An Open Message to Monadnock Students

March 27, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 73 Comments
Filed under: Announcement, Copblock, Living Free, Outreach, Personal Freedom, Response, Video, Your Evolution

Hey Monadnock students (& others) – I hope to see you at the Keene Starbucks at noon this Saturday, March 31st!

Peaceful Devolution

March 21, 2012 by Skeptikos · 86 Comments
Filed under: Announcement, Essay, Your Evolution

Ian Freeman is embarrassing.

It’s a view you ~~rarely~~ never see on this blog, but it’s a view held by myself and a serious portion of liberty activists in the Keene area. (Not to mention the overwhelming majority of Keene residents.) Lately it’s been the senseless pestering of city bureaucrats, the quixotic school outreach, and his involvement in the war on grandmas. Yes, he does other things which are more legitimate and professional, but, for as long as I’ve been in New Hampshire, it seems that Ian has always been vocally supporting activism that’s jarringly wrong-headed.

I joined this blog in 2010 in order to openly criticize certain activist tactics that struck me as counterproductive. At the time, I was worried that the suppression of criticism was creating an atmosphere of groupthink– a situation where the systematic lack of criticism leads groups to make wildly irrational decisions. Since then, I’ve changed some hearts and minds with regards to criticism, and caused people to look twice at things they’ve taken for granted. This has been very satisfying.

But, where it really matters, I have failed. Read more

On Civil Disobedience: A Conversation from Liberty Forum 2012

March 13, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 1 Comment
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Copblock, Court, Free State Project, Free Talk Live, Issues, Living Free, National, New Hampshire, Noncooperation, Outreach, Personal Freedom, Police, Question, Video, Your Evolution

The edited video of the civil disobedience panel held at the 2012 Liberty Forum, in which me, Ian Freeman & Jason Talley converse with those present about ideas, strategy and impact. It was recorded on Friday, Feb. 24th, 2012 at the Nashua, NH Crown Plaza.

Do you have thoughts on the content discussed? Points where you agree or disagree? Things that need clarification? How would you have answered some of those questions?

RAW Video of CivDis Panel at Liberty Forum 2012

March 10, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 16 Comments
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Copblock, Free State Project, Free Talk Live, Introduction, Living Free, Noncooperation, Outreach, Personal Freedom, Police, Politics, Rant, Video, Your Evolution

The raw video of the Civil Disobedience Panel – a session held at the 2012 Liberty Forum, in which Jason Talley, Ian Freeman and I converse with those present about ideas, strategy and impact.

Bearcat Opposition Spreads on Twitter

February 23, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 17 Comments
Filed under: Living Free, Noncooperation, Police, Your Evolution

“We must be the change we want to see in the world”

The quote is often attributed to Mohandas Gandhi, though like another researcher, I have yet to track-down when that phrase was first written or spoken. Still, no matter who first stated it, the phrase makes sense, right? Rather than sitting by idly and complaining the surest way to bring-about the world you want to live in is to be proactive and create.

Yesterday Luke Rudkowski, one of the founders of a grassroots organization that took its name from the quote (WeAreChange.org) told his 7,000+ Twitter followers “thanks but no tank!”

The link took Twitter followers to this video: Thanks But No Tanks – Keene Residents Speak Up

What Defines Good? (Philosophy)

February 21, 2012 by Kelly · 46 Comments
Filed under: Essay, Your Evolution

What is it that defines good? According to Webster’s dictionary, it is defined as “being positive or desirable in nature “. Is good then a subjective value to be determined by each individual according to what they find desirable? If that were the case it would mean that there is no such thing as good or evil, that man’s life has no meaning, that there is no existence outside of consciousness; that the world is nothing but an accidental playground of pure, unbridled nihilism and that we are the devil’s children with empty, cackling, infinite nothingness as our total sanction and final purpose. While looking to any form of mainstream media at various interludes might depict this to be the case, rationality tells us quite differently; and although my overall faith in the human race is sometimes lacking I highly doubt that such a concept accounts for the inner beliefs of anyone but a psychopath. Read more

ATTN COLLEGE STUDENTS!

February 15, 2012 by Pete Eyre · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Economic Freedom, Govt. Schools, International, National, Personal Freedom, Politics, Your Evolution

Let him who would move the world, first move himself.
-Socrates

So you’re in college, huh? Why is that – to learn? To grow as an individual? To help make your world, and thus the world, better? Why stop once the spring semester ends? Invest in yourself – you’re worth it! Apply for and attend a free week-long summer seminar hosted through the Institute for Humane Studies.

Philosophical Foundations: First Principles

February 14, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 1 Comment
Filed under: Living Free, Personal Freedom, Politics, Your Evolution

Have a few minutes? Pretty sure of your views? Challenge yourself!

Here’s a taste of what you’re in for, compliments of Justin Longo: “To evaluate policies, you must have a framework or lens you use to determine what is good and bad policy. This is entirely foreign to most people.”

I’m a big advocate of thinking critically, of striking-the-root, and of consistency in views. Justin does a superb job making his case while doing all three.

I want to give you the tools to build a foundation that will guide you to a consistent philosophy. I don’t necessarily want you to agree with everything I’m about to say, but rather, to use the guidelines of establishing first principles to form your ideals. I believe it is extremely important to constantly “check your premises.” First principles are those premises.

“First principle” defined: foundational principle. Cannot be deduced from any other proposition – in other words, an irreducible principle. Sometimes called “axioms.” First principles have no assumptions built into them.

Inspiring Activism

February 11, 2012 by Kelly · 5 Comments
Filed under: Don't Strip Our Rights, Outreach, Personal Freedom, Your Evolution

Things like this make it all worth it to me. A note I received from Melody Kazmarik in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania….

Kelly! My 13 yo daughter and I love your work. You are a much better role model than Lady Gaga. Read more

What Good Things Does Your Government Do?

February 3, 2012 by Pete Eyre · 33 Comments
Filed under: Your Evolution

What good things does your government do? Seriously. Ask yourself that question.

Are there some things now done by government employees that you’d rather not pay for (war)? Are there some things done by government employees that you’d still want done but recognize the current inefficiency (roads) and poor customer service (police)?

Surely those goods/services could be provided more-efficiently and more morally absent a monopoly.

Here’s a short ditty written by John Harvey. It’s catchy, smart and pretty spot-on: