2 Groups Of Americans Who Want To Abandon The Rest Of Us

Freedom: it can be the noblest-sounding justification for bailing on stuff. And it's as American as the Pilgrims, who escaped persecution in England by going to the New World (so they could persecute themselves for a change). Of course, life today is much different: the oceans are mapped, the First Amendment protects all our religions, and Thanksgiving is a minor holiday setting the stage for Black Friday. But what if we told you that the impulse to Mayflower away from the rest of us is stronger than ever, and weirder than ever, with a dark secret most people don't notice?

On this week's episode of The Cracked Podcast, Alex Schmidt is joined by Cracked's Kristi Harrison for a look at two broad movements hoping to movement the heck outta here. They'll dig into why a floating libertarian paradise and an ahistorical "Western" culture obsession can spring from the same impulse. They'll uncover how both groups are built on hopes that practices like voting, women's suffrage, and gay rights might go away. And Alex & Kristi will affirm why you don't need to build your own survival bunker slash boat just because all the other kids are doing it.

Footnotes:

The Floating City, Long a Libertarian Dream, Faces Rough Seas (CityLab)

Republic of Minerva (Atlas Obscura)

The World's Most Notorious Micronation Has the Secret to Protecting Your Data From the NSA (Mother Jones)

Patri Friedman makes waves with 'seasteading' plan (SFGate)

"The Education of a Libertarian" By Peter Thiel (Cato Unbound)

Peter Thiel, Trump's Tech Pal, Explains Himself (The New York Times)

The Secret History Of The Plot Against Gawker (The Atlantic)

French Polynesia signs first 'floating city' deal (BBC News)

Tech bros told they're no longer allowed to colonize French Polynesia (The Outline)

Arrested Development "Bluthton" joke

"Benedict Option FAQ" by Rod Dreher (The American Conservative)