Explaining Libertarian Socialism to a Child

Libertarian socialism is the belief that people should be free from both government control and corporate power. It’s about creating a society where workers and communities make decisions together, rather than being ruled by politicians or bosses.

Imagine a workplace where everyone has a say in how things are run instead of a CEO calling all the shots. Or a neighborhood where people work together to solve problems instead of waiting for the government to step in. Libertarian socialists want a world built on cooperation, fairness, and shared resources without the need for big government or a ruling class.

It’s “socialist” because it opposes capitalism and wealth hoarding , and it’s “libertarian” because it values personal freedom and opposes authoritarian control

It’s about people sharing and making decisions together, instead of having a big boss or a big government telling them what to do.

Imagine if your toys belonged to everyone, and you and your friends decided together how to play with them. Nobody gets to take all the toys for themselves, and nobody gets to be the only boss. Everyone helps, everyone shares, and everyone is free to do what makes them happy without someone being unfairly in charge.

For liberals:

Libertarian socialism is like taking democracy and applying it everywhere, including the workplace. You already believe in democracy for government. But in capitalism, businesses are run like little dictatorships, where the boss has all the power. Libertarian socialism means workers and communities having a say in the decisions that affect them, so workplaces are democratic, wealth is shared more fairly and corporate power doesn’t run everything. It’s about freedom, but also fairness. You get to keep your personal rights, but without billionaires hoarding all the resources and rigging the system.

For conservatives

Libertarian socialism is about real freedom, freedom from both government overreach and corporate control. Right now, big businesses control the economy, and the government props them up while crushing small businesses and workers instead of relying on government handouts or corporate bosses, libertarian socialism means people working together directly to run things, like worker-owned businesses and community-driven solutions. It’s about keeping power in the hands of everyday people instead of elites, whether they’re in Washington or Wall Street.

Why I Am Against Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians

I’ve been stating that I am a socialist. I am a member of various groups on Facebook and when I attack Trump, I am called a “socialist Democrat.” I am not a Democrat. Democrats are capitalists just like Republicans, but the public is uneducated and don’t know the distinction. I used to think I was Libertarian, but they’re just extreme Republicans. I thought I’d lay out why I am against the Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians.

Republicans

Republicans are capitalism’s biggest defenders. Their pro-corporate, anti-worker policies directly clash with my goals. As someone who leans toward libertarian socialism, the GOP’s obsession with deregulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and union-busting infuriates me. Trump, especially is a major problem, and Republicans have embraced him fully. I think they have split off into two factions: Republicans and MAGA. MAGA is just Republicanism pushed to the extreme. MAGA is a natural enemy to what I’m against. On another note, Republicans push policies that promote population growth, and being an anti-natalist I am wholeheartedly against this. It completely goes against my ethics

Democrats

My opposition to Democrats comes from their failure to actually challenge capitalism and make meaningful change. While they talk about fairness, they ultimately uphold the same capitalist system I want to disrupt. They’ll tweak the edges, sure, but won’t challenge the core of the problem. They campaign on progressive ideas but rarely follow through in ways that matter. Medicare for All? Green New Deal? They talk big, but cave to corporate interests. They also take money from the same corporations and billionaires that Republicans do. They talk about progressivism but won’t truly take on the rich. Furthermore, even as Republicans become more extreme, Democrats often respond with weakness instead of fighting back aggressively. Their strategy of “let’s be reasonable” isn’t working.

Libertarians

Libertarians are more defenders of capitalism and they are against collective action. They worship the free market and want fewer regulations which make things worse for the working class and the environment. They reject collective solutions in favor of “personal responsibility,” which is useless when fighting systemic problems like wealth inequality or climate change. While I’m an anti-natalist and don’t give a shit if there are future generations, you’d think they’d give a little more of a shit about their future generations. I’ve said before that I used to worship Ayn Rand, but I learned the error of my ways. I saw through her selfish philosophy, but Libertarians never grew out of it. I especially hate their rejection of solidarity.

In summation: Republicans openly serve the rich, push corporate control, and embrace authoritarianism. Democrats pretend to care about change but protect capitalism and avoid real action. Libertarians worship the free market, reject collective solutions, and would let corporations run wild.

At the core, all three prioritize profit over people and resist the kind of radical change I believe is necessary.

Borders Are Peak Absurdity

Borders are one of the more absurd human constructs. They’re just imaginary lines that people violently enforce to keep others in or out, usually for the benefit of those in power. There’s no natural reason why one side of a river or a mountain should “belong” to one group of people and not another—it’s all about control, resources, and maintaining systems of power.

