How Can I Become A Winner When I Believe I’m A Loser?
Posted on June 24, 2011
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Part of the Ask An Anarchist Series - Previous in series Next in series
Isn’t this really one of the biggest questions that each and every one of us has encountered at some point? And, of course, it may not seem to have anything to do with anarchy, philosophy, government, business, or anything else covered on this website. But, on reflection, I thin kit may have to do with everything ever discussed on this site. But, most of all with parenting, which was, of course, the original inspiration for me to start blogging.
The attitude of not being a winner is the way people get into trouble in life. The fact you woke up this morning makes you a winner, and no one make you a loser but yourself.
Each day look at the wins you have. Value the greatness in your life, little and big. If you find it impossible to isolate any wins in your life, use affirmations and begin creating some.
You can start now to change your own reality. You are a loser, only when you think you are.
- Thomas Edison declared bankruptcy for the North American Phonograph Co. in 1894, and his Edison Portland Cement Company filed for bankruptcy twice.
- Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Milton hershey, H.J. Heinz, and P.T. Barnum all went bankrupt at least once as well.
- Before filing for bankruptcy, Walt Disney was fired by the Kansas City Star newspaper for lacking ideas.
- Colonel Sanders idea for Kentucky Fried Chicken was reportedly rejected more than 1000 times
Part of the Ask An Anarchist Series - Previous in series Next in series
The Complete Ask An Anarchist Series-
- Ask An Anarchist: Cheat Out Of A Ticket
- Ask An Anarchist: What About “The Poor”
- How Can I Become A Winner When I Believe I’m A Loser?
- Should Prisoners Pay For Their Own Incarceration?
- Should I vote?
Related Posts: » Filed Under: Ask An Anarchist, Inspiration, Living Free
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Should I vote?
Posted on June 17, 2011
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Part of the Ask An Anarchist Series - Previous in series
Ask An Anarchist
Welcome back to Ask An Anarchist. The ongoing series where I respond to questions about anarchist philosophy.
Q) As an anarchist/voluntaryist/[other term for anti-government person] should I vote?
A) Short answer: you should do whatever feels right to you. As an anarchist myself, I’m not in the business of telling other people what they should or should not do.
The long answer is, as usual, a bit more complex…
Many anarchists have come to the conclusion that voting itself is either immoral or just plain evil. Many of these believe that voting is condoning the action of the state. Some claim that every vote is, in and of itself, an act of violence because you’re either voting for someone else to use the violence of the state to force their will on others, or directly enacting laws that will be enforced with the violence of the state. I have some questions for those who hold this belief….
1) Would you vote to overturn a law or prohibition? For example, if there was a national vote asking whether or not to continue the drug war, would you vote then?
2) Would you vote for your town/county/state to secede from the governmental bodies that currently reign over it?
3) Would you vote to dismantle the government in its entirety?
4) What about a vote to bring all US military personnel back to the United States?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then how can you justify that vote as not being evil or immoral? Aren’t you forcing your anti-prohibition and anti-government will on those who would prefer these laws and institutions remain in place?
If your answer to these questions is no, then how, exactly are you helping those in the liberty movement to bring freedom and liberty to everyone? Do you really think politicians are simply going to stop going to work one day? Do you think a time will come when the politicians are completely unable to find someone to enact violence on people that break their made up rules. Ultimately, it’s going to take a “vote of the people” to restore our liberties. The only other path to the end of government is violence, and that’s never succeeded in doing anything other than changing out one oppressor for another.
A flat out refusal to participate in any form of government election assures you’ll never see liberty in your lifetime. How can you even be a liberty activist? Isn’t protesting the police and/or politicians really just another way of voting? Except that you’re trying to convince other people to do the “dirty work” of changing the laws or system for you.
As for me, I believe in voting as self-defense, so only vote when I see an option for liberty. Sometimes that’s a candidate such as Ron Paul. Other times it’s an issue, such as California’s Proposition 19 which would have legalized the growing, using and possession of marijuana for people over the age of 21. Sure, this proposition had a lot of problems (including creating new bureaucracy), but I believe it was a step towards freedom. And those are the steps I’m interested in taking.
