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Nov. 25, 2007 - Freedomain Radio - Stefan Molyneux
55:05
920 What's Next

A modest suggestion for our next step...

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Good morning, everybody. It's Steph.
Hope you're doing well. It is the 24th, Sunday, the 24th of November 2007.
And I'm going to kick up the conversation just a little, little bit.
Because I'm feeling some stuff that I think will be of use to you.
And also, there have been some complaints or requests that...
People are feeling a little bit at sixes and sevens in the conversation.
They're also feeling a little bit like not sure what's related, not sure what to do next, not sure what's going to keep people motivated after they've expelled the poisons of corrupt relationships and family members and so on.
So, I'm going to talk about what's next, and then you're going to dislike me.
I'm sure that's going to be the case.
And that's just fine.
This is my opinion about what is next.
I think that there's some good reasons for thinking about why this is what is next.
But, of course, I'm certainly open to other and better suggestions.
And I'm working on the real-time relationship book, so...
That means that I'm going to talk to you about how I've been feeling about you as a listenership audience, let's just say lately.
Now, first caveats aside, donations are great, people are buying books in a way, that's good stuff, so I don't want to outshine any of that, and there are particular individuals who are working very hard, so again,
this is a collective... Experience or experience of a collective for which there are always individual exceptions, but let me talk about My experience of you as a listenership because it's important for you to get this kind of feedback and there are probably very few people in your life who are honest and open enough to give you this kind of feedback.
So, you know, if the shoe doesn't fit, don't sweat it and don't write to me in outrage that you don't fit into the mold.
This is a collective experience.
So, let me talk about what it's been like over the last month, two or three, and you can see if it helps you to figure out Where the next thing is and how to get there.
Let's start, as we always do, with a metaphor that hopefully will make some sense to you.
So, let's say that you and I and the other tens of thousands of listeners out there are doctors, as we often tend to metaphorize ourselves as.
And as these doctors, we have figured out that condom usage...
Prevents the spread of AIDS. And let's say we're Médecine Sans Frontières, Games Without Frontiers, and we are working in Afrique to help spread the word about how to stop the spread of AIDS. And let's say that there's a religion out there that says,
or a social belief, or even a medical belief out there that says that wearing a condom Gives you AIDS. Right?
So, let's just say we have a bit of an uphill battle.
Now, we've got a website.
We, people who are actually knowledgeable about how to prevent the spread of AIDS. We've got a website wherein all the proof in the world about turning this thing around and preventing the spread of AIDS and saving lives of millions and so on.
All of this is nicely detailed and put together.
And It's very hard to get people to talk to each individual about this, right?
It's very hard to sort of go down the street in a village in Africa because there's so much propaganda and religion about how condoms give you AIDS that we're basically saying to people, hey, shoot yourself for your health, right?
It doesn't work very well.
And so the head of an organization that we're sort of all interested in or part of, Responds to a wide variety of listener requests and puts together t-shirts which say here's how to prevent the spread of AIDS and provides a website.
Just go with me on this one.
I think you'll understand it if you don't already in a moment or two.
And These t-shirts are then released to all of these Doctors Without Frontiers who are dedicated to preventing the spread of AIDS, who've gone through enormously uncomfortable things to do, given up a lot, friendships, relationships, parents, and so on, to help spread the word.
And finally, these t-shirts are designed and released and And let's say that I am the guy who has responded to the request for t-shirts about how to spread the word about how to not spread AIDS. And what happens is people sort of post responses along the following lines.
These doctors dedicate it to preventing the spread of AIDS. And when faced with t-shirts that spread the word about how to prevent the spread of AIDS, what they say is...
I don't like the logo too much.
It's not the right color.
I prefer a different graphic.
Can I choose my own text?
Can I choose my own colors?
I don't like the hoodie.
Let me tell you what it's like.
*thud* To be on the receiving end of this kind of interaction.
Let me tell you what it's like to be on the receiving end of this kind of interaction.
Of these pro baseball players by their own description who aren't even in a baseball park when they swing at a pitch.
It's frustrating.
