Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Charity, not theft and slavery

It's hard to imagine, but I've read that back during the barbaric era of government, people in need actually relied on government to steal money to pay for the things they needed, or to force people to provide those things at their own expense against their will! Food, housing, and medical care were considered to be legitimate reasons to steal and enslave!

I can't even wrap my head around something so awful!

I suppose when the people have so much of their money stolen in order to support governments, it makes sense that they'd be too broke to be able to afford such basic things, or to be able to support charities to help others. And, if the people already put up with the theft and aggression inherent in government, it's not much of a stretch to push it to the limit.

I can barely imagine the dependency that "system" created in its victims.

The price in self respect and dignity must have been enormous, not to mention the feeling of being at the mercy of bureaucrats and their whims. Who would have wanted to subject needy people to that?

Fortunately, now everything is so much more affordable without governments meddling and stealing, and people have plenty of money to contribute to charities. It's better all around.

It's natural that I want my neighbors to be healthy. Who wants to be surrounded by sickness and injured people who can't get the care they need? Or people so hungry they can't function, and who think about stealing to feed their kids? I guess this means charity is selfish, in a way. It's still better than the alternative.

Whatever the reason, I'm willing to help support the charity fund at my favorite healer's practice. In the same way, I help support food banks and I give away produce from my garden to people I suspect might need help. And such is the case with the vast majority of the population. It's the right thing to do, it is civilized, and it is also self defensive in some ways.

And if someone doesn't feel they can afford to help, or just doesn't want to for some reason, that's their business, not mine. At least if they keep their own money they are less likely to seek charity for their basic needs. It's a win-win, as are all expressions of the economic means.

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Friday, June 23, 2017

Security services

There is obviously no such thing as a "police force" in Libertopia. We learned our lesson from those last few chaotic years before the collapse of the State. It's a mistake, and body count, we won't repeat!

What we do have, almost everywhere, are security services. What would have been called "private security" back during the government era. Now, since everything is "private", the distinction is meaningless.

Of course, there are many variations in security providing services-- just about any variation you can imagine.

The services they provide vary. The majority are simply there to help train people in defense. Everyone can benefit from expert advice and tips.

A few will actually take on the job of defending their clients; mainly the very old, the crippled, and those whose personal beliefs make them prefer to pay someone for defense rather than doing the job themselves. However, new defensive tools make even those with physical difficulties perfectly capable of defending themselves, if they care to (and most do).

But, of those who take a more active role, the services offered are fairly standardized. Some will help stop attacks and theft. Some will act as bodyguards. Some as night watchmen, for homes or businesses. Sometimes a customer may request something more out of the ordinary-- which, as long as there is no aggression or property violations requested, the sky is the limit. The price may go up depending on the amount of effort the job entails.

The ways security service employees dress vary-- although, as far as I know, none seek to replicate the look of the police uniforms of old. That would be a way to go out of business in a hurry; the negative memory is still too sharp, even after all these years. If you want to be shunned, appear in public (outside of Halloween or a costume party) dressed as "law enforcement" or other type of government extremist.

Most dress in a way which keeps the tools of the job close and handy. Two or three guns, restraints, video recorders, a communication device (to instantly let the customer know of an incident, and call for help of whatever kind might be necessary). Penetration-resistant clothing is common, although rarely necessary. It is so inexpensive there's really no reason to not use it. Generally, bright colors are chosen for the clothing, to identify a person as security services. On the very rare occasions when stealth is prudent, color-changing clothing is preferred so that the identity of the security provider can be known as soon as possible- as soon as dark clothing is no longer necessary. Identity-concealing masks are never worn-- the good guys don't dress like losers.

To get a job with any of the security provider companies, it is necessary to pass a thorough examination to demonstrate a non-aggressive personality, an understanding of non-aggression/Voluntaryism, and to make sure there is no tendency to try to weasel out of accountability if something goes wrong and force or property violations occur during the performance of the job. The bar for accountability is set very high for a reason-- there is no room in security services for cowards/bullies, trigger-happy liars, or anyone else who is seeking an opportunity to use violence against the innocent. If your security provider violates anyone during the course of his employment, you can be held accountable for hiring an unreliable person, and the cost of restitution can be very high. No one wants to risk it.

Security services are available just about anywhere, but they are never very large companies. Most people don't want to pay for something they can do for themselves so easily. It's a niche market, and a decent job opportunity for those who like to feel useful while doing a rather boring and safe job.

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