If you are not into politics, you might think libertarianism has nothing to offer you. There are a lot of misconceptions that might cause you to dismiss libertarian ideas as just another political ideology. The truth is, there is a lot more to libertarianism than politics. If you give us a chance, you might find that libertarians have ideas that are much more in line with your own values than you ever thought. Here are five things you might not realize about us.

1. We want you to be able to live the life you want. You shouldn’t have to ask permission or convince anyone that your choices are right when they don’t hurt others. Your personal values can be liberal, conservative, or neither. If you stay out of politics because you just want to live your life, that’s ok. You should be able to do just that! When you boil it down, that’s what libertarianism is all about.

2. We are not all in love with big banks and corporations. Although sometimes the rhetoric of prominent libertarians is focused on deregulation, that doesn’t mean we think the big banks and corporations are good. The very existence of the government opens the doors for lobbyists to protect mega-corps from smaller, emerging businesses. What’s worse, the cost of these resultant protections trickle down to regular people.

3. Many of us recognize that government is not the only oppressor. Although libertarians do have a lot of beef with our government, most of us know that government is not the source of all injustice in the world. We tend to focus on government because it is the biggest and most powerful threat and because the force of government gives other oppressors the power to do much more damage.

4. Many apolitical people are secret, or unknowing, libertarians. There are segments of libertarianism that entirely reject the use of the political system as a means of achieving liberty. When you take away the politics and keep the individual freedom, you might find a lot in common with these libertarians.

5. We don’t just complain. We try to practice liberty in our own lives. A growing portion of the libertarian movement is shifting the focus from politics to individual action. As someone who prefers to live life outside of the political system on your own terms, this is an exciting way to enjoy your own liberty while spreading it to others. Maybe you will even get to enjoy a little laugh at the thought of subtly working against the system. I know I do.

Give us a chance to show all the diversity and opportunity we have to offer! Libertarianism doesn’t require you to get political. The political system presumes some people have the authority to decide how you should conduct your life. Libertarians reject that idea and empower you to create your own life without interference, so why not join us?