Liberty is tough

Last night, my wife and I were discussing how tough it is to live freely, and we were somewhat embarassed to realize that it took us a few minutes to figure out how to remind our kids to clean their rooms or the bathroom.

The obvious answer, of course, is that stuff gets in the way and makes you physically sick, and we're thinking that years of government (school) indoctrination and mercantilism have something to do with it.

That is, the teacher and corporation take the place, roughly speaking, of the overseer and slaveowner. We are driven not by the opportunity for gain, but rather by the reality of punishment and manipulation.

Perhaps the best way to achieve liberty, then, is to start thinking like a free man. Calculate the profit of an action as you do it, and share it with others as you do. It won't cut your taxes (at least in the short run), but it might help you to whistle while you work.