POLL: Would you be a Libertarian if it wasn't for the Internet?

[BanksWorstFear]

Interesting thought experiment

[Mike Christ]

I think it helps tremendously; it's hard to accept other views when you've never been exposed to them.  I realize many libertarians existed prior to the Internet, but their works aren't taught in school which is primarily where people get their views in adulthood from (alongside their parents, most of which aren't libertarian), so it was a miracle that someone be exposed to them.  In fact, I never knew libertarianism existed until I was 21, and I only learned about it through this bitcoin community here; before that I was your typical liberal, but not necessarily out of choice, merely because the alternative was conservatism which is painted as sexist and racist and all the other things no young person likes (of course, they're both like that, but the left is better at obfuscating it.)

Going by odds alone, and assuming I continued to assess politics rationally, I would've probably wound up calling myself non-political until something that made sense came along, in the scenario that I'd never heard of libertarianism.  I've always had an aversion to formal politics, citing "it makes no sense" as the reason, so I doubt that would've changed.

[TheButterZone]

Might have taken longer because all I would have had was mass media and ballot pamphlets published by The State to even learn the word Libertarian.

[Chef Ramsay]

Libertarianism was bred into me at a very young age, probably like 7-10 age range when I knew government was bad for business. But, with the way things are going today it's surprising that any semi-intelligent person doesn't subscribe to error on the behalf of the individual rather than the state.

[Kluge]

Probably not. GWB cured me of "conservatism," but I didn't know where to go from there, really, and I never would've discovered relevant communities and related books without the Internet. I likely would've never even known what a libertarian really was. I'd never even been around anyone who didn't make it known they were Allah-fearing Christians until high school. It's possible I'd still have access to Trotsky, and likely Rand, possibly (unlikely) Nietzsche, but that'd be about the extent outside people I near-wholly disagree with. I'd guess I'd be a very confused "utilitarian communist-sympathizer."

It's hard to say, though. I grew up with the Internet. I can't even imagine how slow everything must've been prior... driving to town just to get information, having to pay a fee and fish out a special ID card. I'm pretty stupid, but my God, I'd know, at most, half as much if I grew up without the Internet. Maybe I'd be more humble, though.

[BanksWorstFear]

Good background stories...looks like votes are split 50/50

[shawshankinmate37927]

I still remember trying to decide who I was going to vote for in the presidential election of 1996.  I went online to see if there was a website that clearly laid out where all of the candidates stood on the issues.  I found a site that had sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates including several third party candidates.  IIRC Bill Clinton and Bob Dole declined to even respond to the questionnaire.  Until then, I didn't think there was anyone in American politics that felt the way I did about the drug war, the income tax, etc., but Harry Browne proved me wrong.  I read his responses to the presumptuous questions and was blown away.  I've been a libertarian ever since, although I don't waste my time voting anymore. 

[BanksWorstFear]

OK looks like the internet was necessary for most people

[Ron~Popeil]

I actually became a libertarian through a lot of reading. Ayn Rand, John Locke, Friedman and some of the founding fathers. It became clear that there was a positive correlation between standard of living and level of freedom among different kinds of government.

I found that modern conservatism is not the intellectual off spring of classical liberalism and libertarianism was.

 

[Full Spectrum]

Sure made it easier, the internet and the computing age has given rise to digital cryptography which provides (almost) trustless anonymity and privacy. Especially with FATCA, Bitcoin being the 2nd Revolution of the Internet will change how the state controls capital which has been far too long.

[BanksWorstFear]

shit back to a tie 6 and 6!

[maurya78]

The decentralised nature of the Internet and pervasive access to alternative viewpoints not covered by mainstream media sources certainly has accelerated this trend, but I would like to believe I would have gotten there eventually regardless

[unpure]

There are a lot of uncertainty in the universe. One thing I can be absolutely certain is, without the internet, I will still be a dumb-ass.

[BanksWorstFear]

The decentralised nature of the Internet and pervasive access to alternative viewpoints not covered by mainstream media sources certainly has accelerated this trend, but I would like to believe I would have gotten there eventually regardless

same here; just maybe sped it up a bit

[countryfree]

I do not think today's Internet helps the libertarian cause. Most people are just following others on facebook, and few are rejecting the system. I'd say quite the opposite, they like to be part of it.

I don't. I burned my social security card in 1991, and I thew away my TV in 1993, before I heard of the Internet.

[SunBin]

I do not think today's Internet helps the libertarian cause. Most people are just following others on facebook, and few are rejecting the system. I'd say quite the opposite, they like to be part of it.

I don't. I burned my social security card in 1991, and I thew away my TV in 1993, before I heard of the Internet.

Internet is double edges sword, there will be mob behavior and people who believe in whatever other said.

And then there are other who do due diligent and analysis before taking actions.

[wzb422]

no, i would not be

[BitCoinNutJob]

No it was people beating the shit out of me on forums which made me see how socialized and indoctrinated i was.  Then learnt more via videos on youtube.

Internet = Information liberated

Bitcoin = Money Liberated

[BanksWorstFear]

No it was people beating the shit out of me on forums which made me see how socialized and indoctrinated i was.  Then learnt more via videos on youtube.

Internet = Information liberated

Bitcoin = Money Liberated

really being attacked led you to learn?

[Mike Christ]

No it was people beating the shit out of me on forums which made me see how socialized and indoctrinated i was.  Then learnt more via videos on youtube.

Internet = Information liberated

Bitcoin = Money Liberated

really being attacked led you to learn?

Same for me, I got into an argument about gun bans on this forum that finally broke me into libertarianism.