It’s wild how people will fight and die over borders, even though they only exist because some long-dead rulers or colonizers decided they should. It’s even wilder how most people just accept them as some kind of universal truth rather than a completely arbitrary system designed to divide and exploit.

Borders are peak human absurdity. We literally drew invisible lines on a planet that was just sitting here, existing just fine without them, and decided that stepping over those lines without permission is a crime. Then we built fences, walls, and armies to enforce those lines—often with deadly force.

It gets even more ridiculous when you look at history. Half the time, borders were drawn by some random guys in a room with no connection to the land or the people living there (looking at you, colonialism). Sometimes, entire countries were created or erased by the stroke of a pen, with no regard for the people actually living there. The Middle East? Carved up by Europeans who didn’t even live there. Africa? Sliced into pieces at a conference table in Berlin.

Even within so-called “stable” countries, borders shift. The U.S. stole half of Mexico. Poland has been shuffled around like a deck of cards. And yet, people act like today’s borders are sacred and eternal, as if they weren’t just violently imposed or changed a hundred years ago.

And don’t even get me started on how some borders are enforced for some people and not others. If you’re rich, borders barely exist—you can buy citizenship, get special visas, or just own enough property to move freely. But if you’re poor? Good luck. You could be running from war, climate disaster, or starvation, and still, some bureaucrat will tell you, “Sorry, wrong side of the line.”

At the end of the day, borders are just another tool to maintain inequality. They protect wealth, resources, and power, not people. They’re imaginary lines with real-world consequences, and the fact that we still take them seriously in 2025 is honestly embarrassing.

Why I Became a Socialist

I was raised in a Republican family. For the longest time, that’s just what I thought I was supposed to be because that’s what my family was. I supported George W. Bush up until he invaded Iraq. I was all about “rah! rah! guns for everybody!” in my youth. While I still own guns, I think there need to be stricter laws, closed loopholes, and no, not everyone needs to have a fucking gun. “But the Second Amendment!” Yeah, yeah, yeah. Look up the definition of “amendment” and get back to me.

As a teen I was obsessed with Ayn Rand. Maybe it was just me being an edgy teenager, but I was all “Yeah! Every man for himself! To hell with everyone else!” I’ve grown and matured and after re-reading Atlas Shrugged eight years ago. I learned that her philosophy is self-serving and does no one any good. Not to mention, she turned toward government help later on in her life so what a hypocrite. It’s funny. Every time capitalism spirals into crisis, socialist-inspired policies step in to save it. The same people who attack socialism are often the first to demand government help when capitalism crashes. If capitalism actually followed its own “sink or swim” logic, it wouldn’t have survived this long.

To be honest, I didn’t care much for politics until the rise of Donald Trump. His presidency made me more engaged. His corruption, authoritarianism, and the broader failures of the system reinforced my belief that capitalism and electoral policies alone won’t fix anything. I used to think no matter what party the President aligns himself with, they have the good of the country at heart deep down. After both of Trump’s wins, I no longer believe that. Just like Ayn Rand, Trump is self-serving and in it for Trump and his brand.

I’ve always considered myself a misanthrope. Hell, I even have the word “misanthrope” tattooed on my arm. I don’t want to go so far as to say I hate other people, but I am deeply distrustful of them and the systems they create. No one wants to help others anymore. It’s all “me, me, me!” With socialism, it’s about helping your fellow man. Not everyone is in it for themselves when it comes to socialism. It’s a collective effort to make the world a better place than we found it. Capitalism is nothing but “how can I get richer?” and “I want to get ahead no matter how many people I have to trample underfoot to do so.”

I’ve also been doing more reading and research. People like Albert Camus, Emil Cioran, and Noam Chomsky are people I hold in high regard. Camus’ idea of the absurd is about the conflict between human desire for meaning and a meaningless universe. Capitalism mirrors this: it promises purpose through work, consumption, and success, but ultimately, it’s an empty grind. The absurdity of capitalism is that it demands people dedicate their lives to meaningless labor while pretending it’s freedom. Camus believed in revolt — not in the sense of violent revolution (although at this point, I support that), but in refusing to submit to oppressive structures. When this is applied to capitalism, it means rejecting the illusion that the system is natural or inevitable. Instead, we can challenge it, disrupt it, and refuse to play by its rules.

Noam Chomsky is a relentless critic of capitalism. He argues that real democracy is impossible under capitalism because corporations and the wealthy control political decisions. Elections are a spectacle. Real power is concentrated in unelected institutions such as corporations, lobbyists, and banks. He teaches us to organize outside of electoral politics. Build movements that can apply pressure beyond just voting.

