No One Owes You Anything by Harry Browne

A Christmas Gift for My Daughter by Harry Browne

"Nobody Owes You Anything" 

(Blogger's Note:  I think Ayn would have approved.)

This article was originally published in December, 2002. A previous version of it was published on December 25, 1966, dedicated to Harry’s then 9-year-old daughter.

It’s Christmas, and I have the usual problem of deciding what to give you. I know you might enjoy many things – books, games, clothes.

But I’m very selfish. I want to give you something that will stay with you for more than a few months or years. I want to give you a gift that might remind you of me every Christmas.

If I could give you just one thing, I’d want it to be a simple truth that took me many years to learn. If you learn it now, it may enrich your life in hundreds of ways. And it may save your having to face many problems that have hurt people who’ve never learned it.

The truth is simply this:

No one owes you anything.

Significance

How could such a simple statement be important? It may not seem so, but understanding it can bless your entire life.

No one owes you anything.

It means that no one else is living for you, my child. Because no one is you. Each person is living for himself; his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.

When you realize that no one owes you happiness or anything else, you’ll be freed from expecting what isn’t likely to be.

It means no one has to love you. If someone loves you, it’s because there’s something special about you that gives him happiness. Find out what that something special is and try to make it stronger in you, so that you’ll be loved even more.

When people do things for you, it’s because they want to – because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.

No one has to like you. If your friends want to be with you, it’s not out of duty. Find out what makes others happy so they’ll want to be near you.

No one has to respect you. Some people may even be unkind to you. But once you realize that people don’t have to be good to you, and may not be good to you, you’ll learn to avoid those who would harm you. For you don’t owe them anything either.

Living your Life

No one owes you anything.

You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you’re giving to them.

Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. Don’t make someone else’s problem your problem.

Once you learn that you must earn the love and respect of others, you’ll never expect the impossible and you won’t be disappointed. Others don’t have to share their property with you, nor their feelings or thoughts.

If they do, it’s because you’ve earned these things. And you have every reason to be proud of the love you receive, your friends’ respect, the property you’ve earned. But don’t ever take them for granted. If you do, you could lose them. They’re not yours by right; you must always earn them.

My experience

A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything. For so long as I’d thought there were things I was entitled to, I’d been wearing myself out – physically and emotionally – trying to collect them.

No one owes me moral conduct, respect, friendship, love, courtesy, or intelligence. And once I recognized that, all my relationships became far more satisfying. I’ve focused on being with people who want to do the things I want them to do.

That understanding has served me well with friends, business associates, lovers, sales prospects, and strangers. It constantly reminds me that I can get what I want only if I can enter the other person’s world. I must try to understand how he thinks, what he believes to be important, what he wants. Only then can I appeal to someone in ways that will bring me what I want.

And only then can I tell whether I really want to be involved with someone. And I can save the important relationships for those with whom I have the most in common.

It’s not easy to sum up in a few words what has taken me years to learn. But maybe if you re-read this gift each Christmas, the meaning will become a little clearer every year.

I hope so, for I want more than anything else for you to understand this simple truth that can set you free.

December 2002

The late Harry Browne, the author of "Why Government Doesn't Work" and many other books, was the Libertarian presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000. See links:

Book "Why Government Doesn't Work"   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0965603601/lewrockwell/

Website  http://www.harrybrowne.org/

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Browne

Atlas Shrugged - Who's in the Movie? Great question....

"Atlas Shrugged is...a liberation of the human spirit. That’s what I get from making the movie. And that’s what I want people to get from watching it.” 

-John Aglialaro, producer and screenplay writer for the movie adaptation


I was just taking a quick look at the progress of the movie.  It appears that filming ended back in July and that the movie is in "production" mode.  It is expected to be released in 2011.  


I don't recognize any of the actors or actresses.  That could be a good thing - especially if the movie does well in spite of the lack of a marquee name.  I have high expectations for the movie.  I believe it will fundamentally change the way many Americans look at our country - and that it will spur a great deal of change.


You can contribute to the project (indirectly) by creating a character page for the Internet Movie Database website at


 http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?whatischar?u=/character/create%3Fname%3DHenry%20Rearden

This is the link for the Hank Reardon character page.

Another interesting post about the project appears here:

http://www.atlassociety.org/filming-atlas-shrugged-wraps1

Castro, Cuba, and Capitlalism - What’s RIGHT With THIS Picture?

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had a very interesting article by Jose de Cordoba and Nicholas Casey about Cuba’s moves towards a free market economy.  I’m very excited about the changes I expect to see in that country in the next few years.  I think that tremendous business opportunities will arise for those that are actively looking. These areas include tourism, small business training, and mobile marketing.


The best news out of all of this current crisis is that the country’s leaders seem ready to embrace private-sector initiatives.  "Our state cannot and should not continue maintaining companies, productive entities, services and budgeted sectors with bloated payrolls (and) losses that hurt the economy," the statement issued by the Cuban Workers Federation said.


