That simple statement explains so much of what is wrong with today’s society – with world society and our so-called civilization. “Live and let live” used to be a popular American slogan, both in the biggest and most crowded of urban cores and out in the wild, wide-open frontier areas of the American West.

But now? It seems to be anything but…

Of course, we could write commentary after commentary about the Mrs. Grundy and Karen people of the world: especially the Carrie Nation type fanatics who seem set on ensuring that everyone lives lifes as miserable as their own. Who are convinced that if ANYONE ANYWHERE is having fun or doing something that the Karen doesn’t like, it is horrible and must be immediately stopped.

But let us instead what is both a source of such perversity AND the result of too many people with that attitude.

We don’t see governments which do anything except more and more micromanage the lives of their citizens, and as much as possible, everyone else they can have any influence on or power over.

We don’t see governments treating adults as adults – instead we see virtually everyone on this planet that has power who think that only they are really adults and able to make their own decisions. (And clearly have doubts about their own adulthood when it comes to things like guns and drugs – or are just plain hypocrites.)

Instead we see governments – and far too many private firms and organizations and individuals who are constantly creating disincentives to work, produce, and trade. Who push more and more nonsensical, fanatical regulations on everyone and every thing. Who work hard dismantling free markets and sound tearing down economic principles in the name of social justice. Who constantly foment conflict at home (even in their own neighborhood or rural community) and abroad. Who constantly invent new taxes and “fees” and other ways to get money. And who then turn around and find more and more ways to spend that money (and so much more) to support more and more parasites.

This is, of course, the natural desire of government (if we can call ANYthing government does “natural” rather than perverted and artificial). Government gains immense power from treating everyone like little children who are incompetent to do anything without careful, constant, supervision.

So they teach the gullible among us to fear what other people will do to them IF those other people are not controlled by something – usually human, mandatory government.

These people are essential to government. If other people can live their own lives without constant control and management (which of course implies constant observation and the threat of punishment (that is, threatening force against them), these government-worshippers just KNOW that those uncontrolled people will immediately attack them, their families, and everything they value.

So they push for more government. And when they encounter those of us who resist government – in the most minute of ways – they demand that government be given even MORE power and wealth to squander to control us.

It is a vicious circle – and one we should have long ago been tired of.