We are seeing governments around the world doing what they always do, which is telling people what they are allowed to do,  of course without any moral basis. Worse yet in most cases, it is without any reasoned belief in the success of their actions. Those in power tell people that they are taking action and only government can take action, while opportunistically seizing more and more power at the expense of our liberty.

At the same time the media is spreading fear, because it gets ratings. They tell you quietly that you should not panic then loudly tell you that the end is upon us. This has been the cause of the panic we are seeing that has left shelves devoid of toilet paper, and virtually all of the processed food likewise no where to be  found. And of course they follow up the first fears with fear of food shortages, which causes even more panic.

The general population, being largely government schooled, cannot or does not see through these efforts by the government and the media. In many cases people are quite vocal about wanting more government action, spurred on by the fear the media creates, even when the actions taken will without a doubt make the outcome on the other side of this virus far worse than almost any alternative action.

Looking at the numbers, and understanding what they mean there is little cause for concern about a “pandemic.” Having seen a great deal of modeling from a brilliant scientist I had the pleasure of working for, I understand that actual pandemics are a threat. The world is mobile enough now that in 2 days or less a disease could be just about anywhere on the planet, certainly in all significant population centers. What we are seeing now, with mortality rates amongst the general population being no more than 1% in the most generous estimates backed by data.

But what if a truly generally dangerous biological event happened? Let’s face the possibility of a disease that actually fit the current hype about covid 19. What about the “we will all die” scenario? How do we  as agorists and anarchists handle such a situation?

On the personal level we must take care of ourselves and those for whom we care. This means starting before any such outbreak or crisis. Keep a stocked pantry, have a reasonable amount of the things you need daily. Have more if you know that those for whom you care are not prepared. These measures are true for all of us, whether agorists or statists. But what must we do as agorists, aside from what we must do simply to take care of ourselves?

First we have to find an alternative to the coercive quarantine and denial of rights model. While we can protect our own homes and control entrance into it, we recognize that we have no right to the life or property of any other person. Furthermore looking across time and location, we see that these  quarantines only work on paper or if you are very very very lucky. We must be able to convince others that our approach is superior to keep them safe as well. Fear is driving the rapid increase in statism, so we must address that fear. How we address it will depend on the particular solutions we have, but we must keep in mind that this will be a more difficult effort than most given the level of fear we will be facing in others.

Opportunities:

1. Price gouging: What if you find yourself in the situation in which you have a large supply of some item that is in high demand? Obviously there is nothing wrong  with charging what the market will bear. You will get richer of course in doing so. However for agorists, we have a greater need, in my opinion, for the adoption of agorist ideas by others. This means that such a situation would provide an opportunity to demonstrate that we are compassionate and that the market isn’t about getting the maximum profit. You can sell at a moderate profit, or if you can afford it perhaps you can donate the goods to those who need it most, doing so with the message of agorism and voluntary solutions to problems.

2: Quarantines. In the case where “voluntary quarantines” are called for, as a business owner you can, if possible, take  this opportunity to test out work from home possibilities. Ask your employees for suggestions as well.

3. Information: The internet has opened up the world of information to us from the safety of our homes. Unfortunately much of that information is unreliable. Furthermore we can be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it. So while times are good seek out calm rational voices that offer up well backed information, so you know where to turn when the crisis hits.

4. Be positive. People seek beacons of hope in times of great stress. This is why they turn to religion and the state, because both make bold promises, though they seldom come through on those promises. Find good events and spread the word of them, especially if they are agorism related. Tell of the company that ignored IP laws so that others could provide needed equipment. For example, one such story has already come out in our current situation. This story was about a company in Italy threatening to sue over patent infringement when a team developed a 3D printer version of a valve necessary for respirators. Naturally this saw a negative response to the company and showed how patents can work against actual needs of people. Thankfully it turned out that the story was false. The company had refused to release the design files of the part but made no threats. Such stories give us a chance to condemn intellectual property and its state sponsored protections, but also to show business in a good light. The more hopeful and positive we are, the more people will turn to us and listen to what we have to say.

5. Along the same lines, take advantage of the situation to point out that people are already doing some of the necessary things that the state pretends have not been done at all. Use celebrity if you have it. We have today the example of Alton Brown, host of many Food Network shows, who like other entertainers, already voluntarily engages in safe behaviors because his career depends on being healthy. Alton Brown took the opportunity to create a hand washing video. He was already following this regime before this scare broke out, as many performers have done for decades.

6. Keep your eyes open. Situations such as this one creates many and varied needs, each of which creates an opportunity to step in to fill the need. If we as agorists can fill the  need, we tally up another instance of voluntary solving of problems. These add up. People tend  to remember such stressful times and solutions better, so our actions can have greater impact on spreading the ideas of agorism.

7. If you are a gardener, you have a food source which can become quite important. You also have an opportunity as many gardeners produce more than they need in any given season. Use that extra produce to connect with those in need, your neighbors, or perhaps a food pantry. By the act of helping others we can prove that voluntary solutions are effective solutions.

Stay safe, stay smart, and know that this is not a time to turn our backs on what is right and practical. We are agorists because we have seen the practical and moral flaws of statism. Now is not the time to trade enlightenment for fear.