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July 24, 2024

878: How Does the Non-Aggression Principle Work in Real Life?

Brian dives into the practical challenges of applying the Non-Aggression Principle in real life, offering seven actionable strategies for individuals and communities to live out libertarian values in a world where not everyone shares these principles.

Is the Non-Aggression Principle (NAP) just a libertarian fantasy, or can it actually work in the real world? In this episode of Brian's Briefing, host Brian Nichols challenges listeners to reconsider how we apply libertarian principles in our daily lives. What happens when not everyone shares these values? How do we navigate a world where aggression seems to be on the rise? And most importantly, how can we make the NAP work for us in practical, meaningful ways?

 

 

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Brian dives deep into the core of the Non-Aggression Principle, breaking down its key components and examining why it's such a fundamental part of libertarian philosophy. He doesn't shy away from the tough questions, addressing head-on the challenges of applying these ideals in a world that often seems at odds with them. From the battle between idealism and reality to the existence of bad actors, Brian lays out the hurdles we face in living out these principles.

 

But this isn't just a theoretical discussion. Brian offers practical, actionable solutions for applying the NAP in our everyday lives. He emphasizes the importance of leading by example while being smart about the situations we put ourselves in. Building communities, balancing principles with practicality, and focusing on personal relationships are just a few of the strategies he proposes for making the NAP work in the real world.

 

The episode takes an interactive turn as Brian addresses a listener's question about applying the NAP when dealing with a government that doesn't follow the same principles. This real-world application showcases the complexity of the issue and the need for nuanced, thoughtful approaches to living out our values.

 

As the episode wraps up, Brian issues a challenge to his listeners: apply the Non-Aggression Principle in a practical way in your daily life and reflect on the experience. This call to action encourages listeners to move beyond theory and into practice, potentially transforming not just their own lives but their communities as well. Whether you're a seasoned libertarian or new to these ideas, this episode of Brian's Briefing offers valuable insights and practical strategies for living out your principles in a complex world.

 

 