And what could I possibly learn from Mr. “Everything Sucks” Emil Cioran? Cioran believed that humans cling to illusions: progress, meaning, and success to avoid confronting the void. Capitalism sells the biggest illusion: that endless work and consumption lead to fulfillment. In reality, it’s a treadmill of disappointment. No matter how much you achieve or accumulate, it’s never enough. What I get from Cioran is that exposing capitalism means stripping away its illusions and showing people that its promises are hollow.

I’ve become frustrated with online complaining and simply waiting for the next election cycle to make changes. I want direct political disruption. Protests don’t work like they used to so I want new, fresh ideas to challenge capitalism. Ultimately, I’ve become frustrated with the whole capitalist system whether it’s healthcare, economic inequality, or corporate control. I see capitalism as unsustainable and in need of radical change.

Trumpism has taken over and even the Democrats are too chicken shit to do anything about it. Trump is just a belligerent old man who, if he could, rule the world if given enough power. I’m tired of power being in the hands of the wealthy. I want the common people to rise up and fight this oppressive system, and there are more of us than there are of them so what the hell are we waiting for?

Or maybe I became a socialist just because I listened to way too much Rage Against the Machine. Who knows?

Why I’m a Libertarian Socialist

I didn’t vote in 2016 because I didn’t like Clinton or Trump. I voted third party in 2020 because I thought Biden and Trump were both too old. I voted for Harris in 2024 because I thought anyone, even a Democrat would be better than Trump. Voting Democrat does not make me a Democrat, though. I’ve always fallen into what is known as Libertarian Socialism (think more Noam Chomsky and Guy Debord.)

Libertarian Socialism is a political philosophy that combines socialist economics with a strong emphasis on individual freedom, direct democracy, and decentralized power. It oppose both state control as seen in authoritarian socialism and capitalist exploitation, advocating for worker self-management, cooperative ownership of resources, and voluntary associations.

I believe true freedom is impossible under capitalism, as economic coercion forces people into exploitative relationships. I’d like to see a society based on voluntary cooperation. I’m looking for ways to disrupt capitalism and push for socialist alternatives. I’m extremely skeptical of relying solely on electoral politics and traditional protests. I’d like for more immediate tactics.

I don’t trust the powers that be in a capitalist society. Capitalism is an inherently exploitative system that prioritizes profit over people. Capitalism concentrates power in the hands of the few at the expense of the many. Capitalism traps people in powerlessness rather than enabling real change; it also exacerbates human selfishness and destruction. It’s a system that rewards the absolute worst people like Trump, Apartheid Clyde, Zuckerberg, and Bezos while crushing everyone else.

The end goal of libertarian socialism is to create a society where economic and political power is decentralized, capitalism is abolished, and people have direct control over their workplace and communities. It seeks to replace hierarchal systems — whether capitalist or authoritarian socialist — with cooperative, voluntary, and democratic structures.

Essentially, libertarian socialism sees a world where power is in the hands of the people, not corporations or the state, and where cooperation replaces exploitation.

I am more than willing to work with Democratic Socialists, which I have started to do by contacting a local Democratic Socialist representative in the government here. I am also willing to work with traditional socialists as well as communists. I want to do what I can to bring down capitalism where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. If there are any other socialists or Marxists out there willing to help me in this fight, please reach out. My email is kafkaphony@gmail.com. I realize by having a gmail account it’s just giving capitalists more power, but it’s a necessary evil at the moment.

Can Freedom and Communism Coexist?

I’ve been delving more and more and reading more and more into systems other than the oppressive one that is Capitalism. Something has to be done to bring down the entire Capitalist system. I think we need some sort of revolution and to make way for Socialism or Communism or at the very least Democratic-Socialism, Libertarian-Socialism, or Anarcho-Communism.

I’m fond of the freedoms we have so far in the United States, but with this new administration I fear that those freedoms are going to be taken away by the Capitalists. But you may be asking, “But isn’t Communism against freedom?” I have always thought that as well after being brainwashed and indoctrinated by the education system and the news, but it’s not the case.

Can freedom exist within a Communist or Socialist society? It depends on how you define “freedom” and “Communism.” If by “freedom” do I mean the ability to live without economic coercion? Have access to basic needs and participate in decision making? If that’s what I mean then the answer is yes. Many leftist theorists argue that true freedom is only possibly when Capitalism is abolished, since it forces people to sell their labor to survive.

Communism is against the right to accumulate wealth and own private property at the expense of others. In that regard, Communism is incompatible with freedom. Communism prioritizes collective well-being over individual accumulation, which can sometimes mean restricting certain freedoms such as the freedom to exploit labor or hoard resources.