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The Complete Ask An Anarchist Series-
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California Swimming Holes
Posted on June 12, 2011
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Part of the Cool Books Series - Previous in series
Norman Rockwell's Swimming Hole (1920)
One of the great things about being a library book sale addict is that I get to handle about 1,000 books a week and I come across some really cool stuff. The latest example is Swimming Holes of California: Day Trips With a Splash
Every swimmin’ hole is given three or four paragraphs of editorial content including detailed directions, GPS coordinates, and a copy of the USGS 7.5-minute topographic map of the area. But that is just the beginning. What makes this guidebook even more useful is his wonderful categorical icons. Each entry includes icons for: The Approach, The Season, The Company, and Overall Rating. Looking to go skinny dipping with your sweetie? Just flip through the region nearest you for the bare bottom icon. Want to take the kids to their first real swimmin’ hole? Find a black circle approach and a baby face icon.
Although eminently enjoyable to read, don’t take Pancho’s easy style and light-hearted descriptions to mean that he isn’t serious about his swimming holes. Here’s the last couple paragraphs of his Introduction to show just how serious he takes this age old tradition-
I’d even argue that swimming holes are the most complete trip to the mountains. Hiking alone isn’t. There is always space between the hiker and the trees, always a separation between us the ground we travel over. But water touches every part of the body with the perfect contact of immersion. People form attachments to these places. Several times I met parents and children at a swimming hole that the parents themselves had been coming to since childhood.
Beyond fun, there’s a metaphor here. Think of the stream as the work week, all noise and repeated motion. The swimming hole is the weekend, a place where the pace slackens, the issue gets broader and the water grow quiet enough to show a reflection.
So, whether you’re a swimming hole aficionado, a hiker, an adventurer, a lover of the outdoors, or just someone looking for something different to do this weekend, your first source of info should be Pancho Doll’s Swimming Holes of California: Day Trips With a Splash
Part of the Cool Books Series - Previous in series
The Complete Cool Books Series-
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Should Prisoners Pay For Their Own Incarceration?
Posted on March 19, 2011
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Part of the Ask An Anarchist Series - Previous in series Next in series
Ask An Anarchist
Welcome back to Ask An Anarchist. The ongoing series where I respond to questions about anarchist philosophy.
Q) So some small town somewhere started to fine all of their prisoners to pay for the prisons instead of taxes. Say you make 8 dollars an hour at your job then you get put in jail and pay 16 to 20 dollars a day every day you are in jail.
I think this is good because the “criminal” pays for the jails instead of everyone paying for it.
It’s a bad idea for a lot of reasons though. For one, people can’t pay if they can’t work. Also it gives police a reason to put you in jail for 30 days instead of just a ticket.
What do you think?
A) This is not nearly as unusual as you might think, and you quickly recognized the largest problems with it yourself.
The problem of incarceration is, IMO, one of the most difficult facing those trying to build or model a truly free society. Luckily for those trying to spread the message of freedom, and unfortunately for those trying to create such a society, it is one seldom asked.
I think the best way to problem solve in a situation such as this is to look to history to see what has been done in the past. Prisons themselves are a (relatively) recent phenomenon in human history. The first were debtors prisons which were populated by those unable or unwilling to pay their debts (hence the phrase “paying your debt to society”). These prisons went out of style for the very reasons you pointed out: how do you pay your debts if you’re stuck in prison. The most common solution to the concept of a debtors prison (or the ‘pay your own prison fees’ model) is forced labor. the prisoners work at some job or another, but instead of the earnings going to them personally, the wages are distributed to their jailers and then the person(s) they have wronged. This, of course, leads to the second problem you pointed out: it serves the prison more to keep people in then to get the prisoner’s debts paid.
Prior to prisons people were punished for crimes in various ways, with restitution was the most common (and rational, IMO). Those convicted of a crime would need to make the victims of their crimes “whole” in some way that was either agreed upon between criminal and victim or adjudicated by some authority recognized by both parties. When the matter of crime in a free society is discussed this is the most common answer given.
However, the restitution model doesn’t address the issues of repeat offenders, those unwilling (or unable) to make restitution, or those who (seem) unable to control their criminal actions. It also opens the door to the enormously wealthy to essentially harm whomever they like as they will be able to “buy” their way out of any consequences. This leads us to ostracization and/or public humiliation. Rapists, murderers and thieves would, in the past be put in the stocks, humiliated in the town square, or have their images posted for all to see. Shopkeepers would refuse to do business with them and they’d frequently be forced to leave the area in which they committed their crimes. Of course, that just moves the “problem” into someone else’s back yard. Although it can also lead to things like the founding of Australia 
While I certainly can’t predict exactly how a free society will function I foresee something along the lines of “charity prisons”. These would look much like the prisons of today, but would be funded through voluntary means. If someone killed or raped your loved one and whatever justice system was in place decided they should be removed from society wouldn’t you be willing to pony up some cash to incarcerate them? What if it was a friend that was victimized? A neighbor? Member of your church or school? Combine this with some system of prison labor and I think a workable solution can be found.
