What Libertarians Do

[eXcommunicate]

Not convinced people who are hire gardeners are 'middle class', they are definitely people with a lot of money spare

This is absolutely untrue.

As others have said, gardeners (well, they garden less than they mow lawns, blow leaves, and trim the odd branch) are the norm in many middle-class suburban areas.

I have a gardener for my front yard, even if only because it's part of my homeowner's association dues and the company that does it does the whole tract. When I was growing up we always had one, a nice old Japanese man who mowed our grass once a week for about 15 years, and we were far from well-off.

I think this varies greatly by what area of the country you're talking about. Here in Indiana the vast majority of middle-class people mow their own lawns and get on their own hands and knees and work their own gardens. It also depends upon your definition of "middle-class," which is mired in some controversy.

[Warren Dew]

What's wrong with elitism?

There's nothing wrong with elitism. It's subsidizing the elitism that's a problem. Shouldn't elites be rich enough to pay for their own art?

[Gallstones]

Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my
neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog.
During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted
to be when she grows up.
She said she wanted to be President some day.
Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her,
"If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"
She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."
Her parents beamed with pride!
"Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said. "But you don't have to wait until
you're President to do that!" I told her.
"What do you mean?" she replied.
So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn,
pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go
over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you
can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."
She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in
the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do
the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"
I said, "Welcome to Libertarianism"
Her parents aren't speaking to me.

A story for/from simpletons.

No actually, a joke my mother sent me.
Even simpletons like jokes.
Perhaps your not recognizing it as such says more about your intellect than it does about mine.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

Not convinced people who are hire gardeners are 'middle class', they are definitely people with a lot of money spare

It's very common in the U.S.

Yes but as I understand it people in the U.S. don't even pack their own shopping bags in the supermarket.

Lazy buggers.

[Gallstones]

Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my
neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog.
During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted
to be when she grows up.
She said she wanted to be President some day.
Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her,
"If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"
She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."
Her parents beamed with pride!
"Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said. "But you don't have to wait until
you're President to do that!" I told her.
"What do you mean?" she replied.
So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn,
pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go
over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you
can give him $1 so he can eat today."
She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in
the eye and asked, "Fuck off it's my dollar"
I said, "Welcome to Libertarianism"
Her parents aren't speaking to me.

• 

[Bella Fortuna]

Not convinced people who are hire gardeners are 'middle class', they are definitely people with a lot of money spare

It's very common in the U.S.

Yes but as I understand it people in the U.S. don't even pack their own shopping bags in the supermarket.

Lazy buggers.

Actually that's funny because until I started going over there regularly and frequenting supermarkets I'd no idea that there was a difference there.

And it's not laziness, as you can go through the 'self-checkout' and do that if you're dying to pack your own bags. It provides employment. Some markets still have the old-fashioned traditional approach of hiring high-school kids to bag, which is great because there aren't that many jobs teenagers can get anymore.

[Bella Fortuna]

Not convinced people who are hire gardeners are 'middle class', they are definitely people with a lot of money spare

This is absolutely untrue.

As others have said, gardeners (well, they garden less than they mow lawns, blow leaves, and trim the odd branch) are the norm in many middle-class suburban areas.

I have a gardener for my front yard, even if only because it's part of my homeowner's association dues and the company that does it does the whole tract. When I was growing up we always had one, a nice old Japanese man who mowed our grass once a week for about 15 years, and we were far from well-off.

I think this varies greatly by what area of the country you're talking about. Here in Indiana the vast majority of middle-class people mow their own lawns and get on their own hands and knees and work their own gardens. It also depends upon your definition of "middle-class," which is mired in some controversy.

True 'nuff - I'm speaking of course from my personal experiences living in various places in California.

[Drewish]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

[MrJonno]

Yeah because the worship of 'freedom' is the only thing that matters for personal happiness.

Libertarianism is replacing one moral absolute like a non-existant god with the worship of another 'freedom'

[Rum]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

I think you maybe need to revisit the definition.

[Bella Fortuna]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

No no no.... you're thinking of LIBRARIANS.

[MrJonno]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

No no no.... you're thinking of LIBRARIANS.

I like librarians through a bit obsolete these days, public sector workers dedicated to the education of the people, guardians and protectors of knowledge

[Drewish]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

No no no.... you're thinking of LIBRARIANS.

Oh you liberals, protecting the medium (books) as if it were the value (knowledge). Wikipedia and google made libraries a relic of the past. All the knowledge of hundreds of generations are at our fingertips, and not a taxpayer dollar is needed.

[Bella Fortuna]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

No no no.... you're thinking of LIBRARIANS.

Oh you liberals, protecting the medium (books) as if it were the value (knowledge). Wikipedia and google made libraries a relic of the past. All the knowledge of hundreds of generations are at our fingertips, and not a taxpayer dollar is needed.

Not for those of us who get headaches from looking at screens for too long! The printed page is easier on the eyes. Well, mine at least.

[Seabass]

Why be a libertarian? Because it's fucking manly to rely on yourself. Because it's damn enlightening to think for yourself instead of regurgitating some bronze age religion or that bullshit propaganda they teach you in school. Because it's the shit to own guns, smoke and drink what you like, and have sex without guilt. Because it's smart to go to school to learn a trade and get a decent job, instead of doing some easily replaceable service or manufacturing job or becoming an over educated schmuck who thinks that their liberal arts degree actually taught them anything useful. Be a libertarian because it's fucking awesome and because the truth and being honest with yourself is more important and more powerful than any guilt or fear based dogma that society tries to impose on you. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for yourself. Be a fucking awesome libertarian!

No no no.... you're thinking of LIBRARIANS.

Oh you liberals, protecting the medium (books) as if it were the value (knowledge). Wikipedia and google made libraries a relic of the past. All the knowledge of hundreds of generations are at our fingertips, and not a taxpayer dollar is needed.

Not for those of us who get headaches from looking at screens for too long! The printed page is easier on the eyes. Well, mine at least.

Yep. There's no way I could knock out a 1000+ page book on a monitor or kindle. My eyeballs would explode. Moreover, it's generally a bad idea to take electronic devices into the bathroom.