Libertarians may be defined as valuing economic freedom, but they think of themselves as valuing freedom.  Period.  Being free to make your own choices as an adult, being free to succeed or fail by your own merits.   The biggest divergence between freedom and socialism is all about freedom to fail.  Freedom to suffer the consequences of your own decisions as well as reap the benefits of your choices.  Freedom from being punished if you choose to do something that may result in your death.   The only reason we know what food to eat, as a species, is because our species is willing to risk our personal lives by tasting something new. Our noses don't work very well.  We are too "conscious" to rely on instinct anymore.  So we pick a plant, eat it, see what happens.  Pick an animal, try to kill it, cook it, eat it, see what happens.  Those of us who died in the process did not fail as human beings, they exemplified us.  The risk-takers.  The blind-leapers.  Taking away an adult's freedom to fail is tantamount to keeping them a child, a pet, a slave, indefinitely.   Whether its you or someone you have never met.  Taking away their freedom to succeed is an act of envy, of fear, of aggression.  This isn't two unrelated actions, its the same action.