The Art of Being Free

by Wendy McElroy

This is a book on the current state of freedom, by one of the great thinkers and essayists of our time: Wendy McElroy. But it is unlike any you have ever read. It deals with the current crisis in a way that no one else does. It has deep and fascinating research on all the main issues we face: the loss of security in the name of security, the state's role in strangling economic opportunity, the petty central-planning that has regimented every aspect of life, the loss of basic civil liberties. The argument is relentless, fresh, and eye opening as never before. But she goes a step further, even several steps further. She argues that your rights and freedom are too important to wait for political reform. We must take our fate into our own hands, and live free regardless of what the political elites are attempting to do to us. Can we live full, free, and prosperous lives in these times, starting now? McElroy says that we can and we must. She presents a new way of thinking about how to build civilization even when it is so under attack. In her view, the worst mistake we can make is to allow our lives to be consumed by politics and the awful realities that surround us. We must instead surround ourselves by people and things we truly love. The best way to fight back, she says, is to find and build freedom for ourselves. We must discover the art of being free. The last chapter alone has been called one of the most inspired and inspiring pleas for real-life liberty ever penned. Here we have a manual on not only what is wrong with the world but also for how to refuse to be beaten back by our overlords. Despite the subject matter, then, this is a libertarianism that is bright, upbeat, and triumphant, even in these times.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Politics, Economics

214 pages, Paperback

First published July 22, 2012

About the author

Wendy McElroy is a Canadian individualist feminist and anarcho-capitalist.

Among feminists, she identifies herself as being sex-positive: defending the availability of pornography and condemning anti-pornography feminism campaigns. She has also voiced criticism of sexual harassment policies, particularly the zero-tolerance policies common to grade schools, which she considers to be "far too broad and vague" and lacking the sound research necessary to guide responsible policy-making decisions.

In explaining her position in regard to capitalism, she says she has a "marked personal preference for capitalism as the most productive, fair and sensible economic system on the face of the earth," but also recognizes that the free market permits other kinds of systems as well. She says what she wants for society is "not necessarily a capitalistic arrangement but a free market system in which everyone can make the peaceful choices they wish with their own bodies and labor." Therefore, she does not call herself a capitalist but someone for a "free market."

(This description is taken from Wikipedia.)

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant modern libertarian manifesto and call to action. Excellent reading for all who aspire to real freedom.

[Jesse Wales · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly contradictory, elitist garbage. Giving it two stars because I got other book recommendations out of this. Overall, waste of time, but it was fun to quote parts with friends and laugh.

[David Czuba · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a stupid, stupid book.

[Alan Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Williams says we lose our freedom an inch at a time. Wendy McElroy says it's already gone and we have to get it back. With the TSA, government organizations that keep track of our every movement and a president who has given himself the power to order the execution of U.S. citizens, I have to agree with her. We have by far the largest prison population of any nation in the world. This is a thought-provoking book that every freedom-loving American needs to read. Is it too late, or are we no better off than citizens of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union but just don't know it yet? Wendy has done her research, and she quotes some of the great freedom lovers of history. She nets it out for us. Now it's our turn to either reverse the trend or lose forever what our founders fought for.

[NormaCenva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it has humour, factual info and analysis, the presentation of facts ans speculations in this book is done with style and tact. Would be great to read something else by the same author.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don't agree with all of Ms. McElroy's beliefs, she does an excellent job of presenting them. The result is quite a thought-provoking book--always a good thing.