在一个与世隔绝的村庄，村民们崇尚自由主义，但他们有一个奇怪的传统：每年，18岁的男孩都会被吃掉，以祈求降雨。这个村庄虽然嗜食人肉，但坚持自由主义原则，因此他们只会吃掉自愿的男孩。为了鼓励男孩同意，村民们会对他施加巨大的社会压力，并告诉他村庄的未来取决于他的选择。如果男孩拒绝，他将被村庄排斥，无法获得任何资源，最终只能在绝望中饿死。村民们认为，他们没有义务给他一个体面的葬礼，并最终吃掉了他的尸体。

😄 **自由主义与残酷仪式**：这个村庄的村民们宣称自己崇尚自由主义，他们尊重个人的选择，但他们同时也实施了一项残酷的仪式，每年吃掉一个18岁的男孩。这种看似矛盾的行为揭示了自由主义的局限性，它无法解决道德和社会责任之间的冲突。

😔 **社会压力与个人选择**：村民们对男孩施加了巨大的社会压力，他们告诉男孩，村庄的未来取决于他的选择，拒绝会带来巨大的耻辱。这种压力剥夺了男孩真正自由选择的权利，将他逼入绝境。

🤬 **自由主义的边界**：村民们坚持自由主义原则，认为他们有权自由使用自己的财产，拒绝帮助被排斥的男孩。这种极端的自由主义理念忽视了社会责任和人道主义，最终导致了男孩的悲惨死亡。

💀 **死亡与无助**：男孩被村庄排斥后，无法获得任何资源，最终只能在绝望中饿死。村民们认为，他们没有义务给他一个体面的葬礼，并最终吃掉了他的尸体。这种行为暴露了村民们冷酷无情和漠不关心的本质。

🤔 **反思**：这个故事引发了我们对自由主义的反思，它是否真的能保障每个人的自由和尊严？在面对道德和社会责任的冲突时，自由主义的边界在哪里？

[Taken from here.]

I.

Deep in the forest, thousands of miles from civilization, there is an isolated village. It has not seen contact with any other humans for a long time. It is, however, a pleasant and flourishing community, which strongly values freedom and entrepreneurship. There is, however, one tiny quirk. In this village, there is a ritual. Every year, a boy who reaches 18 is cannibalized. It brings the rains, or something. But despite its taste for cannibalism, this village wishes to live in accordance with libertarian principles. Thus, they will only cannibalize the boy if he consents. In order to encourage this to happen, they will put tremendous social pressure on the boy. All through his youth, they will tell him they believe the future of the village depends on his consenting. His parents tell him that he would bring great shame on the household if he refused, which is true. The choice nevertheless rests with the boy, and whatever he chooses will be respected. The parents and villagers attempt to persuade him, but never lie to him, and make clear that they would never force his choice. However: if the boy refuses to be cannibalized, the village has a backup plan. The boy will be blacklisted. No shopkeeper will sell him food, no hotel will give him a room, no hospital will treat him, no employer will hire him. After all, under libertarian principles, nobody can be told how to use their property. The boy’s parents, ashamed of him, will turn him out of the house with no money. He may leave the village, but it is certain death, for thousands of miles of desolate wolf-infested wilderness stand between him and other humans and he has no food. (The wilderness is also privately-owned, and he cannot pay the admission fee.) He is shunned and despised, left to wander the streets in a futile search for shelter and sustenance. However, no force is exercised against him. He is never touched or arrested. He is treated as nonexistent, as the villagers await his demise. So the boy starves to death. The villagers then cannibalize his emaciated corpse, reasoning that they cannot be compelled to give him a dignified burial (plus he died on private property, collapsing in a flowerbed).