My response to a libertarian-leaning conservative

The way I apply my belief in anarchy is by trying to live by the principles in my own life. Since I’m living by the principle of non-aggression, it would be entirely hypocritical for me to use any violent or coercive means to achieve my ends. Hence why I’m not voting, because voting (even if there was some hope in it reducing the size of government) is rooted in the violent idea that a majority of people have the right to make decisions for the minority and pluralities. I assume that this sounds like a really radical, impractical way to view democracy, but I have gotten in touch with the moral principles and that is where my concern is. Also, there are books by free-market thinkers who propose how we could operate without government programs and with everyone having complete freedom. It may not be something I see actualized in my lifetime, but free-market anarchy is not intended to be utopian anyway. I see it like this: when someone realizes an institution is wrong (i.e. racism), a small minority begins to actively work against it. It often takes years and years for these seemingly “radical” ideas to take hold. For example, John Locke and John Stuart Mill, without whose philosophical works we would still be British, never got to see the American Revolution. That does not make their contribution any less valuable. In fact, I see it as even more honorable to stand up for an idea that does not involve any kind of instant gratification.

Today is the one-year anniversary of the day I became a libertarian.

This has been the most intellectually and morally productive year of my life. This anniversary marks an important logical stepping stone on the path of total rejection of the state. 

Saying that America is the greatest country in the world is like saying that diapers are the best-smelling things that smell like shit.