Chapter One: On the Road with Fred and George During the whole modern period of European history, the general direction of social development was one of freeing the individual from the ties which had bound him to the customary or prescribed ways in the pursuit of his ordinary activities. On the day when there was a full chamber pot under the breakfast table I decided to leave. The place was beginning to depress me. The conscious realization that the spontaneous and uncontrolled efforts of individuals were capable of producing a complex order of economic activities could come about only after this development had made some progress. It was not only the dirt, the smells and the vile food, but the feeling of stagnant meaningless decay, of having got down into some subterranean place where people go creeping round and round, just like blackbeetles, in an endless muddle of slovened jobs and mean grievances. The most dreadful thing about people like the Brookers is the way they say the same things over and over again. The subsequent elaboration of a consistent argument in favor of economic freedom was the outcome of a free growth of economic activity which had been the undesigned and unforeseen by-product of political freedom. It gives you the feeling that they are not real people at all, but a kind of ghost for ever rehearsing the same futile rigamarole. What sort of considerations are behind the routine decision of the driver of an automobile to overtake a truck proceeding ahead of him at a slower speed? What factors influence his decision? Assume that he is faced with the alternative of either slowing down and staying behind the truck or of passing it before a car which is approaching from the opposite direction will have reached the spot. As an experienced driver he somehow takes into account (a) the speed at which the truck is going, (b) the remaining distance between himself and the truck, (c) the speed at which he is proceeding, (d) the possible acceleration of his speed, (e) the distance between him and the car approaching from the opposite direction, (f) the speed at which that car is approaching; and probably also the condition of the road (concrete or dirt, wet or dry, straight or winding, level or uphill), the degree of visibility (light or dark, clear or foggy), the condition of the tires and brakes of his car, and -- let us hope -- his own condition (fresh or tired, sober or alcoholized) permitting him to judge the enumerated factors. On the day when there was a full chamber pot under the breakfast table I decided to leave. regards, Tom Walker http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/covenant.htm
