Liberty Maven

I spent the holidays reading a wonderful new libertarian-themed novel by first time author James Byrd called, “The Light of Day“. The book explores what could happen if the environmentalist movement is permitted to “run the world”. It’s the future and everyone is required to live underground because living above ground is too environmentally unfriendly.

It is certainly a sci-fi page turner with a fast moving plot and interesting characters. The novel juxtaposes two societies, a society with very little freedom and another that is about as libertarian as you can get. Byrd accomplishes this effort quite effectively without getting overly preachy. There are no multi-page John Galt style speeches. Byrd uses the plot to emphasize the free vs. non-free “fight” in a quite understated way.

I’m sure there are those that will balk that Byrd’s vision of a future where environmentalists control society in such a way, but that’s not really the point here as I see it. The point really is to illustrate that your individual freedom is being assaulted on all fronts, not just the obvious ones.

Yes, the climate change zealots are dangerous to your freedoms. Are they as dangerous as terrorists? Maybe more dangerous, maybe less, but I would argue that Byrd’s future vision is not too far from our future reality.

We may have slightly cleaner air, but at what cost? Is it worth it to live in a prison-like society to shave a degree or two off the global average?

The book makes a perfect, if not mischievous gift, for your favorite Left-leaning environmentalist friends, if you have any. Of course, fans of Ayn Rand, Robert Heinlein, and L. Neil Smith will find “The Light of Day” a wonderful addition to their libertarian fiction bookshelves.

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