I realize this answer seems a bit “weaselly”, but it’s the best I can do right now. Got any better ideas or know of an article about this very issue? Let me (and all my readers) know by leaving a comment below!
Part of the Ask An Anarchist Series - Previous in series Next in series
The Complete Ask An Anarchist Series-
- Ask An Anarchist: Cheat Out Of A Ticket
- Ask An Anarchist: What About “The Poor”
- How Can I Become A Winner When I Believe I’m A Loser?
- Should Prisoners Pay For Their Own Incarceration?
- Should I vote?
Related Posts: » Filed Under: Ask An Anarchist, Living Free, Police
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Bay Area Border Wars
Posted on December 14, 2010
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While heading out for a morning mail run I tuned in to KGO Radio to see what Ronn Owens was talking about. Turns out Ronn is on vacation, and Brian Copeland was sitting in for him. Brian had the Deputy Director for Planning for the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Tilly Chang.
Apparently, traffic in downtown San Francisco moves at only 5 to 10 miles per hour. While this is clearly a problem, the proposed solutions discussed today were simply ridiculous. One of the proposals being considered is to charge a $3 “toll” to any non-San Francisco driver who crosses into or out of San Francisco via San Mateo County during peak commute hours. There are essentially three ways to get your car into or out of San Francisco: The Golden Gate Bridge (toll going out), the Bay Bridge (toll coming in), or via the peninsula (aka San Mateo County).
I don’t really want to get into the details of the Congestion Pricing Study (you can read all about it here or by simply Googling “San Francisco congestion“. Instead, I want to highlight some of the ridiculous thoughts expressed by Ms. Chang and other bureaucrats and politicians on the matter.
San Mateo County has reportedly responded to the possibility of such a pricing scheme by declaring that they would charge a $6 “toll” for San Franciscans traveling into or out of their county. Ms. Chang’s (paraphrased) response? “Oh, they don’t need to worry. Portions of the money will collect will be shared with San Mateo County. “ So, in other words, the government of San Mateo County is going to get a portion of the money San Francisco is going to steal from San Mateo County residents. Well, isn’t that grand? The residents of San Mateo should rest easy knowing that they’re going to have to pay an extra $6 to handle any business in San Francisco since San Mateo County is going to share in the ill-gotten profits. Say what?!? Just another example of government looking out for itself. No concern about the people who will be paying these fees, as long as the various governments are paid off.
This already had me steaming. But then, a woman called who lives in a condo complex that literally straddles the border between Daly City (in San Mateo County) and San Francisco. This woman lives in the San Francisco side of the complex, (pays San Francisco taxes, votes in San Francisco elections, etc) but has to travel into Daly City to simply exit the complex. So she was concerned that she would have to pay this fee, despite being a San Francisco resident. Ms. Chang’s (paraphrased) response? “Don’t worry, we’ll give those on the borders a 50% discount on the fee. And, most people don’t realize this, but 75% of the congestion traffic is actually people that live in San Francisco.” Again: Say what?!? Three-quarters of the cars causing congestion in San Francisco is caused by people who live in San Francisco, and their proposed “solution” is to charge non-San Francisco residents a fee to come into (or leave) the city? And they think they’re being generous offering San Francisco residents a 50% discount despite forcing them to pay a fee simply because of their proximity to these imaginary lines?!?
Still think government is your friend? Does this sound like you’re being served? Could private roads be any worse? After all, your taxes are already paying to maintain these roads and provide for Ms. Chang’s job. But that’s not enough. If you don’t use the roads when and how they want you to, you’re going to have to pay additional fees. How can you continue to support such an inane system? Seriously, please comment and let me know.
Tags: Borders, Brian Copeland, congestion pricing, government, KGO Radio, politicians, private roads, San Francisco, San Mateo County, taxes, tolls, trafficRelated Posts: » Filed Under: Road Trippin', Taxes
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