Historically, some communist regimes have suppressed political freedom such as the USSR and North Korea, but those two were never truly Communist, but I’ll save that for another day. Many leftists argue that a stateless, decentralized form of Communism, like Anarcho-Communism would maximize both economic and political freedom.

In a truly Communist society — especially in a decentralized, democratic form like Anarcho-Communism — freedom of choice, speech, and the press could still exist, and in some ways, they might even be stronger than under Capitalism.

In a Communist system where resources are collectively owned and distributed based on need, people wouldn’t be forced to take jobs just to survive. Instead they could choose their work based on interests and community needs. However, certain choices like owning private businesses or accumulating excessive wealth wouldn’t exist because the contradict the principle of Communist ownership.

In theory, a Communist society could allow free speech and press, especially if it’s structured democratically. If power is decentralized and decisions are made collectively, suppressing speech would go against the idea of worker control. The press would be worker-run instead of owned by a few wealthy individuals, leading to a more diverse range of perspectives instead of media being controlled by corporate interests.

In short, freedom of speech, the press, and choice could absolutely exist under Communism, it just depends on whether the system is democratic and decentralized or authoritarian and bureaucratic.

How to Fight Capitalism with Absurdism and Anti-Natalism

Absurdist Economic Takes:
1. Corporate Feudalism Proposal – Argue that since corporations already control everything, we should just go full medieval and assign CEOs official lordship over their workers. “Sir Bezos of Amazonia” could knight his best delivery squires.

Hyper-Libertarian Work Ethics:
Suggest that employees should pay for the privilege of working at a company because exposure to capitalism is a valuable experience.

NFT Labor Contracts:
Advocate for replacing wages with NFTs of one’s own labor. “I don’t get paid, but I have a blockchain receipt proving I worked 40 hours this week.”

Extreme Subscription Model:
Suggest that capitalism should be fully subscription-based. Want to breathe air? That’s a premium feature.

Bring Back Bartering, but Stupid:
Insist on trading Pokemon cards, Beanie Babies, or memes as legitimate currency. “You want my labor? That’ll be three rare Beanie Babies.”

Disrupting Billionaire Worship:

Billionaire Hunger Games:
Suggest that the world’s richest should settle disputes in gladiator-style combat, with the winner getting to keep their fortune.

Forced Billionaire Parenthood:
Since billionaires love growth, they should be required to have at least 50 children each to keep the economy strong. Looking at you, Apartheid Clyde.

The Pharaoh Trump Proposal:
Demand that Trump be buried in a golden pyramid surrounded by all his wealth to ensure he takes it to the afterlife.

Absurdist Takes on Productivity Culture:

24/7 Workday:
If productivity is all that matters, why stop at 40 hours? Demand that we sleep in cubicles, dream about work, and have our unconscious thoughts monetized.

Replace CEOs with AI:
Insist that if workers can be replaced by AI, so can executives. “Let ChatGPT run Tesla. Can’t be worse than Musk.”

Uber for Everything:
Suggest that everything should be gig work, including marriage, parenting, and friendship. “I don’t have a best friend, but I can summon one on an app for $10 an hour.”

Taking the Stock Market to Its Logical Extreme:

Stock Market Battle Royale:
Argue that if capitalism is just a game, we should televise the stock market like a reality show where losing CEOs get voted off the island.

Day-Trading Human Lives:
Suggest that instead of money, people should be publicly traded. “I just invested in Karen’s Etsy shop. Her stock is rising.”

Weaponize Anti-Natalism Against Capitalism:

Kids as Investments:
I propose that children be issues stocks at birth, and parents must trade shares in their offspring.

Life as a Pyramid Scheme:
Argue that having kids is just capitalism’s version of multi-level marketing. “Recruit new workers or capitalism dies.”

Hey Kid, You Want to Build Communism?

My reading this month has consisted of re-reading The Communist Manifesto. I haven’t read it since my freshman year of college. I am also discussing communism, socialism, and capitalism with a friend of mine. Capitalism is no better than communism or socialism. People say, “Communism has killed millions!”

To that, I say that Capitalism exploits people in other countries for profit, not for the greater good. How many people has Capitalism killed by letting the poor and sick and homeless just go ahead and die just because they couldn’t afford food, shelter, or healthcare? Capitalism is responsible for the deaths of the sick and poor. As was said in an Otep song, “There isn’t any cure for the poor and uninsured.”