It's funny. It induces anger in me, but not hostility, because I understand it.
I understand what is being communicated, which we'll get to it.
But let's talk about a few other things about we noble and devoted crew of philosophers.
A little while ago, FDR employee number two, the magnificent Greg, put out a request on a board that was read hundreds of times regarding, hey, We promised not to spam, but if you could provide us some emails of people who may even remotely be interested in this conversation, we'll send them a one-time email.
Never talk to them again.
And we got a grand total of three responses.
Yes.
Three. Count them three.
Three responses. Ha!
Ha! Ha! I put out requests, an offer, an offer, in fact, of a whack load of books at highly cut prices if you wanted to order stuff for people for Christmas.
I think I've negotiated two, count them, two deals with that.
A little while ago, I put out A request for people, if you don't have the time, to donate any money.
And there's lots of people who say, gee, you know, I'd love to donate, but I don't have a cash right now.
I'm eating my own leftover kidney as a starving student.
Or I'm unemployed.
I'm living in my parents' basement.
I don't have the money to donate, Steph.
I'm like, hey, got it.
I understand. I understand.
Maybe what you could do is spare me a couple of hours if you are, say, unemployed, or a student who has 10 to 15 hours of classes a week if you're in university, or, say, the summer's off if you're a 15 or 16 year old in high school.
Maybe what you could do is spend a little time Going through libertarian, atheist, anarchist philosophy websites, blogs, user groups,
and so on. You could go through those and grab for me some emails so that I could have a one-time send-off wherein I could invite people to participate in this conversation Because that saves me from having to spend a lot of money on advertising.
You know, that would be really helpful.
You know, if you don't have the money, but you do have the time, then perhaps you could even put together a video showing you how to do it, in case you didn't.
Anybody with a computer or mouse and some time can do that.
And, of course, if you don't, then I must spend either time or money, right?
Offloading costs to me.
So... Let me tell you what it's like to be on the receiving end of this kind of staggering indifference and laziness on the part of this conversation and being on the receiving end of this kind of, hey, hey, hey, give us some t-shirts.
Love to wear some t-shirts. Hoodies.
Sweatshirts. Baseball caps.
Love them. And it's been up now for, I think, five days.
Had a grand total, three orders.
Three orders. Three orders.
20,000 listeners.
I mean, not all at this level, but a couple of thousand at this level.
Three orders. Because, you know, the logo looks like the United Way.
It's not quite the right logo.
It doesn't go with my pants.
It just doesn't fit into my wardrobe color scheme.
I'm more of a fall person, so I can't really communicate about this conversation in a totally passive way by putting on a sweatshirt or a hoodie or a baseball cap.
It doesn't quite fit with my look, you see.
So... My feelings about that are irritation, frustration, not hostility, though.
I think it's very funny.
I really do. I'm not trying to be a Buddhist passive-aggressive guy.
It really is funny.
And the reason that it's funny is that I know, I know how important this conversation is to you.
You know, just let's talk you and I, right?
I know...
How amazingly important this conversation is to you.
In fact, I know why there's no stampede to buy the t-shirts, of which Greg and I make the massive sum of a dollar per t-shirt.
We've kept the prices as low as humanly possible to facilitate the spread of this chit-chat.
I know that if the conversation was not as amazingly important to you, that you would have bought a t-shirt.
Or the schwag, paraphernalia.
And that you are very effectively telling me something by not doing it.
By not buying 10 copies of OnTruth or UPB, which you can get dirt cheap, point where I make almost nothing, ship them for free.
And I know why you're not doing that.
It's not because you don't think that the conversation is important.
Because you don't think that the spread of philosophy is important.
Of course it is. Lord above, you're on podcast 920 million.
I know how important this conversation is to you.
I know that is a precious flame and a harsh wind for you.
And I know what you're telling me When you don't, help out.
And it's a different thing to wear a t-shirt than it is to make a donation.
Let me be frank about that.
It's not to diss any of the donators.
Fabulous, massive props, thanks.
