The Thing Most Often Forgotten – Being Libertarian
In the new year of 2017, it seems rather impossible to think we could live without so many of the accommodations we have now that its easier to let the simpler things slide by without being noticed. Can you imagine going through the day without your credit cards, smartphone, personal and public transportation. All of these things would have not even been imaginable 100 years ago and we tend to forget that we live in one of the most advanced times to be alive. Now all of the aforementioned accommodations truly make life great, and yet what could still be the greatest one has yet to have been mentioned. There is one accommodation that often goes unnoticed. It allows us to decide what we want to do when we wake up, decide how we want to get to work, and it even lets us choose what we go home to. Liberty.
Liberty, on the scale we have today, is something unimaginable on all levels to most other countries in the modern world we know today. What we can control and decide would have been unfathomable 100 years ago. We get to choose whether we eat Wheaties or Fruit Loops in the morning, whether we take our showers before or after work, what new phone to get, what to eat for dinner, all down to whether you want to where pajamas to bed or sleep in the buff. Now imagine you had no influence on any of these things. Would you wake up, ready to tackle the day? Would you strive to exceed the performance goals for that next raise? Would you look at everyday as if it held a new adventure for you waiting to be discovered? Although everyone is different I do believe the vast majority would answer no. I know I wouldnt be able to find the worth of any action and I dont know many who could.
Albert Camus, a novelist and existentialist philosopher, once posed a rather odd question. Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee? This question, although peculiar is something we find ourselves answering every morning, even though we may not address it directly our actions do. When we are given every option available to us and the freedom to choose what we want we are able to accomplish great things. Not only have we walked on the moon, but we now have more advanced technology stuffed in our pockets today then what was involved with getting us to the moon. That is one of the greatest of many examples of what we can do when granted the freedom and liberty to pursue our passions and dreams.
The pursuit of happiness is something most of us are willing to go great lengths to achieve. One particular thing about happiness is that it is different for everyone. Happiness to me may be wealth beyond what I have ever known, yet happiness to you may be a small house with the person you love the most. One is not truly worth any less than the other, its simply what each person holds more worth to. Everyone has different desires, and being able to achieve those desires helps everyone. It has been shown in numerous studies that our emotions are influenced by those around us. When more people were able to achieve what they need to reach happiness I can only imagine what it would do for all the communities in our society. Few people still look at Obergefell V. Hodges as a loss for society, but how could that be I ask you? A court case that has now made it legal for any couple to get married regardless of gender and by this change offering even more liberty to choose how we wanted to live our own lives then the year before. Lets not forget that it once was unimaginable for women to vote let alone an interracial couple get married, and yet here we are, making even more feats in the name of liberty.
Freedom to choose all these different details about our life has drastic effects on more than just our own home too. We can pursue any career choice which now allows us to do more than work a simple 5-9 job that we despise. Waking up and heading to a job we love is one of the many advantages with liberty that will not only add happiness to our lives but also drive us to work harder. There is schools that we choose from that can teach us about any possible career choice we want, whether its being a welder or becoming a doctor. When we get our pay checks and salaries we can decide exactly how we want to spend them and what we want to acquire. In this sense the liberty each of us has even allows us to choose what businesses survive and what businesses dont. All of the choices and decisions we make that have more impact than most realize is even possible thanks too liberty.
