The great Kris Kristofferson has written many classic songs, including the iconic road-trip anthem, “Me and Bobby McGee,” a song made famous by the sultry and gravelly voice of Janis Joplin. The most memorable lyric in the song is the following, “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.”
As beautiful a lyric as that is, I must disagree with the sentiment. To me, freedom isn’t just another word for anything. And it’s most definitely NOT just another word for nothing left to lose. So, if I may be so seditious to the music gods, I will offer my alteration of this lyric based on what freedom really means:
“Freedom’s just the ONLY word we can’t afford to lose.”
Now, given my penchant for freedom and what it means to me, I only wish there was an annual gathering of free minds that I could interact with over the course of several days that could supply me with the spiritual fuel and arm me with the intellectual ammunition I need to battle the anti-freedom forces all around us.
Oh, wait, there is such a gathering?
I jest, of course, because long-time readers know that I am referring here to FreedomFest, the world’s largest gathering of free minds. This year’s event is just a fortnight away, and the theme is “The Soul of Liberty,” a theme that I really love. The reason why is that my conception of “soul” is one that exists free of coercion, free of servitude and one imbued with libertarian freewill.
As the brilliant novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand wrote in “Atlas Shrugged,” “As man is a being of self-made wealth, so he is a being of self-made soul.” Indeed, I think we are beings of self-made soul, but in order for that soul to prosper, we require the freedom to choose. Yet as Ronald Reagan once warned, “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
Now, while freedom is a beautiful concept, it’s also one under constant assault.
Anti-freedom, authoritarian forces on both extremes of the political and philosophic spectrum actually abhor the notion of liberty, as free minds thinking for themselves are viewed as a threat to their ability to impose control. And guess what, they are right.
Free-thinking humans are always a threat to wannabe demagogues, would-be dictators, authoritarians, nationalist movements or any other stripe of collectivism intent on telling you that they know what’s in your best interest and how you should live better than you do.
I reject this concept, and I do so by assuming the responsibility of thinking for myself. And, knowing that I have the responsibility of thinking for myself is why I love FreedomFest.
You see, in order to come to rational decisions about the world, one must be exposed to the best ideas. Moreover, one must also be exposed to ideas that one may disagree with, because it is only through carefully weighing opposing views that you can truly understand and properly defend your own views. And at FreedomFest, there are many opposing views presented, which is one of the reasons why I love it.
For example, one of the featured speakers last year was businessman and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Now, I wouldn’t vote for Andrew Yang, as we have very different views on politics and the role government should play in our lives.
Your editor exchanges ideas over libations with Andrew Yang at FreedomFest 2022.
Yang wants to provide everyone with a “universal basic income,” and I want to provide everyone with “universal basic reason.” Still, Yang was offered a platform at FreedomFest to talk about his new project, the Forward Party. Here is an area of agreement I do share with Yang, as the new party’s motto is “Not Left. Not Right. Forward.”
This year’s keynote speaker at FreedomFest is a man who my friend, colleague and FreedomFest founder Mark Skousen calls, “the man who has restored his faith in America.”
That man is Mike Rowe, executive producer of such TV series as “Dirty Jobs,” “Somebody’s Gotta Do It,” “How America Works” and “The Story Behind the Story.” Mike also is the author of the New York Times bestseller, “The Way I Heard It,” and he’s also a podcaster extraordinaire.
One reason why both Mark and I really like Mike Rowe is that he brings Americans together. Here’s a man who can comfortably talk with Chris Cuomo on NewsNation (and CNN before that) and Tucker Carlson on Fox News. Now, how rare is that!
I’m really looking forward to hearing Mike’s message about how he is making a difference in reinvigorating America’s work ethic through his mikeroweWORKS Foundation. I’m also looking forward to sampling some of Mike’s Knobel Tennessee Whiskey, as his sample offerings will no doubt result in one of the most popular booths at the Memphis bash.
Of course, Mike Rowe is only one of the many fantastic speakers already inked for FreedomFest. The lineup also includes Steve Forbes, John Fund (National Review), Steve Moore (Heritage Foundation), Tulsi Gabbard (a former Democratic congresswoman), Michael Shermer (Skeptic magazine), Enes “Freedom” Kanter (a former NBA basketball player), David Boaz (Cato Institute), Bryan Kaplan (GMU), Douglas Brinkley (“America’s Historian”), Grover Norquist (Americans for Tax Reform), Art Laffer (famed economist), Richard Epstein (New York University law professor), Amity Shlaes (historian), Magette Wade, Barbara Kolm (VP of the Austrian central bank) and many more. Go here for the full lineup.
Returning as master of ceremonies is Lisa Kennedy, host of Fox Business, along with my most excellent friend and cohost, the sublime Heather Wagenhals. There’s the Anthem film festival, a libertarian comedy festival and a full three-day investment conference, including such financial gurus as Alexander Green (Oxford Club), Louis Navellier and David Bahnsen. Plus, there will be a special interview with Jeremy Siegel, the “Wizard of Wharton,” and Burt Malkiel (Princeton).
There’s even a FreedomFest “jam session” where musically inclined attendees can go on stage and play music together. And here’s a bit of breaking news, your editor will be there playing and performing, too, and you may even hear a few original songs from my upcoming album, “Tender Warrior.”
And last but definitely not least, my fellow financial editors at Eagle Publishing will be at FreedomFest — including Bryan Perry, George Gilder, Roger Michalski, Paul Dykewicz — and of course, Mark Skousen.
The full agenda — speakers, panels, debates and breakout sessions — is now posted online. Go to www.freedomfest.com/agenda to check it out. I guarantee you will be impressed. You can also click on the name of each presenter to see when and on what topic they will be speaking. Click here to find out more.
When registering, use the code EAGLE50 to receive a discount. I hope to see you at FreedomFest in “Music City,” Memphis, Tennessee, July 12-15, because after all, freedom’s not just another word, it’s the ONLY word we can’t afford to lose!
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Voltaire on Fools
“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.”
–Voltaire
There are millions of ideas vying for our attention, and many of those ideas are really harmful. Many also are accepted as true without even any real self-reflection. Unfortunately, many bad ideas are the sort that impose intellectual or spiritual chains on us.
To this, I say — have the courage and the fortitude to wage war on those ideas and to break free of those chains. Let your mind run and allow yourself to assume the immense but rewarding responsibility of thinking for yourself. Much more happiness, truth, beauty and wisdom will come to you that way.
Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that you’d like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.
In the name of the best within us,
Jim Woods