But it still requires me to do the lion's share.
of the heavy lifting for me to put myself out there and be exposed which I'm okay to do I'm happy to do but a t-shirt is different you can't hide your love for the conversation when you're wearing a t-shirt I know this sounds silly but just bear with me if you don't mind I want to To help you live your values,
to make you happy. Not to advertise FDR, though of course that would be great and we'll get to that later.
But I want you to live with your values.
Be happy. And I want to get what is really going on when I ask you to do a little thing and you fade.
You don't tell me...
Steph, I know I've asked for all these t-shirts.
I don't know why now that they're offered.
I don't want to buy them. I don't know what's going on.
You don't say that to me. You just...
You vanish.
You vanish! We had...
Gosh, what is it?
I can't remember. Something like...
Certainly between 150 and 200 people...
Visit the t-shirt store of which two people bought three...
Items. Of which two people bought three items.
Now, is that because people don't care?
Well, of course they care. Hundreds of people came.
Hundreds of people came and two people bought.
The 1% conversion rate to sales, right?
And I'm sure that there are lots of stories That you have for yourself as to why you either didn't visit the store and didn't buy.
I'm sure you have lots of great stories about that.
Oh, I don't like the logo.
I don't like the font. It's not quite right.
It's, you know, whatever, right?
It doesn't suit my style.
I'm not down with the look.
I've seen how the guy dresses on YouTube.
I'm not going to take any fashion tips from him, let alone buy a t-shirt with what it says on it.
I'm sure that you have lots of great stories about it, but I don't accept those stories.
And this is not obviously because the t-shirts will make me rich.
I can promise you that's not the motivation.
And it's because not buying the t-shirts, not Providing emails.
Not looking up people who would be interested in this conversation on the web and sending me an email.
It's because that is a very clear communication.
I want to listen to what you're actually telling me.
I don't want to be infected with the despair and the indifference and the hopelessness that you're feeling.
Because I know that deep down that's what you're feeling.
That which you don't feel, I have to feel.
That which you don't communicate, I have to carry.
And what people, and we'll just talk about the t-shirts, but what people are communicating to me about the t-shirts is that I love this conversation.
This conversation is precious.
This conversation is unique.
This conversation, I think, and I think that other people think this too is unprecedented.
And I think that this conversation will save the world.
Not doing it for my wallet.
Not doing it for my peace of mind.
It's not a sacrifice.
Love doing it. Tough.
You've got to deal with a lot of negativity, hostility, cynicism.
Hell, just have a look at the...
Ron Paul Lunatics on my latest vid on YouTube and see the kind of hostility that you have to deal with, which is what I deal with in my inbox and elsewhere every day.
It's tough. But I do it because I genuinely believe that this conversation will save the world and nothing else will.
I believe that philosophy and integrity and honesty will save the world And that nothing else will.
And I know that deep down, you understand that too.
So what you're telling me is, Steph, I love this conversation.
This conversation is meat and drink to me.
But I got to tell you, I get stopped by a logo.
That's my story. My mythology is that I would wear your t-shirts, but I don't like the logo or something.
I don't like the logo. I don't like the font.
I don't like the style.
I'm not a big t-shirt person.
And you want me to feel this conversation as diminished, right?
Again, I'm not saying consciously, no evil intent here.
I'm just saying that you want me to feel that this conversation is diminished, right?
In the hierarchy of values, Your little sense of personal style is way more important than spreading the word about this conversation.
And so, what you want me to feel is that this conversation is unimportant.
But I know that it's not, and you know that it's not, so what is going on?
Well, you're telling me that However important this conversation is, your fear of exposure and of vulnerability is more important, is greater, is deeper, is scarier.
And I understand that.
I really do. The solution is not to refrain from wearing a t-shirt, but to talk honestly and openly about the problem of despair and vulnerability and exposure.
I know how it plays out.
Let's say you're in university. You pick up a Freedom Radio t-shirt.
Freedom Radio, the logic of personal and political liberty.
I took the red pill. People are going to say, what's that?
And if you're honest, you're going to say, this is the most amazing conversation, I think, in the world today.
It is about philosophy, politics, art, aesthetics, family, psychology, childhood, adulthood, maturity, wisdom, truth, virtue.