It is clear that choice and liberty are synonymous, and that is truly what it comes down to. Liberty to me has always meant just that, the freedom to choose. When I see the status quo and am not satisfied with it the best thing to me is I dont have to be. The fact that any one person can wake up and do most anything they want to as long as doesnt harm someone else is one of the greatest privileges granted with freedom and liberty. We have all these choices and decisions we make every day without even realizing it that were unimaginable 100 years ago. All of this makes me look to the future with a very significant amount of hope and enthusiasm. It makes me truly feel that any of us in this society are able to make a significant difference in what goes on and most of us never even realize it. Did Rosa Parks ever expect to be remembered as someone who helped bring segregation to an end? I imagine all she thought on that bus in 1955 was that she was in no mood to move for someone else, especially for a completely illegitimate reason none the less. Yet here we are, in a society that is still continuously moving towards even more freedom and liberties, where just about every person you meet knows the name Rosa Parks. Alan Turing, a name not so many know, is one of the contributing reasons the Allies were able to win World War 2. He is responsible for helping bring an end to one of the most dangerous regimes by breaking the unbreakable code, the Enigma. In doing so he not only helped win the war, he became one of the grandfathers to modern day computers. He was charged with the crime of homosexuality and sentenced on March 31st 1952. Alan was sentenced to chemical treatment, and he committed suicide shortly after. This is just one of the many travesties that are almost never seen today and having more liberty means everyone is safe from being subjected to something so heinous.
When I think about freedom and liberty I also think about how any one of us can do something great and be remembered for years to come, whether its manning the helm of significant advancements in technology, or refusing to give up your freedom and liberties and standing up to those who wish to control you like Rosa Parks. It also means not having to fear being prosecuted by your government for what you choose to due in your spare time, no matter who you are. I see liberty as a chance for every person to pursue their dreams. It is also one of the few accommodations we have that is always worth defending.
* Tanner Davis is a 20 year old college student pursuing a degree in business. He has been following politics for quite a while and he is a proud libertarian.
The main BeingLibertarian.com account, used for editorials and guest author submissions. The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions. Contact the Editor at editor@beinglibertarian.email
Like Loading...
More:
The Thing Most Often Forgotten - Being Libertarian
- Is The Washington Post Becoming Libertarian? - inkl - November 20th, 2025 [November 20th, 2025]
- Libertarian Leanings: Homebuyer horror: Attack of the 50-year mortgage! - Havasu News - November 18th, 2025 [November 18th, 2025]
- A Libertarian Goes to Washington to Regulate - Cato Institute - November 14th, 2025 [November 14th, 2025]
- Libertarian embarks on legal stoush, the ABC flogs unpaid internships, and The Age deletes a TikTok featuring - Crikey - November 14th, 2025 [November 14th, 2025]
- Liberty or Death the Life and Struggle of Libertarians in Russia - Libertarian Party - November 7th, 2025 [November 7th, 2025]
- The Irony of Mamdani - Libertarian Party - November 7th, 2025 [November 7th, 2025]
- Libertarian Backs Tucker Carlson In WAR Against The Neocon Right - TYT.com - November 7th, 2025 [November 7th, 2025]
- Individual Liberty In Libertarian And Conservative Philosophy OpEd - Eurasia Review - November 3rd, 2025 [November 3rd, 2025]
- Rep. Dave Min is my new libertarian hero for shutting down the government - Orange County Register - October 31st, 2025 [October 31st, 2025]
- Fantasy Of Clean Policy In Real India: Why The Libertarian Consensus Fails To Materialise - Swarajyamag - October 31st, 2025 [October 31st, 2025]
- Argentina's midterm election hands decisive win to Milei's libertarian overhaul - The Annapurna Express - October 31st, 2025 [October 31st, 2025]
- Argentina's midterm election hands landslide win to Milei's libertarian overhaul - CNBC - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- Argentina's midterm election hands decisive win to Milei's libertarian overhaul - Reuters - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- Libertarian Leanings: Instead of adding a ballroom to the White House, turn it into a museum - Havasu News - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- Argentina's midterm election hands decisive win to Milei's libertarian overhaul - The Straits Times - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- Argentinas midterm election hands decisive win to Mileis libertarian overhaul - sightmagazine.com.au - October 28th, 2025 [October 28th, 2025]
