Return to  FreeDonNow main page BRANDISHMENT MARKETEERING By Don Meinshausen The term marketeer is a takeoff on the term musketeer from Dumas's famous book “The Three Musketeers.” It is a tale of various intrigues, wars, guns, religious conflicts, sex and gaudily dressed adventurers that call to mind gangsta rap videos. Even the Musketeer fight against Cardinal Richeleiu has modem parallels. Richeleiu has been called the father of the modem nation state. He was effectively the political administrator of France during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) He deprived the French of their civil liberties, increased onerous taxation and engaged his country in numerous wars; civil, religious and foreign. He alternatively fought wars against the Protestants and then aided them in their fight against Spain. While engaging in all types of political intrigue to save his religion and the state he oppressed and murdered political and religious dissidents. That he did this without the help of modem technology or Kissinger is remarkable. “The Three Musketeers” is a revolt of style against misery, wars and oppression that is based on a modern technology (muskets were quite modern then). Muskets were not used much in the movie yet are rather flourished in duels and even then are used less than swords. The musketeers while fighting Richeleiu reinforces these same bad conditions by engaging in war themselves but have a grand time doing it, thereby giving hope. How the musketeers are rebels and even radical is that they do their revolt in style and joy. They confront authority and beat it by outwitting it and being loyal to each other making them better warriors. That can shock the established order even while strengthening materialist values and violence. Fortunately today there are other ways of brandishment and conflict besides guns and swords, even though they still make good props. Could we see drive bys with lasers? Car bombs and shootings are just so overused. When the news just repeats itself the show must be changed especially since it involves real people dying and so much expense. What toys do we bring to our next virtual life? Pop culture and its commercial heft are important though seemingly vulnerable to criminals and not to be redundant, government seizures. Gangstas are like a few romantic adventurers against an army led by an evil mastem1ind. Even those doomed to fail by lack of power can have a huge symbolic importance in future conflicts. Until the time that people find out what is really wrong with the system such rebelliousness is thrilling to watch even though ultimately wrongheaded. I do wonder why there is no culture of dueling but maybe they are more sensible than that. Creativity is, thankfully, now seen as a way to recognition and riches rather than just the use of force. Brandishment, the flaunting of force, is a style or martial art. It is a posture of power rather than a political or military gesture. While not always a discipline or a real show of force it is for show and sometimes amusement like professional wrestling. To seize the ring of power you must perform in it. It is better than wearing it as was found out in the Lord of the Rings. The Ring can be a ring of power as well and dangerous to all concerned. It is a statement of readiness of attack as well as well as you expect it as a condition of life. It can become a manacle. One can leave the circus ring but to leave the cross hairs ring in a scope is something else. Is life a gladiator arena of all against all? Is this the only way to achieve manhood or to even entertain each other? Even the leaders of the world can't answer this and they are quite unsafe. The house of power can become a prison in the pursuit of safety.  What ring tones do you want in your cell?

Parties to Liberty A comparative review of two books by Brian Doherty: “This is Burning Man” and “Radicals for Capitalism" by Donald Meinshausen. How do we create a free society? Where and how can we be free to create and enjoy ourselves and our efforts without interference from bureaucracy and closed minds? These are age old questions. How can we do so in a process that is truly liberating and fascinating unto itself? Most attempts have been failures with more infighting and boredom rather than results and lets not even begin to talk about communism, socialism etc. Let's talk instead about what is going on here and now that is causing interest. Brian Doherty has written two different books. Each describe two burgeoning yet unrelated attempts to create free space. His first book “This is Burning Man” (“TiBM”) is a history of America's most amazing and huge cultural festival called Buming Man. “Radicals for Capitalism” (“RfC”) is the first history of modem day libertarianism. Brian is a young man who has been involved in both movements and has interviewed many participants, founders and organizers of these respective projects. He writes for Reason magazine, a magazine that covers both politics and culture while extolling free expression. RfC is the first book to seriously analyze this movement which is now highlighted in the media by libertarian Congressman Ron Paul's participation in the GOP presidential race and debates. Libertarianism is also a highly successful intellectual movement as well with real world results. Several libertarians have taught at well known universities, written best sellers on economic policy, foreign affairs, politics and investments. They have consulted with prominent heads of state, top investment advisors, business and technological leaders. