In the history of the world, every single empire has dissolved after being stretched too thin. Every single fiat currency has lost against the realities of economics. And every single centralized State has collapsed under its own bureaucracy. A lot may change in 2012, but it's not all doom-and-gloom. In fact, it's the opposite. Such very-real scenarios set the stage for a better alternative: a voluntary society.

You know things aren't right. But how did we arrive here? Think critically. What can be done to change things for the better? As penned by Rose Wilder lane in The Discovery of Freedom:

Look at any available records of any people, living anywhere at any time in the whole history of the Old World. . . They replace the priest by a king, the king by an oligarchy, the oligarchs by a despot, the despot by an aristocracy, the aristocrats by a majority, the majority by a tyrant, the tyrant by oligarchs, the oligarchs by aristocrats, the aristocrats by a king, the king by a parliament, the parliament by a dictator, the dictator by a king . . . there's six thousand years of it, in every language. . . Every imaginable kind of living Authority has been tried, and is still being tried somewhere on earth now.

Should we strive for a revolution? Should we seek to replace a "bad" leader with a "good" leader? Or is that just more of the same? How about we each evolve, and run our own lives? Act as we best see fit (and be responsible for our actions), and leave others free to do the same?

Those who seek to control others thrive on censorship. They must hide or distort their misdeeds to maintain legitimacy. But their grip is slipping. Today we each have the ability to communicate regardless of geographical distances or arbitrary political boundaries. Transparency is increasing and ideas are being shared. The real aggressors are being seen for their actions.

Nothing can stop an idea who's time has come. And there's no way a lethargic, top-down bureaucracy can ever hope to keep pace with a nimble, decentralized association of individuals dedicated to keeping information free and accessible.

How great would it be to live in a society where no one acts like they have extra rights because no one claims, nor grants, them? Where actions wrong don't suddenly become right when wearing a particular costume? Where blind obedience to text on paper is replaced by common sense?

Live free. Don't buy into the fear. Ignore the distractions. Negate the state. Evolve past the current master-slave dichotomy. Your actions will embolden others to do the same.

Things today are in flux, but that presents an opportunity. We have only to replace bad ideas with good ideas. That's it. If you recognize things are wrong yet fail to act, believing you'll do so later, you're living a lie. If you fail to act today it will only become more difficult tomorrow.

Think about it: Who owns you?

Stand on your principles. Educate yourself and those around you. Live today what you hope to see tomorrow.

More:
The Chain of Obedience by StormCloudsGathering
I'm Allowed to Rob You! by Larken Rose
The State Is Not Great: How Government Poisons Everything by Jacob Spinney
Charles "Rad Geek" Johnson chats it up with MHD about Agorism by the Motorhome Diaries
Brad Spangler on His Journey to Embracing Agorism from the Motorhome Diaries
Problem: Police, Solution: Agorism by John Bush on Cop Block
Agorist Class Theory by Samuel Edward Konkin III on Pete Eyre