Part 2: The caring part of I don’t care.

We’ve established that I don’t care, and as a result more than one of you probably believe that I have got to be the most self-centered, self-serving, self-absorbed, arrogant, ignorant bastard on the face of the planet.

But I’m not.

My not caring is not selfish protectionism but an expression my respect for the personal liberty of every person on this planet.

For example; If I tell you that I don’t care if you become a heroin addict that is just me advocating liberty. It is me acknowledging your personal freedom to make the choice to imbibe of the drug or not as you see fit. It also places responsibility for the consequences of that action squarely at your feet.

It does not mean that I approve or that I would not criticize, cajole or harass you for your addiction though. Nor necessarily does it mean that I would abandon you to fight any addiction alone because I'm selfish. My not caring if you become an addict certainly does not mean however, that I would support or facilitate your habit in any way.

My not caring places the responsibility for caring for your actions in your hands. It simultaneously prevents me from falsely accepting responsibility and acting as a moral crutch for you or shouldering a measure of your guilt and thereby delaying your acceptance of responsibility and your recovery. It also frees me to act in the most selfless and caring manner to help you, as any compassionate person would.

That is how much I don't care.