RE: Freedom Sucks, but it Still Matters: What Annoys Me About Libertarians, but I Still Remain One
"Everybody is responsible for themselves."
Yeah, I totally get your frustration with the paradox you refer to here. For the most part, I'm a gut-reaction libertarian. When I'm first presented with an idea or ideal, individual responsibility makes the most sense when the act does not use force to harm another. That is, until that policy doesn't seem to work.
Crazy high-interest payday loans are a good example of that. Sure, everyone has a choice to get the loan. No one is putting a gun to their heads. But if people are choosing to use these loans, they are clearly in such dire straits - either financially or mentally - that this choice appears attractive to them. Standing back from the situation, we can see that constantly getting these loans only digs them a deeper and deeper financial hole. Their losses will affect their families, and those compounding losses will affect society at large. Or at least - that argument can be made.
And therefore what first appeared to be a deal between an individual and a private company, has now become a deal that can do harm to society as a whole. Or said another way, a deal that harms other third-party individuals. So now it is rational to look at it from a less "libertarian" perspective.
And even if that argument ends up failing in a debate, that's fine. But I agree with you - it's ridiculous that people in either ideological camp can't have a non-religious discussion about it.
Great! I love reading stuff like this from fellow libertarians. I guess, for me, it boils down to a level of douchiness when it comes to taking advantage of people with such weaknesses. Libertarian or not, I don't think being a douche is something that should be celebrated.
I think it's something that culture should handle. That's a whole can of worm of its own, though. But culture can have power beyond the "boot of the state", in my opinion.
But a culture of "anything goes" is just not something I can get behind, personally. It's a difficult matter, for sure.