Whenever I discuss my ideals with others, especially those who are critical of my beliefs, a point that is brought up fairly often is the idea that if I’m not doing a certain action, specifically an action that has a detailed plan with a specific outcome, that I should not engage in that action or line of thinking. The idea that any action or thought should only be undertaken if it has a detailed plan that has highly specific goals is something I not only believe isn’t necessary in all circumstances, the majority of our lives are lived not undertaking those plans with specific goals. It is a type of strawman to set up a specific set of conditions in order to achieve a certain outcome.
A broad example that has been specifically directed at me, goes something like this: “If you believe so strongly that our government is doing evil things, why not run for office?” I’ll reply that I do not believe that the government as it stands has the legitimacy to undertake the actions that it undertakes, and that running for political office will only further cement the faux-legitimacy that the system I rail against has. The typical reply is more or less “Then why are you complaining about it if you’re not going to do anything about it?” I’ll try to explain how I believe that arguing my beliefs, and doing my best to live my principles, and showing people an alternative way, rather than forcing everyone at gunpoint into the anarchist utopia utilizing the very system I disdain to achieve it, is not “the right way”. However, the other person typically is firmly rooted in the idea that the only way to achieve the goal of “government leave me alone”, is to participate in that very system.
It is difficult to discuss my ideals when this thought process is in play. Instead of considering what I am saying, and discussing the merits (which i believe virtually everyone actually agrees with at a baseline principle), they instead resort to moving the goalposts, in order to maintain their worldview. I believe that the reason anyone would use this line of thinking is because they are not actually interested in changing their minds, and instead just want to “win” by creating a level of expectation that I don’t have to achieve in order to live my principles.
We live our ideals everyday, and we demonstrate our ideals to others by engaging in actions that are in line with our ideals. Societies are not changed typically via top-down orderings and remolding. The most profound changes that causes a shift is society is how everyday people live their lives, and the ideals that drive those people. I believe it is more effective to live my principles, rather than force others through coercion to adapt to my principles. This is especially considering the fact that I do not believe in coercion in order to change people. I firmly believe that if I live my ideals, I will convince more people to take the same path that I am taking.