You Cannot Do That and Be Free—The Military

There are some things an Independent Individualist cannot do if he truly chooses to be free. This will be the first of several planned Daily Freedom articles discussing things one cannot do and be free.

Because an independent individualist is neither omniscient or infallible, we sometimes make choices that end up entangling our lives in ways that make freedom seem impossible. Part of the reason for these articles will be to demonstrate ways one can extricate themselves from self-imposed freedom- robbing situations.

Joining the Military

Even when being as reasonable and objective as we can be, we sometimes make what turn out to be rash or mistaken choices, and it is important to understand what leads to such mistakes so we do not make them again.

Why someone who loves freedom would join any branch of the military services might seem bewildering to those who understand there is nothing more regimentated and controlling than the military. The military is literally a totalitarian dictatorship, regulating every aspect of one’s life.

There are at least three reasons why someone, even an independent individualist might join the armed service, all mistakes of course: 1. being mistaken about freedom, 2. not understanding a basic principle, and 3. American patriotism.

Not What Freedom Is

Even though one may be an independent individualist at heart, when young and inexperienced, the independent spirit is attracted to anything that seems like freedom. When not examined too closely, the military can actually look like an opportunity toward freedom, because many of the day-to-day problems that take up so much of an individual’s time and effort are instantly solved—food, clothing, shelter, income in exchange for a few hours of “duty” every day, and the rest of the time is their’s to do whatever they like. Even the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and learn are seen as advantages. But it’s not freedom, it’s a deception.

The independent individualist soon realizes the mistake, that all the “advantages” in the world do not provide freedom. Not only is the realistic fact that where he is and what he is doing can be changed by the military at any time, almost everything else freedom ought to be is missing from his life. He cannot just say or do anything he chooses, and he soon discovers, like all societies “ordered by force,” most of what he is forced to do and endure is pointless, and often evil.

The independent individualist soon chafes under that enforced order. Everyday he becomes more aware of the fact, what he does not want in his life, what he cannot tolerate is someone telling him what he must do and when he must do it, especially when the one telling him what to do is his intellectual inferior.

A Principle

There is a basic principle every independent individualist must understand. It is so obvious that it is, for many, almost impossible to believe. Every single aspect of government is anti-freedom, and to be free, one must never willingly have any relationship with government.

That means never accepting any government supplied funds for any reason, never accepting a government grant or subsidy, and not taking any “advantage” in business, or any other way, that depends of government, like education, food stamps, or joining the military.

American Patriotism Trap

Most Americans are taught, and perhaps most believe, that the US is the most free country in the world. At one time, it was, but that was a long time ago, and for the last hundred years it has grown progressively more oppressive. For those who actually have something to do with their lives, The United States today is one of the most oppressive countries in the world.

So long as one believes they are living in a free country and that the purpose of a government is to protect individual liberty from those who threaten it, both foreign and domestic, the military is seen as a defense of freedom—and of course that is they way it is sold and promoted.

[Please see the “Anti- War“series.]

It’s all a lie, of course, and I call it the “patriot” scam, and it unfortunately takes in a lot of young innocent people.

Getting Out

There are many freedom limiting situations one might find themselves trapped in, but being in the military might seem one that would be impossible to escape. As an illustration of the fact, there is almost no freedom limiting situation one cannot escape from if they choose to, here is an example of one who escaped the military.

His name is Daniel Jared Lakemacher, and he escaped the service by applying for Conscientious Objector status and getting it.

Daniel’s story is especially interesting, because he not only escaped the military, but also escaped a mind-numbing superstition that was the reason for his mistaken choice in the first place. In fact, it was his escape from superstition that allowed him to open his intellectual eyes to see the reality of what he had submitted himself to.

Daniel’s escape from military bondage illustrates the truth, if you really want to be free, there is always some way to live your life as your really choose to live it in the world today.