In this weeks episode of MLP:FIM we are introduced to the Equestria equivalent to Valentine's day, Hearts and Hooves day, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders shown making a gigantic heart shaped card for their teacher, Cheerilee.
After giving the card and discovering that Ms. Cheerilee does not have a very special somepony for herself, the CMC's set out to find a find the perfect stallion to make her heart soar. After a cute little song, the CMC's conclude that it is Apple Blooms brother, Big Macintosh who will be the candidate.
Worried that Big Mac is too shy to ask Cheerilee out on a date, the CMC's set up an unsuccessful, awkward blind date between the unknowing two. After bumping into Twilight, who reveals to the Crusaders from a book she was reading that Heart's and Hooves day was started because of a love potion, the CMC's get the idea to make the love potion to get the two ponies to fall in love.
The Crusaders borrow the book, make the love potion for Cheerilee and Big Mac, and trick them into drinking it. Upon drinking it, the two ponies fall hopelessly in love with one another and become "nonsense spouting nincompoops" who are unable to focus on anything else but romantically doting on one another.
Reading the book they borrowed from Twilight, the Crusaders realise the love potion was actially a love poison and that the only antidote from it's effects was to separate the two love birds from an hour.
Needless to say, they succeed, and with the love poison's spell broken, Cheerilee instructs the Crusaders to do Big Macintosh's chores after they realise the important lesson that nopony can make any other pony fall in love with one another and it's not their business anyways.
End Spoilers
There were a few libertarian concepts in this episode that are well worth noting.
Responsibility
There is a small exchange between Applebloom and Scootaloo where Applebloom describes the conundrum they are in. Manely, that if Big Mac and Cheerilee are so doting on each other, they will neglect their responsibilities and there will be negative consequences for it. This is the very essence of capitalism and liberty - that individuals are responsible for their actions and that negative consequences as a result of those actions exist.
This runs in stark contrast to socialism whereby there is no individual responsibility as such societies are organised as collectives and individual responsibility and consequences (both positive and negative) are suppressed. Unfortunately, consequences of scarcity of goods and services relative to demand exist regardless of what system of governance exists. It is proven without fail that socialism's inability to allow a free market to redistribute those goods and services create wide spread negative consequences for the majority.
Very Special Somepony
One of the biggest criticisms I have of both neo-cons and progressives is that they think that government has some role to meddle with the relationships of the people they govern over. The best real world example of this is in the belief that it is only with government's blessing that interpersonal unions, such as marriage, are legitimized.
Applebloom has a lesson that governments should pay heed to. No matter how well meaning the government's intention to legitimize, incentivize, or recognize interpersonal relationships - they always have unintended, usually undesirable consequences.
Interpersonal relationships are just that, between persons. They are not between one person, the government, and another person. Regardless of sexual orientation or faith - government involvement with relationships, especially intimate ones, are unnecessary and unwarranted. It is not a valid function of the government to approve or prohibit relationships.
Education
I will never send my children to what passes for "school" these days. In fact, the reason I write any of what I write is because I am preparing myself to home school my kids.
When I was in high school, the first day of my senior year, every one in my school was called into an assembly hall. After a pep talk from the Principal, the school police resource officer walked in front of the several hundred of us, and though jokingly, made a remark akin to "If any of you have a problem..." and then pulled out his Glock 17, and lay it on the floor. He made a jesting gesture, much like a professional wrestler makes, and that was the end of story.
I am not a "cop basher," I believe police serve an important role in maintaining law and order. That said, police are government officials with the government's approval to use lethal force. As much as police are deserving of respect for the service they provide, there is no sugar coating what that service is and what responsibilities that service entails. I personally do not believe any responsible parent should send their children to be educated in a facility where an armed, government official is required.
I would gladly send my kids to a school like the one the Cutie Mark Crusaders go into, with teachers like Cheerilee. There, it seems the teachers are interested in forming a strong relationship with their students whereas my experience in school, I believe was preparing me for a life of soulless, assembly line work devoid of any kind of meaningful relationship with anyone.
Teachers were essentially foremen and the structure and organization of the education system was tailored, I believe, to turn students into proletarians. Mindless workers who know nothing other than to salivate when a bell rings and when a "teacher" gives them a golden star for being obedient to their will. Such a system, I think is great for teaching kids to be slaves.
I don't want my kids to be slaves. I want them to understand the magic of capitalism, freedom and of meaningful relationships.
This runs in stark contrast to socialism whereby there is no individual responsibility as such societies are organised as collectives and individual responsibility and consequences (both positive and negative) are suppressed. Unfortunately, consequences of scarcity of goods and services relative to demand exist regardless of what system of governance exists. It is proven without fail that socialism's inability to allow a free market to redistribute those goods and services create wide spread negative consequences for the majority.
Very Special Somepony
One of the biggest criticisms I have of both neo-cons and progressives is that they think that government has some role to meddle with the relationships of the people they govern over. The best real world example of this is in the belief that it is only with government's blessing that interpersonal unions, such as marriage, are legitimized.
Applebloom has a lesson that governments should pay heed to. No matter how well meaning the government's intention to legitimize, incentivize, or recognize interpersonal relationships - they always have unintended, usually undesirable consequences.
Interpersonal relationships are just that, between persons. They are not between one person, the government, and another person. Regardless of sexual orientation or faith - government involvement with relationships, especially intimate ones, are unnecessary and unwarranted. It is not a valid function of the government to approve or prohibit relationships.
Education
I will never send my children to what passes for "school" these days. In fact, the reason I write any of what I write is because I am preparing myself to home school my kids.
When I was in high school, the first day of my senior year, every one in my school was called into an assembly hall. After a pep talk from the Principal, the school police resource officer walked in front of the several hundred of us, and though jokingly, made a remark akin to "If any of you have a problem..." and then pulled out his Glock 17, and lay it on the floor. He made a jesting gesture, much like a professional wrestler makes, and that was the end of story.
I am not a "cop basher," I believe police serve an important role in maintaining law and order. That said, police are government officials with the government's approval to use lethal force. As much as police are deserving of respect for the service they provide, there is no sugar coating what that service is and what responsibilities that service entails. I personally do not believe any responsible parent should send their children to be educated in a facility where an armed, government official is required.
I would gladly send my kids to a school like the one the Cutie Mark Crusaders go into, with teachers like Cheerilee. There, it seems the teachers are interested in forming a strong relationship with their students whereas my experience in school, I believe was preparing me for a life of soulless, assembly line work devoid of any kind of meaningful relationship with anyone.
Teachers were essentially foremen and the structure and organization of the education system was tailored, I believe, to turn students into proletarians. Mindless workers who know nothing other than to salivate when a bell rings and when a "teacher" gives them a golden star for being obedient to their will. Such a system, I think is great for teaching kids to be slaves.
I don't want my kids to be slaves. I want them to understand the magic of capitalism, freedom and of meaningful relationships.
No comments:
Post a Comment