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Transcript

Brian Nichols  0:00  
Welcome to Brian's briefing part of The Brian Nichols Show. I'm Brian Nichols. And in these focused episodes, I dive into key issues, ideas and principles that shape our world. No frills, no fluff, just straight talk on matters that count. Now, let's get started. Today we're diving deep into a topic that's near and dear to many libertarians, hearts, the non Aggression Principle or nap for short. But here's the twist. We're not just going to talk about the principle itself. Now, we're going to tackle something far more important. How does the nap actually work in real life? You see, libertarian ideas and principles are great, but they're only valuable if they can exist and function in the real world. So buckle up, because we're about to take a hard look at the non Aggression Principle and see how it holds up when the rubber meets the road. Let's start by defining the problem we're facing. The non Aggression Principle sounds great in theory, but does it work in practice? Here's what we're dealing with. First, the nap states that libertarians oppose the initiation of force to achieve social and political goals. Second, it includes a quote, good neighbor policy. Basically, Don't lie, don't cheat, don't steal, don't hit others unless they aggress against you first. And third, Libertarians argue that these personal ways of living should carry forward to government actions. Now, you might be thinking, Brian, that sounds pretty reasonable. What's the problem? Well, the issue lies in the assumption that most people already live this way. But is that really true? Here's where libertarian philosophy starts to run into trouble in the real world, the entire argument for supporting non aggression. And this good neighbor policy is built on the assumption that most people already live this way. But let's look at just the last five years or so. Since 2019, and really since the COVID pandemic, it's become increasingly apparent that more and more Americans are actually in that mindset. So our problem is this. How do we apply the non Aggression Principle in a world where not everyone shares these values? So now that we've identified the problem, let's break it down and analyze why this is such a challenge. First is the age old battle of idealism versus reality. Libertarianism is a very idealistic perspective. It's a very idealistic political idea. But it also has a lot of requirements from folks across the board, who do not adhere to libertarian ideas. Second, diverse perspectives. We live in a world that's divided not just on political ideologies, but also on socio economic factors, racial factors, religious factors, geographical factors, the list goes on and on. And there are so many pieces to this puzzle that impacts someone's moral and principled frameworks. Third, the existence of bad actors. Let's face it, there are bad people in the world. There are evil people in the world. And this is where the libertarian argument of Well, yeah, we respond with force when we are just met with force fall short, for the waiting game. The problem is, we're all in the mentality of waiting for someone to hit us first. But is that really the best approach? Shouldn't we be creating situations in circumstances where we aren't in positions to get hit in the first place. And fifth, the harm principle dilemma, this goes back to the harm principle of John Stuart Mill us, you have the right to swing your fist, but it ends up to where my nose begins. But here's the thing, in the time that somebody is swinging their fist towards your nose, you need to be able to make a very real and calculated response. Before we move on to the solution, let's address a question from one of our listeners. Sarah from Ohio. She asks, Brian, I understand the non Aggression Principle. But how do we apply it when dealing with a government that doesn't follow the same principles? Isn't it naive to expect the government to suddenly start adhering to the nap? Great question, Sarah. And yes, you've hit the nail on the head. This is exactly the kind of real world application we need to consider. And the truth is, it's naive to expect the government to suddenly start adhering to the nap. This is why our solutions need to focus on how we as individuals and communities can apply these principles in our daily lives, even when dealing with entities that don't share our values. So what's the solution? How do we live our principles in the real world? Well, here's a practical approach. First, we got to lead by example, but be smart. Meaning we should act salutely live by our principles and lead by example. But also, we need to be realistic about the world we live in. To create safe spaces. Now I hear you I hear, you know, I mean, instead of putting ourselves in dangerous situations, we should instead focus on creating circumstances where we're not in a position to be aggressed against in the first place. Third, and this follows right with number two, build communities. So surround yourself with good people who share your mindset. When you're building a community, that's where you really have to focus your time and attention when it comes to values. Fourth, balance principles with practicality. Couple are principles, the non Aggression Principle, the good neighbor policy, couple all those with our morals and our values. Find ways to live our principles that make sense in the real world, not just in theory. Number five, educate and engage, instead of expecting others to automatically adopt our principles, focus on education and engagement, educate, enlighten and inform, as we talked about here on The Brian Nichols Show, help others understand the benefits of the non Aggression Principle through dialogue, and demonstration. Number six, be prepared. While we shouldn't initiate aggression, we should be prepared to defend ourselves if necessary. And no, that does not contradict the nap at all. But rather, it's about being realistic in the world we live in right now. And number seven, focus on personal relationships, apply the nap in your personal relationships and in your local community. Change often starts small, and grows from there. So as we wrap up our short Brian's briefing, I want to leave you with a few thoughts. First, the non Aggression Principle and subsequently the good neighbor policy are absolutely valuable ideas. They're part of what makes libertarianism and attractive philosophy for so many folks. But if we want to see these principles actually work in the real world, we need to be realistic about how we apply them. That means we need to be smart about the situations we put ourselves in. We need to build communities of like minded individuals who share our values. And most importantly, we need to find ways to live our principles that make sense in the real world, not just theory. So here's my challenge of the week. Think about one situation in your daily life, where you can apply the non Aggression Principle in a practical way. Maybe it's in your interactions with your neighbors or how you handle a disagreement at work, and then put it into practice. At the end of the week, I want you to reflect on how it went. Did it make a difference? was a challenging? What did you learn? And then share your experiences with us? Send me an email at Brian at Brian Nichols show.com or tag me on social media at be Nichols liberty. I'd love to hear how it goes. And hey, we might even feature some of your stories like Sarah's in a future episode. And that wraps up today's episode of Brian's briefing. If you found value in this episode, please share it and tag yours truly at being Nichols liberty on social media. For more content, hit subscribe and the notification bell on your favorite video and podcasting platforms. Of course, continue the conversation in the comments below, or email me at Brian at Brian Nichols show.com. And don't forget to support our phenomenal sponsors like amp America and cardio miracle. You can find all of our sponsor links over on our homepage at Brian Nichols show.com. This is Brian Nichols signing off. We'll see you next time on The Brian Nichols Show.

Disembodied Voice of Matt Ultan, Vocal Artist Extraordinaire  8:41  
Thanks for listening to The Brian Nichols Show. Find more episodes at Brian Nichols show.com

Transcribed by https://otter.ai