How to Be a Libertine

A libertine is a person freed from the restraints of conventional society. Famous libertines of the past included Lord Byron, the Marquis de Sade and Jim Morrison. Want to join their ranks? Read on and find out how.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Take a break from the daily routine. You can't discover your libertine nature shackled to old habits. Call off work, hit the streets and see where the day takes you.

2. Embrace a regimen of change. Start off small, like asking out that girl you have a crush on or attending that after-hours party. Commit to trying at least one new thing a day.

3. Follow your impulses. If you feel them taking you in a direction you've never gone before, go with it. Ignore hesitation in favor of new experiences. This is the credo of a libertine.

4. Challenge your judgments. Too many people rest on the laurels of easy prejudices. A true libertine discovers his opinions through challenging them. Purposefully explore groups and activities which you find abhorrent, and try to understand their appeal.

5. Study the work of libertines past. Musicians like Jim Morrison and poets like the Earl of Rochester left behind startling bodies of work detailing their exploits. Dig into it, and look for parallels to your own journey.

6. Never settle for a life which does not move you. Above all else, follow your passions.

[amandaford]

on 9/25/2008 Great article! It isn't easy to follow your own rhythm when that rhythm leads you off the status-quo path. A life like this is uncertain, a bit scary and can be quite lonely. But the rewards of making your own way in the world are beyond measure. Thank you for this article. People like us need support.

[sixstring2slim]

on 5/18/2008 Oh yea, most of the time people think being a Libertine is a bad thing.. I look at the other side of the equation.. it isn't being a Hedonist! Rock On Anish! 5 star~