Freedom - Revision history

Fractalguy: /* How do we Measure Economic Freedom? */

2025-02-12T15:34:13Z

How do we Measure Economic Freedom?

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:34, 12 February 2025
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	== How do we Measure Economic Freedom? ==		== How do we Measure Economic Freedom? ==

	[[Libertarian]] [[politics]], popular with [[crypto-bros]], purports to maximize individual freedom by limiting the number of involuntary actions a [[citizen]] must take in their [[life]]. As the theory goes, anything you do within the [[capitalist]] marketplace is a contract that you can decide to enter into or not, while [[government]] action is required and you can be sanctioned for non-compliance. Therefore, the [[free market]] cannot limit your freedom because everything is voluntary.		[[Libertarian]] [[politics]], popular with [[crypto-bros]], purports to maximize individual freedom by limiting the number of involuntary actions a [[citizen]] must take in their [[life]].
			[[File:Freedom-is-shampoo-selection-not-healthcare.jpg\|thumb\|400x400px\|Freedom of important choices]]
			As the theory goes, anything you do within the [[capitalist]] marketplace is a contract that you can decide to enter into or not, while [[government]] action is required and you can be sanctioned for non-compliance. Therefore, the [[free market]] cannot limit your freedom because everything is voluntary.

	Of course this simplistic theory completely ignores the market forces that make people enter into contracts they don't agree with, face limited selection, depressed wages, and inflated prices due to [[monopolies]]. Without strong [[democratic]] [[institutions]], the rich will have enormous power and the people will have no way to [[Balance of power\|balance it]].		Of course this simplistic theory completely ignores the market forces that make people enter into contracts they don't agree with, face limited selection, depressed wages, and inflated prices due to [[monopolies]]. Without strong [[democratic]] [[institutions]], the rich will have enormous power and the people will have no way to [[Balance of power\|balance it]].

	If we were to propose a Gross National Freedom measurement (GNF), then maximizing this value would involve some measure of [[economic]] and [[political]] [[equality]]. If [[monopoly]] powers are able to [~~https~~:~~//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/~~Rent-seeking seek rents] without adding value, the extra [[money]] that everyone is forced to pay is just as detrimental to their freedom as [[taxes]], except with even less benefit and recourse to the payer.		If we were to propose a Gross National Freedom measurement (GNF), then maximizing this value would involve some measure of [[economic]] and [[political]] [[equality]]. If [[monopoly]] powers are able to [[wikipedia:Rent-seeking\|seek rents]] without adding value, the extra [[money]] that everyone is forced to pay is just as detrimental to their freedom as [[taxes]], except with even less benefit and recourse to the payer.

	And [[economic]] GNF would require that both [[taxes]] and rents are minimized and wages are maximized. This is the only way to ensure the [[libertarian]]-[[utilitarian]] goal of the "most [[money]] for the most people."		And [[economic]] GNF would require that both [[taxes]] and rents are minimized and wages are maximized. This is the only way to ensure the [[libertarian]]-[[utilitarian]] goal of the "most [[money]] for the most people."

Fractalguy at 00:47, 7 January 2025

2025-01-07T00:47:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:47, 7 January 2025
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	[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]		[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]
	American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and it is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.<blockquote>''"The basis of a democratic state is liberty."'' -Aristotle </blockquote>		American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and it is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.<blockquote>''"The basis of a democratic state is liberty."'' -[[wikipedia:Aristotle\|Aristotle]] </blockquote>Related pages include: [[freedom of speech]], [[free will]], [[Religious Freedom\|religious freedom]], [[libertarian]], [[democracy]], [[justice]]

	== Freedom and Free Will ==		== Freedom and Free Will ==

Fractalguy: /* Does Freedom Rock? */

2024-12-30T13:39:12Z

Does Freedom Rock?

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:39, 30 December 2024
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	<br>		<br>
	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKHCvmu1z4\|\|center\|Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKHCvmu1z4\|\|center\|Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom\|frame}}
			<br>
			{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V99Eu3dWjO8\|\|center\|The Staple Singers - Freedom Highway\|frame}}

Fractalguy: /* Does Freedom Rock? */

2024-12-30T13:37:30Z

Does Freedom Rock?

