"I Have No Idea When You Turned Into Such A... Libertarian" 

So said my mother recently after a brief foray into political discourse with her. I wish you could have heard the disappointment in her voice when she uttered the word libertarian. I found the whole thing sort of surreal because I've self described myself as one to her on several occasions. I think it was during this last conversation that it really struck her though. I think she previously thought that I didn't know what the word actually meant, and was just using it to be cool or something. She did a similar thing to my sister Sarah when she told my mom that she was agnostic. My mom was convinced that Sarah didn't actually know what the word meant. Who knows, maybe she still thinks that.

Then she told me, "I can remember when you were young and you used to go to church with me." What that has to do with being a libertarian... I still don't know. Of course I know she's disappointed in me for not going to church anymore as an adult. I think my mother now thinks I'm some sort of heathen, rampaging across the country side pillaging and visiting businesses of ill repute (maybe like Trogdor the Burninator). After all... all libertarians believe in lack of government intervention because they themselves want to do morally repugnant things too... right?

The idea that I don't want to tell other people how to live their lives simply because I want them to do the same for me... just doesn't enter into the equation for her. "But Nick, we have to have some sort of standards for our society. We just have to." Of course, she's the type of person who thrives on arguing that her standards are better than yours. I just think I've come to realize something that she hasn't, despite her more advanced years. Trying to argue that your standards are better than someone else's, is like Sisyphus rolling his boulder up the hill.

I'll make a deal with you. You stop telling me how to live my life, and I won't tell you how to live yours. Fair enough?