It's revolutionary. This is the most beautiful thing on the web.
And you're going to have to love something openly.
You're going to literally have to wear your heart on your sleeve.
And you're going to have to tell people that you love something.
That you care. That you're thrilled.
That you're enthusiastic.
Hundreds of people are going to see this t-shirt.
Many will come up to ask you about it.
And you're going to have to take a stand publicly.
What does that feel like for you?
Because I'll tell you what happens, and you know what happens, but we might as well drag it to the conscious level.
What happens, my friends, my brothers and sisters, what happens is that people will go and listen to Free Domain Radio, because you're wearing a t-shirt.
Oh no.
Oh dear God.
And then they will not talk to you.
Most let's just go with the general trend They will simply not talk to you They will ignore it because they can't speak against it and they can't speak for it.
They can't argue against it and they can't argue for it.
They'll become paralyzed and they'll resent you.
and they'll want to make you feel as small as this conversation makes them feel.
And what are you going to do then?
Are you going to go up to them and say, Hey, did you listen to any of those podcasts?
How do you feel about doing that?
Ooh, I bet you're not too good.
I betcha not too good.
And if they just say, Oh, I never got around to it.
Are you going to say...
You really should. You really should.
I know it's like I'm nobody that you know and there's some wacky guy on the internet, but, you know, seriously, you should listen to this conversation.
It is really, really important and it will do you an amazing, it will give you an amazing intellectual jolt.
And it's tough, right?
You have to be tough, to be strong, to be brave.
Are you gonna pester them?
How do you feel about that?
It's not comfortable.
I don't like every day saying, please give me donations.
And I don't like saying please buy these t-shirts.
I don't like saying please buy these books.
I don't like saying please give me emails.
Please help me out. Asking, asking, asking.
It's not pleasant.
So, you know, why do we do it?
Well, because. We'll get to that.
Oh, they have listened to a podcast or two, and what do they say?
What do they say?
Oh, yeah, you know, I listen to one or two.
I mean, I guess the guy's got some interesting ideas, but...
Man, I mean, it's just...
It's very silly. Like, he just doesn't...
He hasn't read his Derrida.
He's just out there spouting off.
I mean, I guess it's interesting.
You know, I don't mean to trash what you're into, but I just thought it was kind of amateurish.
And, you know, the guy's obviously pretty full of himself.
And it just, you know, didn't do anything for me.
I just, you know, I just...
I thought it was okay, interesting, maybe as entertainment.
But it's not serious thinking in any particular way.
It's, you know, it's just...
It wasn't for me, you know, with all due respect.
It just, it wasn't something that I could take seriously at all.
Ooh, stingerama!
And how do you feel about that?
What stops you?
What stops you? Is it a logo?
Is it indifference? Is it disapproval?
Is it the feeling of vulnerability from saying, I took the red pill and people saying, what do you mean?
You're saying I'm living in the matrix?
What the hell are you talking about? Putting yourself up as some wise guy, huh?
What stops you?
Where do you and your values part ways?
What kind of pressure does it take for you to not live your values?
That's an uncomfortable question.
Lord knows I ask myself that all the time.
I ask myself that about this very podcast, in fact.
Because you want me to feel that this conversation is not important.
Because you want to feel that this conversation is not important.
Because if it is important, I mean relative to the world.
I don't mean relative to you and your iPod in your room.
And you and your secret relationships relative to peers or others.
As I podcasted, don't make an honest woman out of philosophy, right?
Because if you try to make philosophy all about you, it won't work.
It won't work. It will make you feel...
Very insecure. It will make you feel testy, irritable, touchy, nervous, like you've got a secret, like you didn't pay your taxes, like you've got a mistress.
Uneasy. If you think that the t-shirts are about you, Then I can totally understand why you wouldn't have laid down four fins to get them.
20 bones. Free shipping.
Even got your promo code.
Holiday07, all caps.
Free shipping. Anywhere in the world.
If you think that the t-shirts are about you, then I can totally understand why Why?
You wouldn't have bought them. I don't need the t-shirts.
I'm already on podcast 920 or whatever the hell it is.
