Starving The Monkeys with Tom Baugh

[Seth King]

This is a nice speech Tom Baugh did at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum earlier this year. Often times as libertarian activists we hear the same things being repeated over and over and it's rare when we get somebody who talks about a new topic.

One of the things he discusses is the fact that as activists, we need to stop wasting our time trying to convert those who don't want to be converted. These people do not want to be converted because they are our enemies. They are our enemies because they are perfectly happy with the status quo. And they are happy with the status quo because they are on the receiving end of the spoils stolen from you and the rest of the productive class.

The truth is that the coming collapse is inevitable. What we should look forward to is a speedy collapse. During this collapse we should accept the fact, with joy, that the parasite class is going to die off and that it will be survived by those who contribute to the quality of life of society, instead of taking from it or putting up barriers to it.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPnMsRYLSsk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPnMsRYLSsk</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo2laOXSb3I" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo2laOXSb3I</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQ1YfJetZ0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQ1YfJetZ0</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRBG8-LYpjM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRBG8-LYpjM</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVZhd7mzaf8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVZhd7mzaf8</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQrwgYUdDpc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQrwgYUdDpc</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GWmItlhQ4Y" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GWmItlhQ4Y</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh4zpILUggg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh4zpILUggg</a>

[Intuition]

I watched that speech sometime earlier this year but need to watch it again. Thanks for the post. He's definitely got some very useful ideas.

[helio]

Thanks for posting these vids, Seth.  What he talked about is parallel to my own thoughts, except his feelings on precious metals.  He didn't get to elaborate on that, however, so I will reserve final judgement.  This is the kind of people I've been looking to associate with.  

It seems he has a 'wait till it collapses before we do much' mentality.  I am abit more optimistic that we don't have to experience complete social collapse in order to get a chance at liberty, though.  I believe statists can be converted in large numbers, eventually, once things degrade economically.  Like Stefan Molyneaux says at 4:54 in this vid "The state ends with a yawn".  

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Odf2paRilM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Odf2paRilM</a>

We just gota get people yawning at all the state's promises and wunderbar'ness.

[Seth King]

Excellent video by Stephan. Don't hesitate to repost your favorites here for the rest of us!

[JustSayNoToStatism]

we need to stop wasting our time trying to convert those who don't want to be converted.

Before I was converted I didn't want to convert...but the attitude that I would forever be your enemy wouldn't have been very useful. There are very few situations when someone wants to convert to something. Because if they thought it to be desirable, they would have already converted (there are a few exceptions). Discussion isn't wasted time if it works though, right?? I can't be too critical because I have yet to watch these videos (will tomorrow though...looking forward to it)

[helio]

I got his book in the mail on Saturday and I could not put it down last night.  I stayed up till 5 am reading and still didn't want to go to bed.  I've got a few disagreements so far with him but I'm reserving judgment till I finish the book.  It is a very entertaining read.

[Seth King]

Wow! That's pretty sweet. Do you think Tom Baugh is an anarchist? Or do you think he's still a limited-government libertarian? Do you find that there is NEW information in the book, or is it the same old stuff we're already used to hearing?

[helio]

Do you think Tom Baugh is an anarchist?

That is THE biggest question I have on my mind.  I am about halfway through the book where he is describing how Og and Pok's tribe finally get 'government'.  As soon as he started describing the government they get, my eyes started glazing over, but I kept reading.

Then it got interesting.  He started to talk about how that government started going wrong. 

So I am either about to find out he thinks limited government can only work with angels, or if he has crossed the intellectual rubicon into anarchy land.  I'm hoping for the later because I really like his wit.

[Seth King]

If you go to his website, you'll see he promotes another book there written by somebody else. The book trashes the Constitution as a libertarian document. Tom says that book changed his whole outlook on the Constitution. Did it make him an anarchist? I don't know. But I am pretty sure that he read that book AFTER he wrote Starving The Monkeys. So, sadly, Starving The Monkeys probably doesn't reflect his current outlook on things.

[helio]

He is a smart guy and I think that he will recognize the fallacy eventually, if not already of 'We are going to rob you and threaten to kill you in order to protect you from robbers and murderers.'