This piece identifies the psychological distribution that explains the near‑universality of hierarchical government: most adults prefer external authority, not autonomy. That insight is essential for any theory of liberty or institutional design.
Those who prefer external governance in the form of "guiderails" tend to also engage in more abstract activities. Sports (as a participant or spectator), artistic activity, and enhancing their sense of asthetics.
By "following the rules"; it frees up thought capacity to focus on pleasurable abstractions.
That’s an interesting point! I guess all that responsibility they’re foregoing means less decision fatigue. Though I think for a lot of people that free time and thought capacity also just goes into Netflix and doom scrolling on social media.
Excellent overview but in part respectfully disagree. The critical theory concept of mass unconsciously adopted societal norms as a deference to/sign of authoritarianism is in the process of being discredited and dismantled, and rightly so. We are not sheep and even if we were sheep, sheep are much more socially complex than we know. Or perhaps we should be demonstrating in the street, "Free the sheep!" 😂
I agree we're not sheep - and even the people who fear freedom and responsibility aren't really sheep, they just didn't achieve true independence of mind as adults. They are, in a way, children in adult bodies.
The point I'm trying to make is that we in the liberty movement can all too often project our own need for freedom onto others and then butt our heads against a wall when they don't seem to want what's so evidently a basic need for us.
I don't think this is necessarily inherent to humanity, I think this is largely the way many people are raised. The rest of the series will discuss that and solutions - but the solutions will be multi-generational. You're not going to be able to "convince" someone who doesn't want to be free that free markets are better, more efficient, more moral, etc. It's like trying to explain a rainbow to a color-blind person.
This piece identifies the psychological distribution that explains the near‑universality of hierarchical government: most adults prefer external authority, not autonomy. That insight is essential for any theory of liberty or institutional design.
Those who prefer external governance in the form of "guiderails" tend to also engage in more abstract activities. Sports (as a participant or spectator), artistic activity, and enhancing their sense of asthetics.
By "following the rules"; it frees up thought capacity to focus on pleasurable abstractions.
That’s an interesting point! I guess all that responsibility they’re foregoing means less decision fatigue. Though I think for a lot of people that free time and thought capacity also just goes into Netflix and doom scrolling on social media.
For some, doomscrolling and Netflix are worthwhile and enriching activities.
Excellent overview but in part respectfully disagree. The critical theory concept of mass unconsciously adopted societal norms as a deference to/sign of authoritarianism is in the process of being discredited and dismantled, and rightly so. We are not sheep and even if we were sheep, sheep are much more socially complex than we know. Or perhaps we should be demonstrating in the street, "Free the sheep!" 😂
I agree we're not sheep - and even the people who fear freedom and responsibility aren't really sheep, they just didn't achieve true independence of mind as adults. They are, in a way, children in adult bodies.
The point I'm trying to make is that we in the liberty movement can all too often project our own need for freedom onto others and then butt our heads against a wall when they don't seem to want what's so evidently a basic need for us.
I don't think this is necessarily inherent to humanity, I think this is largely the way many people are raised. The rest of the series will discuss that and solutions - but the solutions will be multi-generational. You're not going to be able to "convince" someone who doesn't want to be free that free markets are better, more efficient, more moral, etc. It's like trying to explain a rainbow to a color-blind person.