6 Simple and fun ways to begin practicing Agorism
In America, we have all become accustomed to having every single one of our financial transactions reported
to a governing body of some kind.
Even simple purchases at a grocery store or gas station get reported to state and local officials for sales tax collection and audits.
That penis pump you bought at your local porn shop? A copy of the receipt is probably sitting in some county office clerk's office right now. If you paid with a credit or debit card, you can bet that your bank knows about it and they are required to share this info with state and federal tax authorities and regulators.
These invasions into the private trading of goods and services by an ever expanding and abusive central bureaucracy is fueling a growing movement of trade and commerce that takes place outside of the regulatory tentacles of banks and governments. This movement is called "Agorism", from the Greek Agora which refers to the central areas of ancient cities where people would gather to trade.
Ranging all the way from simple bartering goods or services to full-fledged "Black Markets", Agorism is a growing trend that is designed to drive a little bit of government out of our daily lives and live a little more free.
Here are some easy steps, you can take to get started. You've probably already done many of these and didn't realize that you were taking part in a little bit of anarchy. You may have even violated a few laws in doing these things. But like man great freedom movements, sometimes a few rules need to be broken if you want to live free.
Garage Sale
This time-honored tradition may not seem like an act of rebellion or anarchy... It may not seem like anything related to the "Liberty Movement" at all. However, most garage sales are illegal in the United States. In addition to the thousands of municipal laws, rules, and regulations that govern your right to sell your own stuff to willing buyers in your neighborhood, there is great interest at the federal level. Yes, you are required to report any income you earn from any sales to the IRS, but you are also under regulation of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and may be held liable for any products deemed "unsafe" by federal standards. Fines can reach as much as $100,000 for illegally selling stuff you already legally purchased.
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| The Horror!!!! |
Despite the many dangers that the state presents to you in daring to sell your own stuff on your own property, there is fortunately very little enforcement of these regulations. You are more-likely to receive a complaint letter from your Home Owners' Association if you do not adhere to their policies regarding yard sales and such. Go ahead! Live dangerously!
Set up a Lemonade Stand with your kids
Here we have another time-honored tradition, one that is practically synonymous with Americana. The illustrious Lemonade Stand! True, they are not as popular as they once were, but they still exist. This is a great way to teach your kids the value of creating a product and selling it to the public. There are so many economic lessons that can be passed down to children through this traditional street-corner business.
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| Anarchist's Boot Camp |
Once again, an American tradition that most all of us grew up with is under assault by busy-body regulators and police forces looking for revenue in every crevice of your life. What better opportunity to show children the all-reaching power of the State and how they may only earn a living with the blessings of the police power? All over the U.S. police have been cracking down on lemonade stands and issuing fines to parents for operating a business without license and/or selling food without permits and inspections.
This makes it a great opportunity to teach children not to be intimidated by revenue officers who make a living shaking down small business in order to protect Big Agribusiness.
Backyard Barbecue
A great many of us barely know our neighbors. With most households needing two incomes, many of us are gone all day and are busy tending to our own houses and families in the evenings that we do not get to know those living right next to us.
This isolation from those around us has provided a great catalyst for the growth of the Police State. Look at how many people who are quick to call the police on their next-door neighbor for music that is too loud or a barking dog rather than go knock on the door and politely make a simple request.
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| They are probably not going to poison you |
Most everyone loves a good BBQ... including probably those neighbors of yours. You can organize this in your own backyard or at a nearby park, so you won't have to worry about cleaning up after them. Many parks have grills already there for you to use along with picnic tables and covered patios, all of which which add to the convenience.
While this may not seem like counter-economics, it really is. This can easily replace going out to a restaurant. If you grow your own food, it provides you an opportunity to discuss sharing, trading or selling that food to others. It's also a great time for the kids to play together, to exchange recipes, and get to know the people in your community.
Craft sale
Craft sales are very popular. Your local community center and convention center probably have them on a regular basis. Children love learning crafts, and many adults make all sorts of crafts for hobbies. If you're one of these people, you should probably find buyers who might be interested in your goods.
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| Unregulated Commerce |
It's also a great place to pick up some home decor and support local artists and avoid the big box stores. Again, this also serves as a great way to meet new people, get ideas for your own crafts, make some money under the table, and experience a little free-market capitalism.
Attend a Farmers' Market
With all the dangers of Genetically Modified foods (GMOs), pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers that are used in modern commercial and factory farming, it's a good idea to get to know where your food comes from.
A great way to do this is to start shopping at Farmers' Markets, where you can meet the people who grew the food you're purchasing from. Locally-grown produce supports small family-owned farms. While not all of it will be organic, your choices there will be greater than being stuck with what the buyers at your local supermarket offer you.
Get a free Bitcoin Wallet
I'm sure you've probably heard of Bitcoin by now as it's been making headlines with its recent boom in price to well over $1000 a coin and subsequent fall in price down to around $450 a coin as of this writing.
Bitcoin is a digital encrypted currency. While it is not an actual coin, or tangible at all for that matter, it is money. Bitcoins are digitally encryption keys that are exchanged as currency on a peer-to-peer network. Financial transactions are secure and can be as anonymous as you like.
Bitcoin is one of many crypto-currencies that are in existence and more are being created all the time. They can be converted to and from any other currency or to any other crypto-currency on a variety of exchanges.
To learn more about Bitcoin, take a little time (less than 2 minutes) to watch this video:
To get started with a free Bitcoin wallet, which only takes a few seconds, you can go to: https://blockchain.info/wallet and follow the simple instructions.
Or if you would like a very good cloud-based wallet that is very user-friendly, I recommend: www.coinbase.com.
More to come!
These are just a few of the simple things that can help strengthen communities while doing a lot to advance the cause of liberty. Each one of these ideas presents the opportunity to share ideas, to educate others about living free, and to have a great time in doing it. I will post other ideas as well.
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Feel free to leave additional ideas, your experiences, questions, and success stories in the comments section.
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