Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Once again, I’ve been told, by someone who is very serious, that every human interaction is inherently political. Few approaches to life are more tragic than this one. If you believe every interaction between people involves a political element, you’re doing it wrong.
Politics is cheating. It’s what you resort to when you can’t persuade others to cooperate. It’s the method of the mugger, not the person offering products or services. It’s the use of force, coercion, aggression, threats, and lies instead of good arguments, consent, and mutual benefit. It’s the choice of the freelance criminal and politician rather than the good neighbor.
If you believe every interaction is political it’s because you’ve made it that way. This is the path of the loser and the tyrant. If this is what you put out into the world, don’t be surprised when others feel forced to use politics in defense.
Politics is when you fund something through theft – taxation -- rather than by collecting voluntary contributions. If you can’t convince others to fund something, you need to let it go until enough people want it so much they’re willing to contribute to it. Voluntarily, with consent.
Nothing is so important it justifies stealing to get it done. Nothing.
Politics is when you pass legislation to get what you want instead of having a good argument to convince others to do things your way. You can’t use the existence of criminals as your justification since they won’t hesitate to break whatever laws you make up; all legislation only hurts honest people.
Politics is when you use threats of force to scare people into obeying you. You might be an abusive parent, a sexual attacker, a toxic boss, a police officer, or a schoolyard bully, but the method is the same. Those who use politics have more in common with each other than they’ll admit; the only thing that matters.
The only time politics is necessary is in response to someone using politics against you. A mugger isn’t likely to be talked out of stealing your money at gunpoint. A politician believes it’s her job to boss you around and violate your natural human rights. Both are doing something no one has a right to do. You need to defend yourself.
There are ethical ways to get things done; trade and cooperation. Politics is the antisocial rejection of ethical ways. It’s the worst choice.
Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:
