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VAMatt on 25 June 2018
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HylianSwordsman said:
VAMatt said:

It seems to me that you have blinders on.  You're talking about the 1984-like states and how bad they are (and, you're right).  Then you call for an organization of those same states to reign themselves in.  If you truly think that's a reasonable system, with a realistic chance to be a net-positive for humanity, I'd like to have some of the shit you're smoking.  

I chose not to directly address the rest of your comment.  I read it all, but really, it all comes down to the apparent fact that you believe more government is the solution to government-created problems.  If you truly believe the stuff you're saying, then I don't know what to say to you other than this: History has proven you wrong over and over and over again.

I have no blinders. You do. You refuse to address the parts of my comment that address your blinders. You seem to be unable to conceive of global collective action being democratic. You seem to be unable to comprehend that there is more than one form of power, besides government, that can restrict your liberty. I even offered you the hypothetical possibility of a future institution built democratically from the ground up using technology rather than laws, but that's either beyond your imagination or you really are against collective action. And you seem to not get that destroying government from the bottom up won't work, because without a sufficiently powerful institution or series of institutions, government or otherwise, you cannot defeat a 1984 state. Your plan is to have no plan and let someone else worry about it because you don't think it will ever affect you.

I don't know what to say, man.  As near as I can tell, you're just hearing what you want to hear.  I said unequivocally that I am cool with collective action.   I said that I want the US out of the UN, and you say that I'm talking about destroying government from the bottom up (which, in fairness, I do support).  My "plan" (which I am not obligated to have before I express an opinion on something), is to get dissolve the UN, have the USA lead by example, and to support efforts to shrink government anytime, anywhere.  I do not have a plan to topple any dictators, just the same as you don't (at least, not that you have shared).  

As for your hypothetical future institution, I guess I missed the comment.  But, my position is almost certainly this - I support anything voluntary.  So, to the extent that individuals, or collectives of individuals (to which they are members solely by choice), are free to do anything (literally anything) they want, so long as it doesn't impede anyone else's right to do the same.  So, if this institution of your fits these criteria, I'm good with it.  I'm good with it even if it works counter to my interests, my desires, or whatever.  So long as it is completely voluntary, I'm cool with it.  

I'm not cool with the UN, NATO, or other organizations like that because they are not voluntary.