What do I need the t-shirts for?
I already know where the website is.
Dude! And they don't even match my shoes!
But here's the thing.
The T-shirts are not about you.
If we go back to our Doctors Without Borders example, and we say, please wear these T-shirts and we say, please wear these T-shirts so that the villagers know that the spread of AIDS is prevented by wearing condoms.
If that's what we say to our doctors, And they say, well, I don't want to wear these, right?
You know, I mean, yes, I have spent an enormous amount of time and effort and some donations and all that, right, to come out here and fight the spread of AIDS, but I don't want to wear a T-shirt that says, wear a condom.
Here's the website, wearacondom.com.
Because I already know.
That I shouldn't wear a condom.
I already know that I shouldn't wear a condom.
Why would I wear a t-shirt? Plus, you know, when I look in the mirror, the text is backwards.
Why would I wear a condom?
I already know that I'm supposed to wear a condom.
So why would I wear a t-shirt? And it doesn't go with my belt.
Sorry. Well, my friends, of course, fundamentally, this conversation is not about you.
And it's not about me. It's about the truth.
And it is, like it or not, about saving the world.
It's not just about making you happy.
And I only say that to jolt you, because I guarantee you that if you act with courage, it will be scary.
If you try to save the world, it will be upsetting at times.
But by God, it's joyous.
Because it's about pride.
Because it's about pride.
And I know, I know that you really do want to wear the t-shirts because you get that it's about other people getting to the website.
That it's about spreading the conversation that has given you so much.
It's also about meeting other listeners, but If you have t-shirt, hoodie, baseball cap on, you send me emails.
It's about getting other people into the conversation.
It's not about you.
You're already in the conversation.
You're already getting the benefit. You're already getting the value.
But it's about getting other people into the conversation.
And that's why people say, I think the logo could be better.
That's funny. Because as the doctors squabble about the logo, more and more people get infected with AIDS. I mean, it's tragic, but fundamentally, in many ways, it's funny.
Because there is such a repression of the big picture in that.
That for a group of people working from first principles in the grandest reaches of human thought, to be stopped by a logo is funny.
It's not the right color!
Oh my god, people, you're killing me.
I'd love to help the planet, but it's the font I can't take.
I'd love to save the world, but this color doesn't make my eyes pop for the ladies.
Oh, man.
you Thank you.
And you're just telling me that you're scared, and I understand that, but let's be honest about that.
Don't insult me and yourself by saying that it's something about the font, the logo, the color, or whether the hoodie should have pull strings or not.
Please. I mean, come on.
If you're gonna spin a myth for me, at least spin a vaguely credible one.
Because people say, well, I don't know what's coming next.
I feel a little stuck. I feel a little stalled.
But what's coming next? Well, I'll tell you.
You won't like it for a while.
But I'll tell you.
What's coming next is you getting out there.
What's coming next is you getting out there. .
Because let me tell you what...
Those who hate, fear, and oppose this conversation are doing.
Let me just tell you, just so you understand, the team that we're up against, right?
Religious people regularly give thousands and thousands of dollars a year to their church.
They proselytize, they are out converting people, they don't take no for an answer.
The Jehovah's Witnesses knock on your door.
The statists push through the most vile legislation to ensure that children are propagandized for 14 to 24 years.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The Ron Paul people donate $4 million to Ron Paul's campaign in a single day!
And troll the internet looking for any negative comments and, ah, attack!
Jackal it! Kill, kill, kill.
Not respond to any arguments, but that's what they do.
Why is it that only the crazy people have motivation?
Why is it that only the people who are wrong get out there and get shit done?
Why is it that we, who have a methodology and more than an insignificant share of the actual truth, Why is it that 20 bucks and slipping on a t-shirt is so massively beyond our capacities?
Wearing a t-shirt, seriously.
Not talking about 10% of your income.
Not talking about going to church twice a week.
Not talking about sending your kids to Sunday school.
Not talking about $4 million.
Not talking about, as one Ron Paul supporter talked about, not talking about going into debt to support Ron Paul.
Not talking about any of that.