- Argentina heads to the polls in a test for Javier Milei's libertarian agenda - NPR - October 26th, 2025 [October 26th, 2025]
- From The New York Times Opinion Section Trump, with his thirst for money and power, has in one fell swoop both exposed and embraced the corruption at... - October 24th, 2025 [October 24th, 2025]
- A Libertarians Perspective, Transparency and Non-Partisan Control an Oped by Steven Edwards, Libertarian - 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- How the U.S. bailout could bring the end to Argentinas libertarian utopia - CryptoSlate - October 23rd, 2025 [October 23rd, 2025]
- Libertarian Candidates Test America's Growing Discontent With the Two-Party System - Reason Magazine - October 21st, 2025 [October 21st, 2025]
- Javier Milei's libertarian experiment is in jeopardy. Argentina's midterm elections will determine its fate. - Reason Magazine - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- I listened to over 7 hours of Peter Thiel's leaked Antichrist lectures. They're surprisingly libertarian. - Reason Magazine - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Libertarian throws hat into the ring for Senator Ernsts seat - SiouxlandProud - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Libertarian throws hat into the ring for Senator Ernsts seat - Yahoo - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Argentinas libertarian President pays tribute to victims of Hamas Oct. 7 attack during a campaign-style event - Yahoo - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Rosser running for Libertarian Party in byelection - Northumberland Free Press - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Argentine lawmakers have overturned two vetoes by President Javier Milei, in a setback for the libertarian leader ahead of key legislative elections.... - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Wyoming Libertarian Party Says School Choice Doesn't Have To Be 'MAGA' - Cowboy State Daily - October 2nd, 2025 [October 2nd, 2025]
- This libertarian manifesto, loved by Peter Thiel, urges a cognitive elite to see selfishness as a virtue - The Conversation - September 30th, 2025 [September 30th, 2025]
- Laughing at a libertarian crypto dragon? That rules: Brennan Lee Mulligan on how Dungeons & Dragons took over the world | Role playing games - The... - September 30th, 2025 [September 30th, 2025]
- Trump Admin Responds to Mileis Failed Libertarian Policies With a US Taxpayer Bailout for Argentina - Common Dreams - September 25th, 2025 [September 25th, 2025]
- Civil libertarian voices concern over proposed use of police drones to catch Wagga criminals - Region Riverina - September 25th, 2025 [September 25th, 2025]
- Trumps new CDC chief: A Washington health insider with libertarian streak - The Indian Express - September 5th, 2025 [September 5th, 2025]
- Trumps new CDC chief: A Washington health insider with a libertarian streak - AP News - September 1st, 2025 [September 1st, 2025]
- Mileis libertarian dream and the risks of Karinas greed - Buenos Aires Times - September 1st, 2025 [September 1st, 2025]
- Three Michigan Libertarians Running for Local Positions in November - Libertarian Party of Michigan - September 1st, 2025 [September 1st, 2025]
- Trump's new CDC chief: A Washington health insider with a libertarian streak - yahoo.com - August 29th, 2025 [August 29th, 2025]
- Libertarian FCC Commissioner Was Believed to Be Uncomfortable with Paramount Deal: Exclusive - Yahoo Finance - August 7th, 2025 [August 7th, 2025]
- Libertarian FCC Commissioner Was Believed to Be Uncomfortable with Paramount Deal: Exclusive - yahoo.com - August 6th, 2025 [August 6th, 2025]
- Friday essay: libertarian tech titan Peter Thiel helped make JD Vance. The Republican kingmakers influence is growing - The Conversation - August 1st, 2025 [August 1st, 2025]
- Libertarian Party of Michigan Convention 2025: Smooth Leadership Transition Highlights Record Turnout - Libertarian Party of Michigan - July 28th, 2025 [July 28th, 2025]
- Presentation: A Libertarian Analysis of Law - Minding The Campus - July 27th, 2025 [July 27th, 2025]
