Top 5 Ways Fitness Builds More Freedom

1. Fitness is a Reflection of Self-Ownership

One of the core values of libertarianism is self-ownership. When you work out, you’re demonstrating self-ownership: you’re using your body to manipulate itself or external objects, or both depending on the exercise, and only you get to decide what exercises to do. Working out further proves self-ownership because only you gain the benefits of exercise; your neighbor doesn’t get strong because you lifted weights. Further, pursuing fitness shows respect for yourself as well as a desire to be the best that you can be. This is similar to the type of motivation that many people, especially businessmen, get out of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. While Rand didn’t consider herself a libertarian and was actually very critical of libertarianism, such elements of her philosophy as individualism, self-ownership, limited government, and laissez-faire economics are certainly compatible with libertarianism. In any event, pursuing fitness both demonstrates and proves the fundamental libertarian concept of self-ownership.