Not talking about any of that.
I'm not talking about any of that.
Right? What are we talking about?
What is the massive sacrifice that this conversation requires?
20 bucks and a t-shirt.
A couple of books. 100 bucks maybe.
A bunch of books all delivered.
Handing out presents. To others.
They don't like the abstract philosophy.
No problem. Lots of stuff there.
To God of Atheists. A novel.
Easy to digest. You know, what are we talking here?
Are we talking sacrificing your first one?
Are we talking about what would FDR do, bracelets?
No. Are we talking about you knocking door to door?
No. So let me do what I can to help lay it on the line for you.
I'm going to claim, like it or not, do what I want or not.
I'm going to claim credibility here.
I mean, I've been working on this stuff for 25 years.
I've written a number of books.
I think I've done some pretty great stuff.
A lot of good podcasts.
A lot of great podcasts. Quit my job.
Years of therapy. Christina watching my back.
Let me tell you the reality of this conversation, right, in terms of your life, right?
If you're only listening to the podcasts, you're not in the conversation.
You're not even close to To being in the conversation.
You could only be further from the conversation if you weren't speaking English.
Or didn't. Reading a hundred books on Kung Fu does not make you Chuck Norris.
It makes you kind of an insufferable know-it-all.
People who read a hundred books on Kung Fu think they know Kung Fu.
And they tend to be know-it-alls.
And they tend to not have a lot of humility.
And of course, that is the real essence of this conversation, is the humility that comes from actually trying to bring it to bear in the world.
So once you've got your personal life cleaned up, and you've gotten rid of the bad people in your life, and you've worked with vulnerability, and so on, and people say, well, what now?
As if you don't know, you know.
You know what now. I'm just telling you directly so that you can't hide from your knowledge of what's next, which you know.
And the reason I know that you know is you're not buying t-shirts.
That's how I know that you know what is next.
What is next is getting out into the world.
What is next is spreading the health that you have earned through this conversation, through your application of this conversation.
Okay.
Once you have cured yourself, the next step is to cure the world.
And you know that.
You don't like it because that pushes you right up against your fears.
And of course, the world is a heavy wind set against the sail of truth, right?
And of course, when we tried to speak the truth as children, we were endlessly attacked for it, right?
So I understand, I understand that going out into the world to spread this conversation, to spread the truth, to spread philosophy, to spread UPB, to spread Freedom, the free market, anarchism, market anarchism, psychological insights, truth, whatever it is.
Going out into the world is damn hard.
And am I saying grab the lapels of every passerby and yell at them about philosophy?
No, of course not.
That would be as self-indulgent as giving in to your fears about wearing a t-shirt.
That would be as undisciplined and frankly lazy as only listening to the podcast and not putting philosophy into practice, which, as I warn you over and over again, will lead to great unhappiness.
Wearing a t-shirt, being vulnerable, talking to people about this conversation.
And look, I'm just trying to help you understand that I'm trying to take away the cake that you've eaten so that you don't think you can have your cake and eat it too.
If you think you're a philosopher by reading Mises, listening to the podcasts, calling in on the Sunday show, and I'm not talking about anyone in particular, but if you think that you're a philosopher because you listen to podcasts, you don't understand.
Then you think you're a doctor because you read medical books.
The purpose of a doctor is not to read medical books.
The purpose of a doctor is to heal the sick.
If you just sit at home and read Grey's Anatomy and you think that you're a doctor, I'm gonna tell you you're not!
And you're worse in a way than somebody who doesn't read these books because you have the knowledge and you won't share it because you're afraid and because you're angry.
Because you're afraid of people and you're angry at the world for its rejection of you.
And I understand that. I really do understand that.
It's a hard thing to love the world and it's a hard thing to love what the world can be and to help get it there.
It's a hard thing to love the sick who spit on you for treating them.
I understand that. I really do.
And you don't have to do a thing.
You don't have to buy t-shirts.
You don't have to go out into the world.
You don't have to talk to people about that which you love and treasure and value.
You don't have to do any of it.
But then just don't imagine that you're in the conversation.
Don't imagine that you're doing anything other than taking up my bandwidth.