- Peter Thiel, the libertarian billionaire waging war on government - Le Monde.fr - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Letter to the Editor: Former Libertarian Chair urges representatives to remember their oath - Brown County Democrat - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Musk Invited to Join the U.S. Libertarian Party - Binance - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Former Libertarian Party chair speaks on One Big, Beautiful Bill - Purdue Exponent - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Libertarian Party Invites Elon Musk to Join Them in the Realm of Political Loserdom - Gizmodo - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- No Kings: Why California needs the Libertarian message more than ever - Orange County Register - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Libertarian Party courts Elon Musk amid third-party buzz: Join us, dont reinvent the wheel - Latest news from Azerbaijan - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Thomas Massie: The Maverick Congressman Shaping Libertarian Investing Ideas - Vocal - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Libertarian Party pitches Musk an alternative to creating new party: Join forces - Washington Examiner - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Elon Musk Receives Invitation To Join Libertarian Party: 'Making A New Third Party Would Be A Mistake' - Benzinga - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- None is Worse Than Less: Libertarian Monetarism, Ample Reserves, and the Crypto Mirage - International Policy Digest - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Chip Roy Goes Nuclear on Libertarian Witness Advocating For Due Process: Killing Americans! - Mediaite - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- Review: What the Hell Is a 'Libertarian Authoritarian'? - Reason Magazine - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Conservative and Libertarian Public Interest Group Letter Opposing "Big Beautiful Bill" Provision that Undermines Access to Justice - Reason... - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- The paradise island where millionaires go to avoid death (and taxes): Isle for the libertarian super-rich attracts many more like Bryan Johnson - the... - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- 'I'm More Libertarian Than You!' Rand Paul Opens Up About His Conversations With Trump, Iran War - The Daily Signal - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Heres Why ELON MUSK Should JOIN The Libertarian Party! Robby Soave | RISING - The Hill - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Should Elon Musk Take Over The Libertarian Party? A Former Chairman Of The Party Says Yes OpEd - Eurasia Review - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Chapter 6: Friedrich Hayek - the archetypal libertarian - Great Economists, The [Book] - O'Reilly Media - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- LNC Chair Response to Trump "Over-criminalization of Federal Regulations" EO - Libertarian Party - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Feminist reformer Beatrice Faust was a sexual libertarian who did her homework, kept her cool and criticised wimp feminism - The Conversation - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- The Worst Parts of Trump's First 100 Days Involved Ignoring Libertarian Principles - Reason Magazine - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Libertarian candidate's vote getting in 2023 didn't revive the party in Vanderburgh County - Courier & Press - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Chile Has Its Own Milei, and the Libertarian Is Just as Radical - Bloomberg.com - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- 'Bizarre in many ways': Libertarian reveals whats behind far rights 'war on empathy' - AlterNet - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Goodbye, zoning? Arkansas could be the guinea pig for a libertarian plan to kneecap city government - Arkansas Times - March 25th, 2025 [March 25th, 2025]
- Milei's small libertarian party is in a minority in Congress but has formed ad hoc alliances to push through its cost-cutting agenda - Islander... - March 25th, 2025 [March 25th, 2025]
- Will Congress Ever Take The Libertarian Win And Embrace Automatic Shutdown? - Forbes - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- State of the Union Response - Libertarian Party - March 11th, 2025 [March 11th, 2025]
- Libertarian Party of Georgia Hosts Annual Convention This Weekend - The Citizen.com - March 5th, 2025 [March 5th, 2025]
- Taibbi: Surprising And Wonderful To See Libertarian Consensus Forming In Washington On Free Speech - RealClearPolitics - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- What Is the American Libertarian Movement? - Cato Institute - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Libertarian reacts to DOGE cuts and discusses how to reduce the size of government - WXXI News - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- A Libertarian Island Dream in Honduras Is Now an $11 Billion Nightmare - Bloomberg - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- DeepSeek: a wound to the ideological pride of Trump and Musk's libertarian doctrine - AgendaPublica - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
- Ross Ulbricht: The Greatest Victory of the Libertarian Movement - The American Conservative - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]
- Angela McArdle: What Role Did the Libertarian Party Play in Freeing Ross Ulbricht? - Reason - January 26th, 2025 [January 26th, 2025]