You should try to live there as an average local person with average income and without "connections". "Crisp $20" in some countries might be quite a lot.

Also: I've seen this many times, foreigners from rich countries get completely different treatment.

Absolutely.

I'm aware of my privilege, but since I have it does it not make sense to use it for my maximum liberty? At the end of the day I have to act with the resources I have, not the resources someone else has.

What are we talking about here? You can power trip (literally and figuratively) as much as you are able. Some countries are good for that. That doesn't make those countries "freer" as parent comment suggests.

I'm not interested in power-tripping, I'm interested in the people power tripping having the least interest in putting me in jail. Maybe that's because the judicial system allows freedom, maybe it's because the police are lazy or understaffed, maybe it's because they want my money. I'm a pragmatic man.

As for freedom, it's going to be relative. Each person has unique resources and abilities that dictate where they will find the most freedom. You don't have to victimize others to improve your own freedom.

I got downvoted and maybe I misunderstood your response. I read: "I'm aware of my privilege, but since I have it does it not make sense to use it for my maximum liberty? At the end of the day I have to act with the resources I have, not the resources someone else has." as I will go to those countries and since 20$ is a crisp change for me I will do whatever I want and pay my way out of it.

> As backwards as it sounds my time in near-autocratic 3rd world I've felt the most free. Worst case scenario the police can be bribed for a crisp $20. As long as someone isn't doing some horrible shit (like real violence) a lot can be overlooked.

In the US, flashing a PBA card[0] or the fire department/ambulance alternative will get you out of most of what police consider ‘low-level’ infractions(ie. Covering a license plate, speeding, etc…).

Or in less corrupt cases(like the ones I unfortunately have used mine for), it gets the cops to leave you alone or listen to you when you get profiled for no good reason.

I guess it’s technically not a bribe since no money is exchanging hands, but last I checked, each PBA card raises ~$150/year for the police union.

[0] https://www.the-sun.com/news/4212777/what-is-a-pba-card/

so basically you get treated like rich person in the US.

And what would you do with that gun? Commit crimes? Even simple possession of it would be a crime. You would not be able to use it to defend yourself without getting prosecuted yourself.

It's not that it's impossible for me to manufacture an illegal gun for myself. What's the point of doing that? I'm not a criminal. I don't plan to overthrow the government or anything like that. Why risk getting a criminal record for no gain?

I'm not pulling out a gun anywhere populated unless the choice is that or I end up dead. In which case prison is an upgrade. I would consider european jail a great chance to read up on the classics while I enjoy not being dead.

Even where I live now (constitutional carry state, extremely lax on guns) pulling from the holster without a threat is gonna get you tossed in prison. Nobody knows you have it until you do that.

Why not go the legal route and get a gun permit? Seems to be a much better option if you believe that you need a gun for self defence.

Totally, if that's an option that would be a rational choice. For instance, if I ended up in Poland I would buy a black powder revolver and carry that (legal) and if I ended up in Czech Republic or Austria I think the permit is very easy. The pure hypothetical is ending up someplace where it isn't practical to get the permit.

In practice I just live in a place that does not even require a permit.

Did your old account get banned, man? I forget the name but you posted a lot of great comments.

"Better to burn out than fade away" --Neil Young

> what to do if I ended up in Schengen or something and without arms

I don't mean to be rude, but this phrasing makes you sound like an addict trying to work out if you can smoke banana peel to get high. You can just .. not have a gun for a bit on holiday? Rather than engaging in illegal activities? Heck, several countries have tourist hunting industries! (The tourists do the hunting, not hunting the tourists)

You don’t sound backward. People on the west have been sold on the idea of freedom because they can criticize their politicians. Many third-world “authoritarian” countries have more freedom than the US, however, the general population doesn’t like a ridiculed leader.

Turkey is a much freer country than the US. If the people of Turkey were to enjoy seeing their leader (Erdogan now) being ridiculed, this guy will be showing in circus shows.