On exploiting liberalism

Devon Eriksen on X

"Classical liberal societies are hackable because they tend to set higher and higher values on human life and safety over time.

Eventually, society reaches a state where the worst non-violent thing is held to be less bad than the mildest sort of violence necessary to stop that that thing.

It then becomes effectively illegal to stop anyone from doing that thing.

In this state, a grifter can victimize people in any way he chooses  so long as it:

1. Doesn't use violence.
2. Can only be stopped by violence.

Shoplifters can stop employing stealth altogether and simply loot stores, knowing that they cannot be caught or punish, because store owners will be punished more severely for dishing out a beating, or simply restraining them for the police, than the punishment for theft.

Youtube "pranksters" can harass and threaten innocent people, knowing that standing six inches from someone and screaming in their face, or yelling to bystanders that some innocent person is a child rapist, will be punished less severely, if at all, than the beatdown/pepper spraying that this behavior invites.

Self-styled protestors can block the arteries of civilization, knowing that driving a car over them, which is the only response available to drivers, will be punished as murder, while they themselves would be unlucky to be charged with an infraction.

 These are all people who have learned to hack classical liberalism, and I'm sure you can think of more examples.

So what is to be done?

First, the inhabitants of classical liberal society must realize that property is freedom.

If we cannot protect that which we build and invest in, that means we are not free, because our choices, our self-determination, and even little pieces of our lives, are being taken away from us by those who can deprive us of our property at will.

This means that we must mentally free ourselves from the attitude that violence is unacceptable. Instead, when confronted with a property crime, or an assault on our dignity or liberty, we must normalize the use of the minimum amount of force that will reliably and safely stop it.

Note that I say "normalize", not "legalize".

Legalizing is an act of the government, and in states where the government is willing to do this, this sort of thing isn't a widespread problem. No one is blocking roads in Tennessee, Idaho, or Montana, because they know the consequences would be swift and unpleasant.

In California, Chicago, Oregon, western Washington, and so on, the state will not put a stop to these things, because it wants them to happen.

So those of you who are forced to live in those states, and are unable to leave, must normalize beatdowns.

Yes, your state and local governments will want to punish you for playing rough with their beloved criminal underclass, and their precious insane hobos and bums.

But you must realize what the criminals and bums realized long ago... the police and the state are not ubiquitous, and their power to catch and punish you is much more limited than you think.

Yes, they will go after you much harder than they go after thugs, bums, and commies, because thugs, bums, and commies are their constituents and you are not.

But that's what "normalize" means. It means make normal. You all have to start doing it, or at least a lot of you. Because one or two people can be made an example of, but normal behavior cannot.

How long would this continue if every group of roadblocking communist agitators were beaten by a mob of angry motorists who carry a pair of thick socks and a set of Chinese mediation balls, or a bar of soap, in their cars?

You have to take your states back. Your governments will not do it for you. This whole thing was their idea. You have to realize they are the enemy, stop petitioning them to protect you, and start protecting yourselves."