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Milton Friedman who headed of the Chicago School of economics was acknowledged as the most influential economist of the late 20th century. He called himself a libertarian and identified himself with many controversial libertarian causes such as drug legalization. He advised Britain, China, Estonia and other countries in their free market refonns and this was the reason for their increased growth rates and resulted in increased civil liberties as well Libertarians are now in the US bigger than all the socialists, communists, anarchists and greens put together in media impact, amount of activists and intellectual output. Libertarians are respected by both left and right for their philosophical integrity and analysis. Though often seen as conservative they have been prominent in the anti drug war movement, the anti war movement (antiwar.com), and various civil liberties battles. Parties to Liberty RfC mentions that of the five key libertarians of the 20th century four were economists including Freidman. Dr Friedrich Hayek was a Nobel Prize winner who influenced Thatcher and Reagan. Dr Ludwig Von Mises was an important theoretician of the Austrian School and Dr. Murray Rothbard also an Austrian professor who started the radical anarcho-capitalist critique of the imperialist corporate state which is how libertarianism is known today. There are several other Nobel Prize winners and heads of economics departments as well. Ayn Rand, best selling author, screen writer, playwright and philosopher played a large role in popularizing libertarian ideas though not a libertarian herself. There have been other libertarian writers, mostly in science fiction who have also been successful in winning respect and commercial success such as L Neil Smith, Robert Heinlein, and David Brin (who's also a futurist) some of whom have had books tumed into films. Some stars and directors who have been popular are critically acclaimed Clint Eastwood, Kurt Russell and Hollywood producer Aaron Russo who once ran for office as a libertarian. In comedy and entertainment you have Drew Carey, magic's Penn and Teller and South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. ABC investigative reporter John Stossel is also a libertarian. There are also many founders and CEOs oflarge companies (Whole Life Foods and Cypress Technologies) and innovative researchers, inventors and designers in computers, health and other technologies. There are op-ed columnists, talk show hosts and best selling authors on politics, foreign policy and investments Just Google libertarian in the computer and you will find thousands of sites some of them who get over a hundred thousand hits a month. There is also a Libertarian Party in existence since 1972 that usually gets 400,000 votes for president and has elected hundreds of minor office holders. Former LP candidate Congressman Ron Paul is now getting 4-7% in the polls and gets good media coverage from conservative and liberal media alike and participates in the GOP presidential debates. He is the only candidate there who is opposed to the Iraqi War, the drug war, the Patriot Act, the income tax and he's for abolishing entire cabinet departments. Paul gets support from a broad spectrum going from Birchers to potheads. He wins internet polls and has raised over 10 million dollars. Libertarianism is the belief that a person is the sole owner of his life and has the right to live it in any way they see fit as long as they respect that same right in others and do not initiate the use of force or fraud (pollution is considered an initiation of the use of force). In economics it is laissez faire, in foreign policy it is non-interventionist with great respect for civil liberties with no victimless crime laws. I am a founding member of this movement, participated in many of the events described and I'm mentioned in this book. I still learned a lot of things and even though I am a convicted pot and psychedelics dealer I was amazed to learn that their were respectable libertarians involved in psychedelics long before the 60's. We are a radical, eccentric and varied group of individualists with a long history going back to Jefferson and Thoreau But a movement is more than its history. politics and organizations. It is a culture of groups, ideas, perceptions, personalities and events that interact with the public, powerful institutions as well as themselves on the road to power and independence. How an idea develops into successful efforts of social change is a lesson for all idea mongers no matter what that idea is. What Brian does here is give a narrative that is