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Triumph (short story)

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Wotan

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Triumph

Once there was a man who suddenly acquired superpowers. He didn't know how in the world he got them, nor how the hell long they would last. But he did decide to quickly employ them, and fully exploit them.

So he became a stunning crusader for justice. People began to call him J-Man.

J-Man didn't like to waste time. So he immediately killed all the dictators on earth. He announced in advance what he was going to do, and why he was going to do it. Then he did it. It was a remarkableorgy of blood!

The superhero's idea here -- in simplified essence -- was that anyone who had significantly murdered, tortured, and enslaved others, to the point of costing mankind a full unit or more of life, had rightfully forfeited the right to his own.

So dictators and their cronies and supporters were unceremoniously, brutally crushed everywhere on the previously-benighted planet. Generally speaking, the top one thousand leaders of every nation on earth -- the top politicians, military men, police officers, party heads, religious authorities, and crony capitalists -- were savagely and blissfully exterminated by our hero. What a slaughterfest!

And the Justice Man had one hell of a good time doing it too! Bringing justice to a virtually bereft world was heavenly sweet to him.

And all the crusader's exploits were televised. The J-Meister saw to that. He made a ton of money from selling the advertising rights to his shows. His Vengeance is Mine series, plus spin-offs, merchandising, endorsements, and speaking fees netted him a quick ultra-fortune.

J-Man paid no taxes, by the way. And his shows -- however gloriously extravagant and heedlessly outrageous -- weren't censored or regulated in any way. Taxation is theft and regulation is slavery. No-one dared.

It should be noted that the girls loved him. Every possible type and combination was his delight. Even forbidden ones.

As for recreational chemicals -- do you even have to ask? The fun never stopped.

After a whole slew of bad guys was eliminated, the entire planet was forced to convert to social libertarianism and economic capitalism. Political freedom was ubiquitous and infinite. In governmental terms, perfect justice was achieved.

No-one was allowed to coerceanyone ever. Everyone in society and the state was made to refrain from the initiation of force. Only retaliation was allowed, and only if it was against the attackers, and was proportionate and just.

The basic non-government infrastructure of the planet was quickly, radically altered. The new or changed voluntary organizations, cooperative institutions, and social behaviors became far more rational, virtuous, influential, and powerful. And every state on earth became controlled by what was basically an expanded, strengthened, purified version of America's Bill of Rights.

And the price of the various governments were reduced to about two percent of Gross Domestic Product -- which was entirely funded by seized government properties which had been quickly and unconditionally sold as-is to the highest bidder.

The planetary liberator and superhero almost instantly used his fame and prestige to publicly offer the world classes on updated classical liberalism. And he was an educational success as well. After a few years, belief in religion and self-sacrifice fell radically; so too cultural and moral relativism. Even the tedious subjects of the epistemology of subjectivism and metaphysical nihilism began to be systematically studied, refuted, and laughed at.

Of course, most people blithely ignored the Man of Justice's televised classes on neoliberalism. This was to be expected. It was their absolute right not to see or hear. But to an astonishing extent the intellectual elite did observe and listen -- and learn. Then they taught everyone else.

Earth rapidly became a paradise of cultural riches, mind-boggling wealth, and supremely happy individualists.

Within a century warp drive and time travel were realized. So was immortality.

Mankind joined the community of nations and intelligent species of the Milky Way -- a worthy member, at long last.

Justice Man, by the way, joined early. He lived forever, and in utter, limitless ecstasy!

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After a whole slew of bad guys was eliminated, the entire planet was forced to convert to social libertarianism and economic capitalism. Political freedom was ubiquitous and infinite. In governmental terms, perfect justice was achieved.

After a whole slew of bad guys was eliminated, the entire planet, bereft of the enforcement of communism and fascism, was left to discover the social libertarianism and economic capitalism that tended to develop in the absence of human initiated force. Political freedom was ubiquitous and infinite. In governmental terms, perfect justice was achieved.

Couldn't help thinking of the passage in Atlas Shrugged, which pointed out that you cannot force man to be free. I would look forward to seeing an episode of Vengeance is Mine.

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Damn, I thougt it was going to be a parody of Libertarians or something more complex up to the last sentence, but instead sounds like an American Rapture fantasy where the anointed justiciar separates the good from the wicked, converts the remaining jews and pagans to the Right Way, and everyone lives merrily ever after in "The Kindgdom" is established.

I believe Anders B. Breivik thought he was J-man. He should've sparked a J instead.

If I was the character in the story, I'd go to the doctor to check out my superpowers before the "savage and blissful (sic) extermination" began.

Better than my story though! thanks for sharing and allowing to be judged.

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Couldn't help thinking of the passage in Atlas Shrugged, which pointed out that you cannot force man to be free. I would look forward to seeing an episode of Vengeance is Mine.

At least in some sense you can force men to be free, Dream Weaver. You can coercively set up a free state for them. You can take political freedom, and force it down their unwilling and undesirous throats. This is essentially what America and Britain did for Germany and Japan after WWII. The Allies forcibly ruled them for 10 years, wrote their constitutions and laws for them, and totally changed their political culture, before returning them to independence and sovereignty. (And this benevolent coercion was a subtext of my story.)

Edited by Wotan
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...sounds like an American Rapture fantasy...and everyone lives merrily ever after...

If I was the character in the story, I'd go to the doctor to check out my superpowers before the "savage and blissful (sic) extermination" began.

Better than my story though! thanks for sharing and allowing to be judged.

It is a kind of rapture fantasy, Volco. Good point!

And, yes, Justice Man probably should have gone to a high quality doctor (or at least a reputable mad scientist! ;) ) .

I love feedback on my stories. But where is yours located??

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