- Live and Let Live – it’s in its name. People should be free to live however they choose so long as they allow others to do the same; let live. The logic identified in the phrase, ‘live and let live’, is that the one essential prescription (which could be called a law, morality or right) is that we must not aggress against each other.
- The root of all the biggest avoidable problems humanity faces is aggression. Peaceful co-existence requires freedom. Freedom is ensured by adherence to the Legal Principle; that no person, group, corporation or government initiate physical force against another person or their property, commit fraud, threaten or create substantial risks of harm. This concept is both ancient and widely agreed upon; it’s the Golden Rule. The application of this insight removes the vast majority of laws and regulations that impede intelligent responsibility, whilst not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
- We must separate morality from the law if we are to avoid the endless fights over whose morality is superior. For reasonable people, the common fundamental root of our shared moral values is that we don’t aggress against each other – we make this the law; the mandatory Legal Principle. In contrast, the Moral Principle is not mandatory, because there are reasonable disagreements about which aspirational values and behaviours are optimal in different circumstances. That being said, the Moral Principle is far broader and perhaps even more important for achieving peace on earth – the Legal Principle is the bare minimum requirement.
- We must replace the coercive systems of tax, subsidy and unprincipled regulation with voluntary systems that align with the Moral Principle of kindness, tolerance and high character. A free society must benefit everyone, even those who currently feel dependent on the coercive systems.
- Reasonable minds, equally committed to the Legal Principle of not aggressing, honestly disagree about specific interpretations of this principle applied to complex issues, like abortion and many others. Peaceful co-existence requires that we allow local communities to decide for themselves on their own reasonable interpretations of the Legal Principle.
- The transition to a free and peaceful society cannot take place overnight because of the pervasive dependencies we have on the existing systems of coercion to maintain a functioning society. Like a heroin addict going sober, the withdrawals themselves can be as deadly as the drug. The transition must be neither too slow (given the existential risks) nor too fast. Live and Let Live does not prescribe a one-size-fits-all plan or pace of the transition, but outlines a clear vision of the destination. This vision is not utopian – we expect and must prepare for the threat of aggression, even though these risks would be greatly mitigated relative to the status quo.
- The Live and Let Live Global Peace Movement provides a blueprint for humanity to achieve peace. It does not offer a utopia, nor does it expect to achieve global peace, given how broadly ‘peace’ is defined. We do believe it’s better than what we have now. We’re committed to excellence and remain open minded to any challenges and suggestions for improvement.
- A coordinated global plan for effectively addressing the greatest substantial risks to humanity, like nuclear bombs, synthetic biology and AI, is unavoidable given the global nature of the risks. A global peace movement based on correct fundamental principles is the best foundation for addressing these urgent issues.
To include somewhere:
- Virtue over aggression
- 3L is a first-principles approach – boiling things down to the most fundamental truths.
