Can You Be A Libertarian If You Are Hateful?

From: Hunter Krieger

Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2020 8:09 PM

To: [email protected]

Subject: A Libertarian/philosophical quandary

Progressives like to make it sound like they care about everyone in the world but as a libertarian (and as a thinking and feeling human being) to what extent am I obligated to concern myself with the plight of people that I don’t know or care about on a personal level?

From: Walter Block

Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2020 8:45 PM

To: Hunter Krieger

Subject: RE: A Libertarian/philosophical quandary

The only obligation libertarianism imposes upon you is that you must refrain, on pain of punishment, from violating the rights of others. That is, you may not engage in murder, theft, rape, kidnapping, arson, trespass, assault, or the threat thereof.

But, as a nice guy, as a “thinking and feeling human being” you should also give to charity, help the weak, respect people, care about all of humanity, etc.

That is to say, there’s lots more to life than libertarianism.

On the other hand, as long as you adhere to the non aggression principle (NAP) of libertarianism, you can be as hateful as you want. You can be an “equal opportunity” hater of everyone, a real misanthrope. Your policy can even be “No Lives Matter, not a single solitary one of them” and you can still be a libertarian in good standing.

The Best of Walter E. Block