I used to be so sure I would be able to sway people's opinions in the right direction, show them bits and pieces of the truth about what is going on in the economy, in our daily lives and how tragic it is that we are losing all these freedoms and that people would eagerly lend me their ears. I though if I could just point out some of the things I believe are so horribly wrong in this world and especially why they are wrong (for what good is medicine without a proper diagnosis), they would get interested and listen. I was wrong.
It seems that as long as people have internet access, Facebook and alcohol, they could hardly be interested in who is stealing money from their wallet. Fair enough, I am judging no one. It is a hard pill to swallow. Some of these economic issues are hard to fathom and when understood, the knowledge of how little of an impact we can make can be very brutal. I should know, for it keeps me up many a night. Sometimes the feeling of helplessness in the face of injustice can be even worse than injustice itself. It makes many people favor tolerating degradation because to stand up and fail would be even more degrading.
Sadly, as we have all doubtless been taught and know to be true, ignorance doesn't work. And I for one have no intention of doing nothing when I am routinely being looted by the government. It's wrong morally and it makes for very bad economics.
Knowing that people will not just march in my way after seeing my flag, what then is my point? First of all, I believe there is something very liberating about finding out the truth. Years ago, when I first started studying Murray Rothbard, Ludwig von Mises, Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Tom Woods and free market Austrian economics in general, I was almost literally flying. I experienced many of those, »ah, so that's how it really works« moments that are so rare in life. Secondly, having studied economics in much depth in the past few years, I know that the economic situation round the globe is going to get much worse before it ever gets a bit better again and I want to do my best to help people understand why, so that we can get on the right track.
All this makes me certain of one thing – knowing where we are headed, I am sure that people will increasingly start searching for answers, as I believe they already have. I just hope that someone, lost for answers as for why their life has taken such a turn for the worse, might one day stumble across my footsteps and follow my trail, not being satisfied with the cheap statist, Keynesian, socialist answers they have been fed.
I know that I alone can do nothing against the all powerful government, the power is in numbers. But first, we have to win the battle of ideas. A few people have asked me »how do you expect to convey all these hard economic topics to all those people?« »One at a time«, I reply.
To conclude, I might do best to quote Ludwig von Mises: »Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping toward destruction. Therefore, everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interest of everyone hangs on the result. Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive battle into which our epoch has plunged us.” In other words, what you think about the world is a part of my fate.
With that happy thought I am leaving for vacation for a few days. But worry not. Be back soon:)