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:37, 30 December 2024
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	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_vQt_v8Jmw\|\|center\|Rage Against the Machine - Freedom\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_vQt_v8Jmw\|\|center\|Rage Against the Machine - Freedom\|frame}}
			<br>
			{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWF9375hUA\|\|center\|Beyoncé - Freedom\|frame}}
	<br>		<br>
	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKHCvmu1z4\|\|center\|Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKHCvmu1z4\|\|center\|Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom\|frame}}

Fractalguy at 13:36, 30 December 2024

2024-12-30T13:36:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:36, 30 December 2024
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	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_vQt_v8Jmw\|\|center\|Rage Against the Machine - Freedom\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_vQt_v8Jmw\|\|center\|Rage Against the Machine - Freedom\|frame}}
			<br>
			{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKHCvmu1z4\|\|center\|Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom\|frame}}

Fractalguy: /* Safety and Freedom */

2024-12-19T19:44:01Z

Safety and Freedom

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:44, 19 December 2024
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	== Safety and Freedom ==		== Safety and Freedom ==
	A sense of [[safety]] is a [[necessary prerequisite]] for true freedom. True [[safety]] is nice, but the [[emotional]] sense of [[safety]] is what people actually react to. It's not enough for [[society]] to reduce crime, it must also reduce the perception of crime and ~~the~~ sense of general security. This conflicts with the [[incentives]] built into [[capitalist]] [[media]], which favor fear and [[outrage]].		A sense of [[safety]] is a [[necessary prerequisite]] for true freedom. True [[safety]] is nice, but the [[emotional]] sense of [[safety]] is what people actually react to. It's not enough for [[society]] to reduce crime, it must also reduce the perception of crime, and provide a sense of general security. This conflicts with the [[incentives]] built into [[capitalist]] [[media]], which favor fear and [[outrage]].

	It is impossible for people to be free in a [[culture]] where we are constantly bombarded with negative [[information]]. As outlined on the safety page, fear limits our agency, preventing us from making choices that might lead to negative outcomes. When these fears are unfounded, the result is that freedom is decreased much more than safety is increased. When enough unfounded fears are believed, personal freedom becomes severely restricted despite the fact that no [[laws]] or [[economic]] forces are preventing you.		It is impossible for people to be free in a [[culture]] where we are constantly bombarded with negative [[information]]. As outlined on the safety page, fear limits our agency, preventing us from making choices that might lead to negative outcomes. When these fears are unfounded, the result is that freedom is decreased much more than safety is increased. When enough unfounded fears are believed, personal freedom becomes severely restricted despite the fact that no [[laws]] or [[economic]] forces are preventing you.

Fractalguy at 19:43, 19 December 2024

2024-12-19T19:43:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:43, 19 December 2024
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	[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]		[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]
	American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.<blockquote>''"The basis of a democratic state is liberty."'' -Aristotle </blockquote>		American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and it is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.<blockquote>''"The basis of a democratic state is liberty."'' -Aristotle </blockquote>

	== Freedom and Free Will ==		== Freedom and Free Will ==

	What is freedom without [[free will]]? If [[free will]] is an illusion then freedom must also include instilling people with a full sense of their possible choices. We cannot want what we have never been exposed to, so a robust [[education]] is necessary to achieve personal freedom and maximize the range of our [[free will]].		What is freedom without [[free will]]? If [[free will]] is an illusion then freedom must also include instilling people with a full sense of their possible choices. We cannot want what we have never been exposed to, so a robust [[education]] is necessary to achieve personal freedom and maximize the range of our [[free will]].

			Cultivation of [[variety]] is another way to expand possible [[free will]]. The more things you try, the easier it becomes to try new things, since novelty becomes a [[habit]]. This avoids repetitive [[habits]] that limit our possible will, and hence our freedom.

			The more you know and more diverse your experience, the more things you can draw on when deciding on a course of action. This [[complexification]] of the decision making process is the path to maximum freedom in a world without [[free will]].

