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> "Isolation" and "Isolationist" are significantly different concepts. One is a physical property, the other is a social construct.

Someone who want's to isolate themselves, in search of "isolation", can be called an "isolationist".

> This isn't isolationism either. Switzerland is isolationist, but it has plenty of strict laws (including conscription), for example. What you're describing is a libertarian fantasy country.

If you want to be "isolated" you need a place where others will stay away from you. People who want to make you do things will undoutably cause people to come and enforce those desires. Any place that want's to force people to do things is not friendly to those who would like to "isolate" themselves... those whom could be called "isolationists" or "practicioners of isolation".

The word "isolationist" in a national context means the nation is the one practicing isolation. From my context it is clear that the personal is attempting to practice isolation. I don't think your interpretation of what I was saying is correct.




One of the really annoying things about libertarianism is the way it takes words that other people already use, redefine it to mean something else, and then tells those people they're wrong for using the original word.

An 'isolationist' is someone who wants their country to withdraw from the world politically. It's not someone who wants to live 'off the grid'. It's not someone who is frightened by a 30% marginal tax bracket. It's not another term for 'libertarian'. Someone who wants to live off by themselves with little interaction with others is called a hermit, not an isolationist.


Googling "define isolationist" gives the following:

    a person favoring a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

Googling "define isolation":

    the process or fact of isolating or being isolated.
Where did I redefine those?




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