Three examples of Social Conforming

Its been really hard to write recently, although I have gotten quite a bit of work done and have some good pictures, maybe a photo update tomorrow. But I want to write a few words, okay maybe a screed about social conforming. I have three examples, some covid stuff, torrents and taxes.

Here's my main thrust:

Don't interpret the rules in the elite's favor

I don't know whether to start the screed now or jump into an example, but while there may be an interplay between 'rules' and morality, they are not the same thing. Being scared of breaking a rule does not a moral case make.

Okay let's start with torrents. @stickupboys actually has worked out a moral case against this one for me (although not on chain, hint hint). I don't happen to agree with it, since I don't believe this is a case of zero-sum, but some valid discussion can be had.

What to me is not valid, is the argument from fear.

Crypto taxes

Let's jump right to the taxes, where US people dutifully work hard to report WAY more information about themselves than is necessary. Income is only income when it is turned into dollars, according to my interpretation (which is completely valid). Everyone in the US that is socially conforming into an impossibly onerous tax scheme for crypto is, quite literally self-destructive.

Its fear all the way up, which is why 'experts' suggest voluntary choosing the most onerous option, and very few stop to question it. Why even make rules if they can just socially condition us to report every tenth of a cent curation reward or bit of SPS airdrop?

Fear makes people stupid.

Which brings us to COVID

They said you need a vaccine to travel. Except that you don't, you only need a negative test. (and maybe its all finally ending now anyway). I travelled with my wife and our negative tests, several times they asked for our vaccine papers, and I said, "Here are our negative tests".

One time I had to say it three times. But there was never a problem, just some slight social discomfort.

Social discomfort has its role when things are working. But at a time of transformation, its just dumb and self-destructive. Chaining yourself to crazy people for approval is a recipe for disaster when we are working hard to build new and better systems.

Patterns repeat

I am recognizing a pattern here, and its time to wake up. The world is changing, and each detail needs discussion, its true. But rules, if they are to be valid, must be based on reality. We need to work together with the reality we have to forge a new future - in almost every aspect of our lives and culture.

Change is a positive thing. Its okay to be afraid, but recognize it - look it in the eye for what it is - self-destructive behavior: If I pay extra taxes they won't audit me, if I wear my mask alone in my car they won't look at me funny, if I pretend certain open source technology doesn't exist then big corporations might not send me a letter.

Fear IS NOT Freedom.

Subjugation IS NOT Liberation.

Do you even understand the culture you are living in?

You aspire to nothing more than the shallow thoughts of the commoners!

Sometimes I don't know that I do understand it, far away in my mountain farm by my bamboo grove, sharing text on the internet through blockchains and other communication protocols.

It's clear to me that the Malthusian Elite want nothing more than to have us fight each other and fall in line, instead of working together to form new decentralized lines of communication and communities (nodes) - which is what I'm working on.

I suppose in the end each of us gets to decide how and in which ways we censor ourselves.

Freedom and Friendship