As we witness the end of one of the last true Communist economies in the world, it is important to remember that one of the primary keys to prosperity is the ability of its people to pursue their dreams without government restrictions.  Ayn Rand taught us that lesson so well in Atlas Shrugged.  Perhaps it is time for the Cuban Americans that have been hiding in Galt’s Gulch to start packing their bags for a return to a land that is truly ready for major free market reform.

The major opportunities that I see for eager entrepreneurs include these areas which require very little capital investment and hold the potential for significant return.

Tourism - What does this mean to opportunity seekers?  I see immediate opportunities for the following areas:  tourism and small business training.  The demand for Americans wanting to visit Cuba will be extraordinarily high.  Americans have a long-held fascination for all things Caribbean and in particular, have been very angry that they were not “allowed” to visit this Cuba.  Indeed, I see tremendous opportunity here.


Small Business Training - As to small business training, this is a land of people that have wants and needs that have been suppressed for nearly 50 years.  Many new businesses will be created.  With over 85% of the Cuban work force employed by the state (2009 numbers), it is fair to say that most of them have no idea how to start or run a business.   Basic small business training will be needed.  Although most Cubans speak Spanish, there is a significant portion of the population that speaks English, French, and Russian.  Possible options for dealing with this - hire a translator for on-the-ground work and for converting information products.


Mobile Marketing - In a country where most people do not have access to computers, smart phones will be a very hot product here as they have been in other lesser developed countries.  This will be the means by which most people will get their access to the internet for all the things that we know and love - access to information, training, products, etc.  People who can deliver their products and services well via mobile devices - in Spanish - will see enormous opportunity.


Although this is the first time I have written about Cuba, I have long speculated about the tremendous opportunities that await.  Entrepreneurs get ready.  What appears to be a slow trickle towards free markets could accelerate much the way that the fall of communism in Eastern Europe did from 1989 to 1990.  Change came very fast.  People that were watching closely - and that were able to act swiftly - benefited enormously from the new opportunities.  Will you be ready?


My major takeaways from the WSJ article included:

• The Cuban government is laying off more than half a million state workers and encouraging them to move into private-sector jobs and self-employment opportunities.  In a country where approximately 5 million workers worked for the state at the close of 2009, this is really big news that will likely be painful in the short-term but tremendously positive in the long term. (The statement said that over a million total cuts are expected in the near-term.)

• Several days ago, in an interview with The Atlantic Magazine, retired President Fidel Castro said that the Cuban model no longer worked.  Although he later said that he had been misunderstood, it appears that the elder Castro is tacitly supporting his brother’s efforts to move Cuba’s economy towards capitalism.

• Cuba wants to move workers in “nonproductive jobs into areas that have not been very attractive, such as construction, farm labor, police, teachers, and industrial workers. “  Having people who are motivated to build things, make food, teach people, and do industrial work seems to me a formula for economic stimulus.

• Although the government’s list of 124 “authorized” activities for self-employment includes “carpenter,” it clearly states that carpenters are only allowed to “repair existing furniture of make new furniture upon the direct request of a customer.”  This list also includes toy repairman, music teacher and pinata salesman.  It is hard to argue that Cuba needs policies that are more supportive of people who want to be engaged in matters that might lead to creating things that are more business oriented.

• In an effort to address the country’s huge current-account deficit, Cuba has made significant cutbacks in imports, including “critical inputs for agricultural and manufacturing.”  This has led to decreased agricultural and industrial production.  Again, this is not a formula for economic success.

I’d love to hear your ideas about potential opportunities - and obstacles - awaiting eager entrepreneurs that seek opportunity in Cuba.  Please feel free to email me at gina at ginacarr.com or to visit me on facebook at www.facebook.com/ginacarrfanpage.

Related Links

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704190704575489932181245938.html?KEYWORDS=jose+de+cordoba

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2588407/posts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba?affil=ask

Atlas Sales Continue to Set Records - Is the World finally Waking Up?!

Image by Laughing Squid via Flickr

According to George Will, writing in the Post-Bulletin, annual sales of Atlas Shrugged have tripled since President Obama took office.  Why?  Perhaps it's because the world is finally waking up to the truth that allowing government to take over private businesses is a very bad idea.

Okay, I have to say it:   DUH!

According to the Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” sold more than 500,000 copies in 2009, more than double the previous record set in 2008, reports Penguin USA, publisher of the four American editions. For the first time, combined annual sales of Ayn Rand’s four novels totaled more than 1,000,000 copies.

For those of you that are having trouble following the plot, I just came across this fabulous timeline from the Atlas Society.

Here is the link:  Atlas Shrugged Timeline

How Rand Paul became the Tea Party's Obama

How Rand Paul became the Tea Party's Obama

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This Quick Video is Worth Sharing

"Films" have always been great ways to change minds. If you are a liberty lover, you must take a few minutes to check out this great video about "My Friend Sarah." It was an award winning video about a young college student that discovers the way the world SHOULD work.

If you believe "only the government can take care of poor people" and other nonsense like that, you might not like this video.

I loved it.

Please watch and share.

Maybe we can change a few minds and save this country after all.