based on a series on the interplaying biographies and events of the characters involved. And characters they are proving the adage that to have character you must be one. Here is the libertarian family with its foibles, flings, feuds, scandals and strange sound bites that you would expect a sympathetic writer to omit. Most histories of movements tend to be hagiographies, denunciations or attempts to set the record straight of why things got so messed up. Brian knew his audience well enough that no one, especially libertarians, would leave him alone unless he wrote an entertaining tell-all book that showed it all with accuracy, pathos and humor. Even its financiers such as billionaire Charles Koch, head of Koch industries which had 90 billion dollars in sales last year, are shown in their roots, eccentricity, accomplishments and radicalism. One can find among the cast; writers and activists described as technophiles and Luddites, crusty curmudgeons and philanthropists, atheists and believers, middle class suburbanites and New Age acid heads, gun nuts and pacifists and of course radicals and conservatives. All are shown with their mind blowing quotes that are highlighted as well as interacting and even co-operating with each other. But what has this to do with the annual Burning Man Festival? “This is Burning Man” was Brian's first book and covers the same types of people. “Burning Man” is the most amazing happening that you could go to. It is a 10 day event around Labor Day on a hot, flat desert area about a 150 miles north of Reno, Nevada, Here a temporary city called Black Rock City is erected as a stage for this anarchic production with its attendees as participants. It is like Mad Max on acid or the most radically dangerous art event you could go to. It attracts over 40,000 people making it the highest and densest concentration of creative people since the Renaissance. It empties out Silicon Valley and draws bohemians from all over the world. It has sculpture, temples, pavilions of performances, parades, dueling robots and a lot of just plain weirdness. It has many art cars and vehicles including whales, sailing ships and a Van De Graff lightning maker on wheels and includes 2 fire breathing dragons that carry over 50 people each. There are so many art vehicles that there is a Department of Mutant Vehicles to make sure the vehicles are safe. This department of Black Rock City, this temporary, freaky, urban enclave, is run by volunteers along with a security force of Danger Rangers and others. It is a Temporary Autonomous Zone (TAZ) as described by anarchist theoretician, Peter Lambom Wilson. It has spawned videos, web sites and offshoots and a lot of publicity. It is a utopian experiment in community as well as an art happening. But however you describe it a burner will suggest something else. My only criticism ofTiBM is that Brian did not look closely at Rainbow Gatherings, Oregon Country Fair or the Renaissance Fairs as like minded phenomena. Rainbow Gatherings are a hippie event that influenced BM. It is held in a national forest accessible only by non motor transport; no selling, vehicles, generators or machinery are allowed. There is no charge to attend and many people set up kitchens to provide food and drink in hopes of donations. Oregon Country Fairs and Renfairs are commercial fairs with lots of handicrafts for sale with a historical fantasy or hippie cultural overlay but without the corporate hard shell of Disney et al Utopias have always been a libertarian part of the American experience. Our ancestors escaped from the Old World persecutions, class strictures and conflicts and built several utopias here. What could be more American than a bunch of ragged cutting edge, technophile radicals who practice radical tolerance building a new community in the wilderness? Personal responsibility is a libertarian byword or in Burning Man terms "radical self-reliance" It's all an example of Hayek's "spontaneous order" that would have surprised even Hayek. It all started off when Larry Harvey about 20 years ago discovered that his lady left him for another guy. In a playful act of outrage he decided to bum the fellow in effigy on a San Francisco beach. He unknowingly attracted an audience and the event grew each year attracting other weird events and people to the bum. The effigy has now grown to over 50 feet tall and is stuffed with pyrotechnics as well. The event grew in the same way. It grew to such an extent that it was moved to a flat desert playa where a city grid of 15 square miles is laid out. There is a thorough clean up afterwards as volunteers stay for weeks later with the philosophy of "leave no trace". When operational Black Rock City is the fifth largest city in Nevada that enriches neighboring town businesses and attracts locals with free passes. It is now a non-profit corporation with a multi-million dollar budget that operates with no government or corporate subsidy. Even though they have been approached by HBO to sell the rights to broadcast the event they have refused. They are growing big enough as it is. It has a few paid employees now and