So, how are we defining the number of people killed by an economic system? Do you count all the preventable deaths by hunger or curable diseases that took place due to poverty under that system? When counting death tolls of 20th century state socialism, most people count such deaths. If we do that for capitalism, then the death toll is astronomically higher.

What about occupational deaths among proletarians and unfree laborers in capitalist societies, both on the job and as the result of health problems brought on by their work?

And how about those killed in wars in which a capitalist state was the aggressor, including in any anti-colonial uprisings against a capitalist state (as the capitalist state was the aggressor in these also, because the violence of their occupation provoked the necessary uprising)?

Communists may have killed people, but wars waged for feudalism and capitalism way outrank it with centuries of imperialism and the people killed by communists tend to be those with guns trying to shoot them and so, in a battle context, don’t really count as killing innocent people.

So, am I a Communist? No. I am just saying capitalism is shit for being exploitative and it’s not the perfect system Americans think it is. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer under Capitalism. If you ask me what has radicalized me into this way of thinking then I say to you it’s Trump. Trumpism has radicalized me. I am doing anything I can to fight back against this regime. I am emailing and calling anyone I can to ask them to put an end to this oligarchy we now live under. I have my first meeting with a group of Socialists next week that I’m looking forward to.

“Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries unite!”

Little X

As Musk answered questions from the press, his son X Æ A-Xii proved to be a distraction by pulling faces, clinging onto his dad’s shoulders and interrupting him.

One clip shows X jr. picking his nose and wiping it on the Resolute desk, which was gifted to President Rutherford Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880 and used by nearly every president since.

Elon’s kid wiping his boogers on the resolute desk is a sight I didn’t really need to see.

The most egregious aspect to Musk’s presser in the Oval Office is how he used his child to obfuscate when asked difficult questions by the press. He used his son to soften and distract from the impact of his hugely controversial policies.

ln Musk’s recent appearance at the White House — accompanied by his young son — is a blatant display of arrogance and entitlement.

Musk — an unelected billionaire — struts into the Oval Office as if he owns the place, bringing his child along as though it’s a casual family outing.

This isn’t a playground; it’s the epicenter of American democracy.

Musk’s actions epitomize the dangerous belief that immense wealth grants one the right to influence and control governmental affairs.

His nonchalant demeanor and apparent disregard for the sanctity of the White House underscore a troubling trend where money and power are perceived as tickets to unchecked authority.

US citizens are seemingly powerless to confront this overreach.

Allowing unelected individuals like Musk to wield such influence undermines the very foundation of democracy.

Musk even defies all of Trump’s rules. The dress code, and no kids allowed in the oval office or at work, proving once again that he is in charge and Trump is not. Musk and his 4-year-old son both interrupted Trump, and Trump looked very angry and turned away from the kid. At one point, X was seen picking his nose. He also “charmed” the room by politely excusing himself, saying, “Please forgive me, I need to pee.”

5 Reasons Trump is a Cunt

Trump, I think, is one of the most divisive Presidents we’ve ever had. I remember Bush being popular after 9/11 but immediately losing popularity after he decided to invade Iraq. Someone can correct me on that if I’m wrong, but that’s just how I remember it. I was in high school then and don’t remember much because I didn’t pay attention to the news like I should have. I didn’t start paying attention to the news until the 2016 elections when it started to seem like Trump had a good chance of winning.

Once Trump won I remember officially giving up on us as a species. I wasn’t fond of us before then, but that sealed the deal for me. We’re idiots and we deserve whatever catastrophic events come our way. Plague? Nuclear holocaust? Plague and then a nuclear holocaust? We deserve whatever nature or a foreign enemy tosses our way for the outcome of that election. It was a culmination of the stupidity of a culture that came together — a culture that’s too wrapped up in reality television, viral videos, and being famous just for being famous.

Someone online posed a question, not understanding how people can be so anti-Trump. I stay out of political arguments these days because they don’t do anything except lead to insults and broken friendships. Since I don’t care anything about this person’s friendship I decided to chime in with my reasons for not liking the moron:

1. He does not have the temperament for the job.

2. He is too vain for the job.

3. He can not tolerate a negative comment about what he says or does.

4. He immediately tries to discredit or attack anyone or organization that does such a thing. You can’t be in his position and throw a tantrum any time someone says something negative about you. That just comes with the territory of being president. People are going to make fun of you. If you didn’t want that to happen then you shouldn’t have signed up. I think he’s used to surrounding himself with “yes” men and since we’re not a nation of “yes” men he doesn’t know how to handle that so he lashes out.

5. I don’t like children. That includes 73-year-old children.

But what do I know? I’m just someone with an opinion and internet access. No one cares what any of us think anyway.