S3E10: What Cooperation Actually Looks Like

main idea: Community requires participation.

The founding principle of Libertarianism is… wait for it… Liberty. Freedom of choice, of association, and of all things. It is the idea that so long as you are not infringing on the rights of someone else you should be able to live your life, do with your body and your property however you see fit. 

It is vitally important to a free society for its people to understand what the concept of liberty means, but we often forget the topic of responsibility. You cannot have one without the other. 

We have covered the topics of Personal Responsibility and Accountability in prior episodes. In that same vein is the topic of “Community” and why this concept is equally important. In being free we all have a certain level of responsibility to one another and to our communities, to share the resources we have available to us that contribute to the overall health of our communities. 

Youth sports or other group activities can be great for teaching the concept of community. Sports or other group activities can provide opportunities for children to be challenged by, and learn how to be accountable to, their peers and community leaders or coaches. Having these influences outside of the home promotes partnership, encourages cooperative participation, and provides a valuable foundation upon which a child can build character and develop leadership skills. 

Children can be stimulated to learn and grow, and can be held accountable when they are not making equal contributions as their peers in support of the team or group’s common goal. 

1. Have there been conversations in your home with your children about this idea of community and how they should contribute? 
2. Does your family have any projects or community service commitments they do as a family as a way to practice volunteerism?
3. Have your children displayed understanding of those lessons, and if so- in what way?
4. Are there any activities in which your children participate that support the conversations you have had? 

Coercion vs. Cooperation, is there a difference? Absolutely! Coercion is when an act is compelled by force or threat, while cooperation is defined as association with a mutual benefit (Merriam Webster Definitions linked). Forced vs. Voluntary.

A good example of this in current events would be vaccine mandates. This past week the Federal Government issued a mandate for companies with 100+ employees which forces companies to require vaccination for all its employees, or weekly negative COVID tests for unvaccinated employees.

So, let’s break that down…