	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANlPOFwgimc\|\|center\|The Illusion of Freedom\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANlPOFwgimc\|\|center\|The Illusion of Freedom\|frame}}

			== Safety and Freedom ==
			A sense of [[safety]] is a [[necessary prerequisite]] for true freedom. True [[safety]] is nice, but the [[emotional]] sense of [[safety]] is what people actually react to. It's not enough for [[society]] to reduce crime, it must also reduce the perception of crime and the sense of general security. This conflicts with the [[incentives]] built into [[capitalist]] [[media]], which favor fear and [[outrage]].

			It is impossible for people to be free in a [[culture]] where we are constantly bombarded with negative [[information]]. As outlined on the safety page, fear limits our agency, preventing us from making choices that might lead to negative outcomes. When these fears are unfounded, the result is that freedom is decreased much more than safety is increased. When enough unfounded fears are believed, personal freedom becomes severely restricted despite the fact that no [[laws]] or [[economic]] forces are preventing you.

			To experience true freedom, you must rid yourself of all unfounded fears and embrace [[optimism]], hope, and possibility.

			== Freedom From Social Norms ==
			[[Taboos]] and other [[cultural norms]] restrict our freedom, since we face social backlash for those transgressions.

			Some of these norms are simply matters of politeness that make everyday interactions more positive. Many people have had an upbringing that has taken away their freedom to ask for something without saying please, or to ever use a racial slur. Gaining back these freedoms offers little benefit.

			Other norms are [[oppressive]]. Norms that restrict the way men and women are able to dress or express their [[sexuality]] create significant impediments to [[happiness]] for those whose desires are suppressed, with little benefit to the unaffected. The freedom to be [[Outrage\|outraged]] about someone's outfit is a [[legal]] right, but a social wrong. It hurts both outrager and outragee.

			Creating a society that maximizes freedom requires more than a [[libertarian]] destruction of the administrative state. It will require a significant refactoring of our [[social norms]] and [[taboos]] to remove those that only function to inhibit self-expression with [[outrage]], and create new ones that encourage it.

	== How do we Measure Economic Freedom? ==		== How do we Measure Economic Freedom? ==

Fractalguy: /* How do we Measure Political Freedom? */

2024-12-19T18:24:24Z

How do we Measure Political Freedom?

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:24, 19 December 2024
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	The [[Libertarian]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle non-aggression principle] is actually a pretty decent [[meterstick]] of [[political]] freedom. As mentioned above, it falls far short on [[economic]] grounds, but the notion that any action that does not harm another person or their property should be [[legal]] is a fairly decent starting point. Things like [[freedom of speech]], [[religion]], a fair judiciary, etc. are all basic requirements of a free [[society]].		The [[Libertarian]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle non-aggression principle] is actually a pretty decent [[meterstick]] of [[political]] freedom. As mentioned above, it falls far short on [[economic]] grounds, but the notion that any action that does not harm another person or their property should be [[legal]] is a fairly decent starting point. Things like [[freedom of speech]], [[religion]], a fair judiciary, etc. are all basic requirements of a free [[society]].

	Where the simplistic view falls short is in terms of regulations. [[Libertarians]] will argue that regulations encroach on freedom by burdening people with cost, paperwork and delays. These burdens can be onerous, and should be minimized for sure, but this is the cost of prevention and [[trust]]. We need to be able to [[trust]] that our [[food]], [[drugs]], cars and airplanes are [[safe]], that your apartment building won't collapse in an earthquake or trap you in a fire. That [[trust]] didn't exist before regulatory agencies were created to ensure it. And without it, you don't have the freedom to eat unadulterated [[food]], take [[drugs]] with known ingredients, have seatbelts, or live in safe buildings. <blockquote>''"If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other."'' -Carl Schurz </blockquote>Lack of [[trust]] in [[institutions]] is debilitating. It causes people to live in fear. It limits our freedom of choice, because if you can't trust product safety you will only choose things you have tried before and know to be [[safe]].		Where the simplistic view falls short is in terms of regulations. [[Libertarians]] will argue that regulations encroach on freedom by burdening people with cost, paperwork and delays. These burdens can be onerous, and should be minimized for sure, but this is the cost of prevention and [[trust]]. We need to be able to [[trust]] that our [[food]], [[drugs]], cars and airplanes are [[safe]], that your apartment building won't collapse in an earthquake or trap you in a fire. That [[trust]] didn't exist before regulatory agencies were created to ensure it. And without it, you don't have the freedom to eat unadulterated [[food]], take [[drugs]] with known ingredients, have seatbelts, or live in safe buildings. <blockquote>''"If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other."'' -Carl Schurz </blockquote>Lack of [[trust]] in [[institutions]] is debilitating. It causes people to live in fear. It limits our freedom of choice, because if you can't trust product [[safety]] you will only choose things you have tried before and know to be [[safe]].

