and store all of Mises.org onto a tiny flash card, which can be hidden easily. How can they control that? Or go "helicopter Ben", and burn 10,000 DVD-R's and aerially distribute. They are authorized to shoot down any flying machine not licensed and authorized to fly.
Which will only make them look bad in the eyes of the people. Look at how many people distrusted the government after Waco.
DD5:They are authorized to shoot down any flying machine not licensed and authorized to fly.
Jeez, it was a joke. You know, you'd probably feel a lot better if you had the artwork from a good Floyd album as an avatar. Here you go:
Okay, back on topic:
Even democrats are starting to realize that Obama sold them out.
JosephBright:Even democrats are starting to realize that Obama sold them out.
Yes because he's not socialist enough. This is a bad thing. They want 100% income taxes on the rich (and bonuses), a nationalization of both the banking and health care sectors, and the destruction of contract law (so that the banks can "renegotiate" mortgages).
DD5:On this issue, I find myself not as optimistic as others. What will prevent governments from eventually controlling all of this information? It seems that it is only a matter of time.
Unfortunately, I am in complete agreement.
To be honest, I see our only future as a police state.
Jackson LaRose:The "powers that be" are looking more powerless and ineffective by the day, to the masses.
"The masses" are unsatisfied because they haven't seen enough socialism yet.
Being 'unsatisfied' with your country is one thing; being unsatisfied with your country and seeking to cure it with a free market, is something else entirely.
I get what Seph and DD5 are saying, but sometimes I think all that I have is optimism left in me to lift my spirit up. And I'm not being over-confident or overly -positive blinded to a reality that is really all bad and sad. I think you two may be right, but without that extra umph to get me going so I remain healthy physically and mentality I can only roll with the punches. If it's a police state, then so be it. If I die, so what. Why would I want to continue living in a world that gets to be so disturbing. Suffering would be the worst. Seeing something happen to my family or watch my three year old son grow up into a complete and utter senselessness would really hurt me almost more than anything. I could care less what happens to me. It may hurt and I'll suffer, but if I had to watch something happen to my son who's not old enough to even get it yet, and to see his wonderful world go to the shitters when he's having so much fun and saying the cutest and most unique things every day, I shutter to think. He wouldn't even realize what the hell is happening. He's in his happy-go-lucky world right now and I'd hate to see it screwed up. But honestly, what else is there if not optimism. If everybody gets down, then for a FACT it will NEVER change. It does more harm than good. It's not getting caught up in thinking that what we dream of is a fantasy, something that will never happen. Maybe it won't happen. But in misery you live the nightmare before it even ever gets here. I'm not living in a nightmare any longer than I need to, so, I'm not going to be the first one to make me feel terrible. I'll wait til somebody else tries to do that to me.
I regain my hope for the future when I look at these two screen shots I took of a certain image board a few weeks ago.
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6666/hmmi.png
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5599/whatthe.png
Seph:"The masses" are unsatisfied because they haven't seen enough socialism yet
You think the average Joe is that politically principled? They just want to be satisfied. If the masses wanted socialism that bad, we'd have it by now.
Seph:Being 'unsatisfied' with your country is one thing; being unsatisfied with your country and seeking to cure it with a free market, is something else entirely.
So why are so many against the healthcare bill? Why did the bailout fail the first time around? You underestimate your peers.
Jackson LaRose:You think the average Joe is that politically principled? They just want to be satisfied.
And what's the easiest way to be satisfied in politics? Lobby the state to give you more of your neighbors tax dollars.
Jackson LaRose:If the masses wanted socialism that bad, we'd have it by now.
Jackson LaRose:So why are so many against the healthcare bill? Why did the bailout fail the first time around? You underestimate your peers.
If the United States was heading in a remotely free market direction, I might agree with you.
NewLiberty:Free State Project in New Hampshire. About 10,000 have signed up.
Yah? I live in New Hampshire. Where are all of these 10,000 people?
Seph:Lobby the state to give you more of your neighbors tax dollars
If that's what you want.
Seph:We don't have it now?
LOL. Not quite.
Seph:If the United States was heading in a remotely free market direction, I might agree with you.
We'll see how it plays out.