Attribute to L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise

No matter how often they fail, the Socialists keep coming back, telling us that this time it’ll be different. This time we’ll get it right, if only the capitalists will not stop the train of progress. This time all of the hard learned lessons will be taken into account, and a new golden age will finally, at long last, be upon us. This time, this time…

To paraphrase Niven, reality trumps theory every time. And though he was talking about speeds in Einstein space, the idea is solid nevertheless, and easily transferable to everyday life. In this case: the theory of Socialism, with its plentiful bounty and a good life to be had by all, is swept away by the harsh realities of the twentieth century, which left millions dead and countless others so beaten down and subject to dictatorial whim as to be essentially little more than wandering skin bags.

Through the actions of those in charge, and the inaction of those who didn’t want to rock the Big Red Boat, we’ve made a generation of permanent cripples and parasites, who see work and individual achievement as synonymous with evil. Folks who are so latched onto the government teat that to ever set off under their own steam is so terrifying an idea that should they be faced with it they’d shrivel up and die. This safety net society is killing us, and leading not down a road to a brighter tomorrow, but is rather backtracking into a yesterday that is already overflowing in blood.

There’s no teaching some folks. They can look at each and every stumble and fall and say, “Not me. I’ll never make that kind of mistake. I’ll get it right the first time, gee, aren’t I just the best?”

Then there’s us other folks. The ones who know better. The ones with a sense of history, who see the bloodbaths behind us and before us and know that nothing good can every come from this because the starting premise is flawed. Theft is theft, no matter how you polish it up. To punish some for achieving while rewarding others for lowering the status quo does nothing but give the achievers no incentive to achieve and the parasites no will to better themselves. In short: Socialism is EVIL.

Though I can still look at the future with hope—I am a science fiction reader after all, and at its best that’s the genre of optimism—there are days when I want to beg folks to shut it all down. Let me be clear: I am in no way promoting suicide or property damage or anything of the sort. I have a moral opposition to the taking of one’s own life, and to destroy private property is something altogether sickening to me, and is nothing short of an assault on the person of that property’s owner. No, I’m asking if it’s isn’t time for the achievers to say to hell with it and walk off. Take what they’ve earned and let society drop down into the dark age that Socialist Democrats are begging for.

But, I digress.

I’ve started this last paragraph a couple times now, and keep getting sidetracked by meandering thoughts. Should mention Rand, I wonder, her work being heavily in my mind of late? Do I bring it around to the Democrats and their increasing insanity? Do I mention the fella who tried to make me feel like an idiot for saying how happy it makes me feel to see one of these monsters fall flat on their faces? No. What I’ll do, what I find myself doing more often anymore (comes from being a dad, I guess), is to offer some advice. Keep rocking the boat. Don’t knuckle under, no matter the pressure. Don’t give up. Give the ones that come after us something worth inheriting, not a forever war to keep those freedoms given to us by God. In short: be heroes.