Until about a half a year ago, I was a liberal democrat. Then I started to think I was a libertarian, then an anarchist. Now, I've realized that I can't define it because what I want for myself is different than what I want for others.
(Not previously, but nowadays) I go to great lengths to preserve my individual liberty and pretty much don't think about laws or society in general. I simply do what I'm going to do and interact with people in a manner consistent with my own morals, and I consider law only in terms of the hassle of its consequence and the chance of being caught.
However, I am very glad that laws and society and government exist, because I believe most people, if they acted freely because law and government were abolished, would act much less ethically than I would, and I think they would generally destroy civilization. My life time experience with people has lead me to believe they will always put short-term gain and immediate self interest above all else, including long-term gains and interests. In short, most people are stupid.
So as much as I find governments of all sorts to be grossly inefficient and I dislike many laws, I am very very happy to live in a society that has such things because most people are sheep in addition to being stupid, and I think these inefficient laws protect them and me and do more good than harm by being in place. And it doesn't bother me at all that I pick and choose which ones I obey.
Is it weird or hypocritical that I go about my life freely without thought of governance but think it's a really good thing that others feel constrained by laws and government?
Or am I just some kind of psycho? I really just don't trust the judgement of others.
You are a political hypocrite.
Well, let me rephrase that - the society at large is political hypocrite, and you being a member of it (willing or not) makes you one too.
Why do I say that the society in large is political hypocrite.
Look at it from historical perspective. All modern so-called democratic governments can trace their roots to the previous dictatorships (all kind), in fact they have retained huge number of governing model properties for their own benefit.
As all of them claim that (1) they represent the interest of the majority and (2) that their constitution is based on universal equality, i.e. no citizen has more rights than any other, right then and there (in their laws, which theoretically should not be contradicting their constitution) they go and give themselves rights and powers that exceed the ones they allowed the ordinary citizens.
That's the ultimate in political hypocrisy.
What you feel is just an ordinary feeling of guilt the the government programmed in you (trough the myriad of propaganda mechanisms they have on their disposal) - well, don't be feeling bad - you are not alone, there are around 6 billion ordinary citizens (I'm excluding the ones that work for the governments and benefit from the government-centric-monopolies) who feel the same.
I am a supporter of the extremely small minority that believes we need government - but what we don't need is a dictator-government that calls themselves democratic-government.
What the society needs is a government that will govern it as a direct democracy that will use the technology to the advantage of the citizens - to conduct effective referendums instead of assuming the right to act representatively, to create and oversee the success of a technology driven monetary system (Bitcoin comes to mind...). A modern-version government built on the foundation of the long-time-dead-and-forgotten Venetian government (look it up), or as a compromise, to the modern day Swiss government (again, look it up).
But definitely not..this...whatever they call themselves..
(says gopher in disgust!)Now, let me go into Utopia mode - imagine a government that:
1. Have no commercial conflict of interest with the society they govern, i.e. not profiteering from manufacturing and dealing with arms, profiteering from regulatory functions (selling licenses to the highest bidder) or procuring from overseas manufacturers who compete with their own tax-paying corporations.
2. Are appointed based on merit, i.e. the member of the body who makes law is a lawyer, the cabinet member responsible for an industry has long experience as a operator in said industry, the president has proven track record in all the executive functions he is applying to be appointed for.
3. All government employees (including executives) salaries are based on the country's GDP - that will be a direct incentive for them to drive the GDP in the right direction, right?
4. If a government starts a war (i.e. directs any of its citizens to fight and die for the cause the government believes in), depending on the outcome of the war compared to the cause, all executives in that government should be held personally accountable for those deaths.
And I am sure many wil be able to add to this list.
Take care!