Do you want to escape the control over your life and property
now held by modern governments? The PT concept could have been
called Individual Sovereignty, because PTs look after themselves.
We don't want or need authorities dominating every aspect of our
existence from cradle to grave. The PT concept is one way to break
free.
In a nutshell, a PT merely arranges his or her "paperwork"
in such a way that all governments consider him a tourist -- a
person who is just "passing through." The advantage is that
being thought of by government officials as a person who is
merely "parked temporarily," a PT is not subjected to taxes,
military service, lawsuits, or persecution for partaking in
innocent but forbidden pursuits or pleasures. Unlike most
citizens or subjects, the PT will not be persecuted for his
beliefs or lack of them. PT stands for many things: a PT can be
a "prior taxpayer," "perpetual tourist," or "permanent
traveler"
if he or she wants to be. The individual who is a PT can stay in
one place most of the time. Or all of the time. PT is a concept,
a way of life, a way of perceiving the universe and your place in
it. One can be a full-time PT or a part-time PT. Some may not
want to break out all at once, or become a PT at all. They just
want to be aware of the possibilities, and be prepared to modify
their lifestyle in the event of a crisis. Knowledge will make
you sort of a PT -- a "possibility thinker" who is "prepared
thoroughly" for the future.
The PT concept was inspired by Harry Schultz, the financial
consultant and author of a number of books on investing that were
best sellers in the 1970s.
PT is elegant, simple, and requires no accountants, lawyers,
offshore corporations, nor other complex arrangements. Since the
income of most PTs is immediately doubled, and most frustrations
of life with Big Brother are instantly eliminated, the logical
question is only: "Can you afford not to become a PT?"
The PT, once properly equipped, operates outside of the
usual rules, gaining mobility and a full slate of human rights.
The value of these rights cannot even be perceived by people who
have never experienced them.
The message of PT is not, however, to encourage greed, lust,
irresponsibility, immorality or any of the other seven deadly
sins. The effect of PT being popularized will be to release
creative souls from the many burdens of coping with Big Brother.
You don't need to found a new country or displace someone
else to make yourself a sovereign. The PT need not dominate
other people. He or she must only be willing to break out of a
parochial way of thinking: the PT must be superior only in that
small area located between the ears. We speak of the potential
PT now in terms of wealth, talent, intelligence and creativity.
Who is this PT in the upper minuscule of the population? It
might well be you...
Copyright © 1995 by Adam Starchild
The Libertarian Library has reprinted this article with the permission of the author.
