My name is Jared Howe, and I'm a Voluntaryist.
I'm also a technical writer for a software company, a classically trained guitarist, a hip hop artist and a free lance writer specializing in ethics, Austrian economics, abolitionism and anarchism.
I'm a firm believer in the natural law of "do no harm", and I view all rights as property rights. Property rights are established to avoid conflict over scarce, rivalrous resources. By acknowledging the "best link" between an individual and a rivalrous resource, we acknowledge the rightful owner of that resource. By applying these principles to the bodies of individual people, we provide a framework that allows us to minimize conflict among people and determine liability when conflict occurs.
Human beings are among the most rivalrous of available resources, which is why slavery and plunder have occurred throughout all of human history. However, there is no better link to an individual's body than the free will of that individual, which means that no one should violate the bodily integrity of any individual without that individual's consent.
Most people already feel this way when it comes to sexual relationships. Most people likewise recognize that rape is immoral. My goal is to get people to universalize this notion with regard to all interactions. When we acknowledge that all rights are property rights, it necessarily implies that all crimes are a form of trespass. Assault, kidnapping, torture, rape and slavery are trespasses against the body while theft is a trespass against the personal effects of the body.
So while most people are offended at the prospect of regarding people as property, doing so is actually the most humane and moral position as it allows us to most effectively acknowledge and protect the bodily integrity of individuals. The non-aggression principle is a duty, or negative obligation, which arises from property rights. Without property rights, there is no non-aggression principle.
That's why I start from property rights and the action axiom with regard to everything I do. I want everyone to be equally free from the aggression of men and women who call themselves "government". Costumes, badges, guns and fancy paper don't create moral exceptions for theft and murder.
I realize that this is sometimes a tough sell on paper because it can be dry material to get through (so thank you if you're still following along), which is why I put as much of this as I can into my podcasts, art and music. My artist name is J3443ONE (Jerry One) and I've been rapping about self-ownership since before I considered myself a Voluntaryist. It's been very exciting to see both my own progression as an artist and the increased positive response to my work over the years.
If you like what I'm doing musically, feel free to keep up with my work on Soundcloud @ https://soundcloud.com/j3443one. I have almost one million plays on Soundcloud so if you're into hip hop and voluntaryism, you might end up being a fan of my work (especially if you're also a fan of rappers like Aesop Rock and Del The Funkee Homosapien).
If you like my writing, I publish content several times daily on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/therealjaredhowe in addition to what I publish here on Steemit.
I'm also an administrator for the Seeds of Liberty Podcast (host of my weekly podcast THE DOWNFALL) and Living in Modern Times facebook pages, so you can definitely find my content there as well.
I'm glad to be on Steemit! I've had a great first week here and hope to have several more! This platform is BRIMMING with talented content creators. I'm excited to help you all make the world a more voluntary place!
-Jared
I'm Jared Howe! I'm a Voluntaryist hip hop artist and professional technical editor/writer with a passion for Austrian economics and universal ethics. You can catch my podcast every Friday on the Seeds of Liberty Podcast Network.
