"Living free" vs. paranoia

[KBCraig]

If I'm going to be a plant, can I be dieffenbachia? 

[John]

I try to live as Freely and as Peacefully as I can. I try not to worry too much about stuff.

I believe that the rewards do not come at the end, but along the path.

[MaineShark]

A couple of my favorite Heinlein quotes...

"A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as 'state' and 'society' and 'government' have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of self-responsible individuals. He believes that it is impossible to shift blame, share blame, distribute blame . . . as blame, guilt, responsibility are matters taking place inside human beings singly and nowhere else.  But being rational, he knows that not all individuals hold his evaluations, so he tries to live perfectly in an imperfect world . . . aware that his effort will be less than perfect yet undismayed by self-knowledge of self-failure."

"Professor, your words sound good but there is something slippery about them. Too much power in the hands of individuals--surely you would not want ... well, H-missiles for example--to be controlled by one irresponsible person?"

"My point is that one person is responsible. Always. If H-bombs exist--and they do--some man controls them. In terms of morals there is no such thing as 'state.' Just me. Individuals. Each responsible for his own acts."

And:

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."

So no, I don't worry about cops.  I tolerate the laws that I find tolerable.  I ignore those I find intolerable.  There are cases in which I modify my behavior because there are cops around, just as I might modify my behavior in the presence of any other dangerous animal.  But I no more let them control me, than I would let the chance that a rabid dog is loose prevent me from walking out my front door.  If I know a rabid dog might be around, I'll be more alert, but that's all.

Joe