The past year has proven me wise to many people that were skeptical of my claims. Whether it's beating around the bush of closing Guantanamo, continuing the Bush Administration's disastrous economic policies to prevent a necessary correction (AKA a recession), or escalating the war in Afghanistan. Let's not forget the continued escalation of the debt ceiling- something now approaching $13 trillion. Look at that cool live feed with the changing numbers! It's fun!
...until you realize that your and your peers' future is what's being hanged.
Anyway, I'm not here to talk about this. I think I've said enough. Being proven right to my skeptics was predictable. I'm here to talk about myself.
2009, while discouraging politically (though what year isn't when you have a juggernaut state?), was for myself personally, a very productive and fulfilling year. It was a year in which my personal development, identity, and worldview reached new heights. My confidence in my sense of self is at a new plateau. Maybe it's kinda lame, but as I sit here, looking out my window at the snowstorm over New York, I write my accomplishments this year below:
1. It was the first full year of me being a bona fide anti-statist. I stopped believing in the state in late 2008 after Obama's election, but truly got on board with the ideology once 2009 began. Needless to say, it's a truly liberating worldview.
2. I finished acts one and two of my book. I probably should have finished the third as well, but writers have periods of highs and lows. That's what happened and I'm satisfied with the work so far. I think this book will truly be an epic that speaks to people if I can get it done the way I want to.
3. My YouTube channel has expanded rapidly. I only made videos sparingly throughout 2007-8. In 2009, I made them pretty regularly (with binges and gaps of course). I made my voice a regular in the libertarian/anti-state side of thinking on the tubez. As of this moment I have 414 subscribers, and am confident that I'll reach the 500 mark by the end of January. That's several hundred people at least somewhat interested in what I have to say. Imagine addressing those people in some kind of public assembly hall, and you can appreciate how the spread of information is becoming more and more decentralized- enabling anyone to reach a good audience.
4. As a result of making the videos, my speech has improved dramatically.
5. Through networking with the anti-state community, I met some real cool folks: http://www.youtube.com/user/fringeelements, http://www.youtube.com/user/InTheEndIWasRight, http://www.youtube.com/user/junior00bacon00chee, http://www.youtube.com/user/nonantianarchist, http://www.youtube.com/user/tumbleweedjoe, http://www.youtube.com/user/IndividualAutonomy, http://www.youtube.com/user/opheliaic, http://www.youtube.com/user/EndDepravity, http://www.youtube.com/user/spawktalk, http://www.youtube.com/user/blackacidlizzard, http://www.youtube.com/user/graaaaaagh, http://www.youtube.com/user/spinnernet1.
These are excellent channels to check out and cool people to talk to to boot. Of course the passerby may wish to join a hub we use to congregate, Fringe Elements.
6. My ability in logical argumentation improved dramatically over the summer. Say something stupid to me now and I will immediately be able to call you on it, and tell you where your reasoning went wrong.
7. Consequently, at around the same time, I realized that objective morality was nonsensical. I became an ethical nihilist. All moral codes are based on subjective preferences.
8. Ditto on free will. It does not exist, all actions are causal in some way. This is not to say that humans cannot make rational choices among alternatives in what way best suits them, but none of these choices are outside the realm of a causal agent. I had a bit of difficulty giving this up, but once I recognized the facts I realized I didn't.
9. In line with these realizations, I discovered egoism. Big thanks to David Gauthier and Morals By Agreement for putting it into words for me.
10. I learned an immense amount about economics this year, far more than I'd known previously. Big thanks to Ryan Faulk (confederalsocialist/fringeelements), the Mises Institute, Peter Schiff, and others. I'm even considering a career in the Financial District now (maybe I'll get my own bailout!) as a securities attorney (bit of an irony, being an anti-statist isn't it?). But hey, I can defend firms against stupid regulations by the state, can't I?
Overall, it was an excellent year for those reasons, and I'm looking to continue to take myself higher in 2010. It might be cliche, but I've got a couple of resolutions for the new year and decade (though technically the latter doesn't start until 2011, I'm such a party pooper):
1. Finish my book.
2. Get out more than I do now and meet new people.
Small simple steps to each, of course.
That's about it. I want to continue my process of self-liberation that expanded rapidly in 2009, and those two resolutions will help me along in that life goal. Now, let's go watch Nirvana break shit! Imagine the shit they're breaking are the barriers in your life. Just smash them, and have fun while doing so!
Have a great 2010! Be back soon.
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