I still feel like he’s judging me. And I am lacking.

Soooo many fishes could fit that description, but I’m glad my dude found his bad dude. Like, dude.

You should pay the first few marks so they’ll help establish the veneer of credibility. That’s Conning 101.

I forget the corresponding Ferengi Rule of Acquisition number.

Shocked any received it, honestly.

Yeah, for a moment I was thinking ‘I have to ask for this next time’. Like, they killed me last time they sedated me, so I probably have a good excuse.

But is that really what that would be like?

Probably not, and I’d just wind up awake for surgery, which is less than ideal.

Yeah, the reason I referenced the ‘nothing to hide’ thing was because he’s a lawman, and that’s a lawman saying.

I agree with you.

Great, thanks.

So how about we get enraged and vow to fight the blatant fascism going on in [gesturing about broadly].

Too much to ask?

Why would he? Nothing to hide, etc.

As the prosecutor during a nonfascist stint of the government, he was doing his actual job. That sounds ludicrous to these fascist weasels, but weirdly, he wasn’t doing politics. He was a prosecutor for The Hague, IIRC. A by-the-book career man. He literally has nothing to hide here.

It’s so annoying that so many people think everything is intrigue and spycraft when most government jobs are very boring just do-your-job monotony. Stop thinking everything is like movies and learn some real life shit, please. The world is far more boring than you think.

Wow. So glad this is what’s on what’s left of his mind. Not soaring prices or atrocities committed in his name. No, this is what matters.

Anyone else see a red circle at their feet, or is that just me?

Well, yeah. Regulations are a major part of society, and a major reason we tend to come together. Yet another reason libertarianism is misguided.

You literally can do that.

Why do people seem to think this is impossible?

What’s changed? Some parts of that life are sometimes illegal, but most people haven’t been against it like this.

What’s different?

Well yeah, I get that. But there are plots for really cheap, but they don’t have any kind of access to water, sewage, or whatever. Plots for like 10,000 or less. That sounds like a lot, I suppose, but it isn’t. I think it’s more that people don’t understand how money works,

Of course I do. And again, that’s my point.

People romanticise this, but it’s impossible for many reasons. You can easily try, but we have societies for a reason.

Everyone is free to do this, but good luck in practice. It’s not just hard, and it’s not just stupid, but why the fuck would you want this? It’s insane, and we’re not geared for this.

Life in the wilderness is not a Disney movie. It’s so ruthlessly difficult, that’s why society exists. We are stronger, safer, and happier together.

Yes, that would need to be the plan. One upfront payment then never paying for utilities or other things forever. That’s the only way this works. You don’t need income, because you live on rabbits and fish and your garden. If your house burns, you put it out with buckets from your stream. You build your house yourself by cutting down trees.

If you get sick, you either die or you don’t.

I think this is madness, but that’s how you do this.

But you never have to pay for utilities, rent, taxes for schools or roads or services … obviously it wouldn’t be completely free to purchase the land.

Yeah, but ‘nobody wants to be there for a reason’ is my whole point.

It will absolutely suck for you. That’s why civilisation is better, and also why we have to make some concessions to be in a society.

There’s no utopia where everything is perfect. There never was.

If you want societal amenities, you have to pay for them in some small way, and if you don’t, your life will be very hard. Those have always been the choices.

Search off-grid properties. They exist.

For the downvoters, here are some in the US:

https://www.landsearch.com/off-grid/united-states

Plenty of gorgeous listings.

And in Australia:

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/for-sale-australias-best-offgrid-properties/

Some very beautiful places, and also some very cheap.

Or Iceland:

https://www.bluehomes.com/buy-secluded-Iceland/ISL/10AL/AL/en/theme3.html

Or Siberia?

https://farmlands-agency.com/

You’d have to buy your own land, of course.

But you could buy a tiny plot in the middle of nowhere, not hook up any utilities or have roads, and just live off your land if you wanted.

There are small parcels in the middle of noplace that nobody wants because there are no roads, utilities, or other services.

So many people don’t understand why we live in a society, and apparently have no capacity for empathy.

They’re free to go live in the wilderness, with no roads, no fire department, no water or electricity, no services whatever, and find out how much they’re actually benefiting from our collective.

They won’t, because though they like to complain, they’re pussies who can’t be bothered to think for 5 minutes that the fact they can read and write their snarky bullshit is because they benefitted from free education, else they’d be illiterate.

But gods forbid they pay back the overwhelming amount they benefit from society in a small way. It’s fucking infuriating.