That's all I'm saying. I'm not going to tell you to do anything.
But just don't imagine that you're in the conversation or get it at all.
If buying a t-shirt or a book or sending me some emails is so utterly beyond your capacity.
But if that's what stops you, you don't get this conversation at all.
I mean, just to be honest with you, right?
If you don't get that you have to surmount your own fears and hostilities and show your love of the truth and get that love of the truth kicked in the face daily, if you don't get that that's what the conversation requires, that that's what saving the world requires, then you don't get the conversation.
If you think that it's about your comfort, then you don't get the conversation.
If you think it's about avoiding your fears and acting on your hostility and blaming the world and the future and the salvation thereof on your parents and what they did and your teachers, you don't get the conversation.
And that's fine. You don't have to get the conversation.
I just want you to get that you don't get the conversation.
You can continue to download all the podcasts in the world.
You continue to listen to them in the privacy of your own brain.
And that's fine. Enjoy.
Have fun. It is scintillating entertainment for you.
It has all the moral significance of a sitcom.
But you're just not in the conversation.
And we know that you have to be in conversation with the world in order to change the world.
You, listening to podcasts, will not change the world.
We say, well, I'll have kids and I'll teach them.
That's fine. Having kids is going to get you back involved in the world again, whether you homeschool them or not.
Because if you care about this conversation, as I say, the first virtue is always honesty.
If you care about this conversation, then wear a t-shirt and say, I care about this conversation.
If you love this conversation, wear a t-shirt and say, I love this conversation.
You don't have to wear a t-shirt.
You can just say, I love this conversation.
When the talk turns to philosophy, do you say, I love this conversation at freedomandradio.com?
Or you try to argue stuff like you just made it all up.
That's what we're talking about here.
Yeah.
You love this conversation.
It does great things for you.
Do you love other people enough to share this conversation with them?
And again, I'm not saying that you rent a billboard.
I'd be fine if you did.
I'm not saying you rent a billboard. I'm going to say SkyWrite.
You don't have to parachute with the website imprinted on the inside of your parachute.
I'm not saying any of that. I'll send the emails.
Don't worry about that. If people don't like spam, they'll get mad at me.
Although that's only happened once in two years.
One person. I'll do the ordering of the books for you!
And I'll mail them for you!
T-shirts have already been designed.
It's not going to work without you doing stuff.
It's not going to work without you doing stuff.
And look, I don't care if it's not this conversation that is juicy for you, if it's not this conversation that you love, then find another conversation that you love.
Or make your own conversation up that you love.
And do that instead.
But I know that you want The feeling of being on the cutting edge of thought, of being virtuous, of having courage, of having integrity, of understanding.
I know you want that, and I respect that hugely.
But if you think it's all about you, it's not.
That's what the God of atheism is.
Find something bigger than yourself and do that.
So that we can create a world where people don't have to do that.
I mean, I swear to God, libertarians are like herding cats.
It's like herding cats.
There is a fundamental selfishness to libertarians in many ways and a laziness and a fear and a hostility and a resentment.
To wearing your heart on your sleeve and being passionate about the truth.
Being honest. If you could snap your fingers and have 5,000 people hear about this conversation, I know you'd do it.
I know you'd do it. 5 million, 5 billion.
I know you would do it.
And you can. For 20 bucks, put on a t-shirt.
And just be honest. That's all we're asking.
Put on a t-shirt and be honest.
People say, what's that? Oh, it's this great philosophical conversation that's going on.
Highly, highly recommend it.
It's just amazing. So that you can grow thereby.
See, in serving the truth, you grow.
You become happy. You develop self-respect.
You overcome the paralysis.
The kind of fearful paralysis that leads people to the Ron Paul camp.
You overcome that paralysis because you're doing something.
You're off your ass.
You're out in the world. You're doing something.
And when you're doing something, you don't wonder how things are going to get done.
When you're building a wall, You don't sit around wondering how a wall is going to be built.
Even if you only get one brick a month done, you know how the wall is being built.
It gets rid of the uncertainty.
It gets rid of the doubt.