a warehouse for prop storage. There are now several attempts to clone the event. Libertarians and Burners have a similar interest in creating an open space for self expression. There are differences in goals, temperaments and strategies. It is more than just a cultural vs. political approach. Libertarians, while more light hearted than most political types are serious enough to wear suits and organize over 100 think tanks in America alone as well as several thousand bloggers in political efforts. Burning Man refuses to define itself as any political, cultural or spiritual category though it is more libertarian and pagan than anything else. There was a yearly ancient tradition that still continues in some areas of burning a large wicker man made of hay or com stalks to celebrate the harvest. Think of Burning Man as a skyrocket braced alongside the Statue of Liberty. It shoots off and bathes the whole sky and highlights Liberty in its brilliance. No acknowledgment is given other than that. Burning Man delights itself in its freedom and indefineability. It is more of a theater space than a specific theater production. One might think that Bruning Man’s aversion to defined goals and commercialism (no selling is allowed here except for a coffee tent and ice) that the event is antithetical to libertarian values. Most libertarians would usually in throwing a party admonish guests not to preach or sell things at the event. Fun is the measure of a party it can also be a measure of political success as well. Go back in your memory and you will discover that the most successful political events that you have been to were the ones that were exciting. Why hold such an event in the desert? Making such an event an ordeal makes the event a matter of dedication and involvement Creating space for self expression means that it is expected to be used as such. Burning Man has a dictum of that no one is a spectator at the event but all are performers. This is a rebellion against the addictive passiveness that is engendered by TV, concerts, spectator sports and most aspects of American life. It works in that there is always amazing things to do and see every time you go round a comer. Some of them are quite serious and well done. Many professional performers come here to try out new stuff and to be inspired. It is a radical decentralization of focuses that inspires people to develop their creativity. This cultivation of individualism is something that we can understand as an interesting approach. Technology has now given us all a printing press, a radio station, a TV studio and other toys and tools. BM helps us understand that all this can be empowerment not an addiction. We are now on both sides of the camera. Libertarians and Burners are both essential for the continuing American Revolution. We are both independenfal1d interdependent. We are both the products of the American Revolution and the continuing quest that was highlighted by the 60's and the computer revolution. America is in its essence a theme park; mixing ideas, technology, enterprise and fun. The old world at its best is a museum set in a historical monument such as a castle or cathedral. Americans in their escape form the old were not afraid of creating new cultures or even mass producing them. This is why we have always been the home of freedom and innovation and that approach spread everywhere. Burning Man does have a museum. Museums and theme parks are tourist attractions and important for any culture to spread and survive. Burning Man is a living dynamic exhibit, theme park and wild life area as well as cultural fair. These are all tourist attractions and tourism is now the world's largest industry. The need to travel to achieve inspiration is a constant of human development whether it is a pilgrimage, trade, going to a conference or an event, wildlife refuge or museum. If it doesn't happen people go to crusades, jihads or wars. Most movements mark their calendars with entertaining or transforn1ative events or die. Farn1ing and even production of goods are giving way to an economy based on inforn1ation and entertainment. Areas bereft of natural resources or defenses are becoming centers of power because of the charm of freedom and its creativity in infotainment As a Burner and as a Libertarian I realize that culture, fun and liberty are all do it yourself projects working with similar minded others. Brian probably recognizes that as well, but he is too shy or diplomatic to connect the dots that fly around us. It is too exciting to point out the obvious as we proceed in this marvelous time. To those who do not understand no explanation is possible. To those who understand no explanation is necessary. We are not going to get to a utopia unless we build some right now fora holiday. If you want people to entertain your ideas consider your ideas as entertainment. Murray Rothbard once told me that free market societies first began with medieval trade fairs in Europe. Salons were the beginning of the Enlightenment. A fair society begins with laissez faire as its theme. The parties have just started and you're invited