	Having a building fall on you is pretty bad for your freedom as well.		Having a building fall on you is pretty bad for your freedom as well.

Fractalguy: /* How do we Measure Political Freedom? */

2024-10-04T23:02:22Z

How do we Measure Political Freedom?

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:02, 4 October 2024
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	The [[Libertarian]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle non-aggression principle] is actually a pretty decent [[meterstick]] of [[political]] freedom. As mentioned above, it falls far short on [[economic]] grounds, but the notion that any action that does not harm another person or their property should be [[legal]] is a fairly decent starting point. Things like [[freedom of speech]], [[religion]], a fair judiciary, etc. are all basic requirements of a free [[society]].		The [[Libertarian]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle non-aggression principle] is actually a pretty decent [[meterstick]] of [[political]] freedom. As mentioned above, it falls far short on [[economic]] grounds, but the notion that any action that does not harm another person or their property should be [[legal]] is a fairly decent starting point. Things like [[freedom of speech]], [[religion]], a fair judiciary, etc. are all basic requirements of a free [[society]].

	Where the simplistic view falls short is in terms of regulations. [[Libertarians]] will argue that regulations encroach on freedom by burdening people with cost, paperwork and delays. These burdens can be onerous, and should be minimized for sure, but this is the cost of prevention and [[trust]]. We need to be able to [[trust]] that our [[food]], [[drugs]], cars and airplanes are [[safe]], that your apartment building won't collapse in an earthquake or trap you in a fire. That [[trust]] didn't exist before regulatory agencies were created to ensure it. And without it, you don't have the freedom to eat unadulterated [[food]], take [[drugs]] with known ingredients, have seatbelts, or live in safe buildings.		Where the simplistic view falls short is in terms of regulations. [[Libertarians]] will argue that regulations encroach on freedom by burdening people with cost, paperwork and delays. These burdens can be onerous, and should be minimized for sure, but this is the cost of prevention and [[trust]]. We need to be able to [[trust]] that our [[food]], [[drugs]], cars and airplanes are [[safe]], that your apartment building won't collapse in an earthquake or trap you in a fire. That [[trust]] didn't exist before regulatory agencies were created to ensure it. And without it, you don't have the freedom to eat unadulterated [[food]], take [[drugs]] with known ingredients, have seatbelts, or live in safe buildings. <blockquote>''"If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other."'' -Carl Schurz </blockquote>Lack of [[trust]] in [[institutions]] is debilitating. It causes people to live in fear. It limits our freedom of choice, because if you can't trust product safety you will only choose things you have tried before and know to be [[safe]].

	Lack of [[trust]] in [[institutions]] is debilitating. It causes people to live in fear. It limits our freedom of choice, because if you can't trust product safety you will only choose things you have tried before and know to be [[safe]].

	Having a building fall on you is pretty bad for your freedom as well.		Having a building fall on you is pretty bad for your freedom as well.

Fractalguy at 23:00, 4 October 2024

2024-10-04T23:00:04Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:00, 4 October 2024
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	[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]		[[File:Freedom-demonstration-police-state-liberty-libertarian-personal-economic.jpg\|thumb\|None of us are free until all of us are free]]
	American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.		American [[libertarianism]] is obsessively transfixed with the notion of maximizing freedom, and is the favorite [[political]] [[philosophy]] of many of the most [[Crypto-bros\|most powerful people in the world]]. As such it will serve as a reference point in the discussion of freedom on this page.<blockquote>''"The basis of a democratic state is liberty."'' -Aristotle </blockquote>

	== Freedom and Free Will ==		== Freedom and Free Will ==