It gets rid of the depression. It gets rid of the futility.
It gets rid of the fear.
You know, there's a poster that was around in the Second World War where a guy's grandkids are sitting there's a poster that was around in the Second World War where a Where a guy's grandkids are sitting at his feet.
He's in a rocking chair.
And they're looking up at him and they say, Granddad, what did you do in the Great War?
And underneath was the caption, What will you say?
What will you say? Either we win or we fail.
Either we succeed or we fail.
And we're not going to fail. We're not going to fail.
It's just a matter of how much agony and time is it going to take.
Which is up to you. But when your grandkids say to you, Wow, the world is really becoming free.
I know you were in on this conversation from the beginning.
What did you do? And you say, what are you going to say?
You're going to say, well, you know, I was going to wear a t-shirt, but it was like 20 bucks.
So I just kind of listened to the podcast and didn't say peep about it to anyone.
How are your grandkids going to look at you?
Or are you going to say, well, I was a student.
I had summers off. I had like scads of time.
Certainly had enough time to listen to all these podcasts and talk philosophy with people.
I had lots of time and so on.
It's like, yeah, and I remember that the Steph guy, he asked people for emails.
How many did you send it? Well, I never really got around to that.
I mean, that wasn't quite as much fun as debating.
I was listening to podcasts as posting on the board.
So I couldn't spare an hour a month to gather emails or to send it.
I'd even send in my address book Grandkids are going to say So it really wasn't that important to you, right?
So, I mean, did you see any movies?
Yeah, I saw movies. I saw a couple of movies a month, right?
Oh, so the movies are like two hours.
An hour to get there, an hour travel time around.
Three hours. So, you went to see a movie.
So, like, seeing some movie that you can't even remember anymore 40 years ago was more important than helping this conversation.
Yeah, it was. Oh, Granddad.
I had such respect for you.
And now, not so much.
Yeah, I was unemployed for a year or two while I was listening to this show.
Oh, wow, you must have been doing a lot to help move it forward then, because you say it was so valuable, it was so life-changing, it was so wonderful.
What kind of help did you give?
Well, you know, Steph did ask me to...
I don't know, troll the web, spend a couple of hours trolling the web for emails so that he could get this conversation out to more people.
Because every person you contact can contact 50 more, right?
But I just, I never quite got around with it.
I think the view was on, or I don't know what it was.
was i just i never quite got around to it we say wow well then who did look up all the emails Oh, Steph. For the most part, then some other guy.
It's like, oh, so you say this guy was a great philosopher, a great communicator, and you made him spend his time looking up emails rather than working on books or making podcasts?
That's what you made him spend his time do because the view was on or you just didn't get around to it, didn't have time?
That's kind of crappy, isn't it?
And so the reason I'm trying to help you be happy here, right?
I'm not trying to exploit you.
If it's not my conversation, find some other conversation.
If I haven't come up with good ways to help spread the word, you do it!
I'm not trying to make you do stuff for me for free.
I'm trying to help you be happy and proud of what you're doing to help the world.
Because you love medicine, you're studying medicine for years now if you're up here.
You know how to cure disease and you won't wear a t-shirt that says here's how to cure disease.
And I know, I know that what's really going on is you're just begging me to give you a swift kick in the ass.
I'm absolutely, I mean, I know that.
I know that you feel depressed.
I know that you feel helpless.
I know that you feel angry at the world.
I know that you feel terrified of being vulnerable and showing your enthusiasm and love for philosophy to the world.
I know that. We've all been through it.
But just do it.
You know what the next thing is.
Get out into the world. Even if it's just wearing a t-shirt at the gym or a baseball cap, a hoodie, whatever.
Even if that's all it is.
That's not a lot to ask.
In return for almost three years worth of high-level instruction in philosophy and education, 20 bucks a t-shirt.
I know, I know, I know that deep down the conversation is worth almost infinitely more than that to you.
I know that. So you just got to get off your ass and get out into the world.
And that's the next thing.
And that's the next thing.
It can't just be me.
It can't just be me. I'm gonna die.
But you've got to show your love for philosophy.
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