Nobody asked but … I am listening to the audiobook version of Zero History by William Gibson. The plot has not yet revealed itself to me but Gibson produces some of the most fascinating phrases, wherein he captures a cosmos of meaning in a very short expression. The case here is “emotional information.” Gibson writes…
Author: Kilgore Forelle
The Failure of the Victimless Crime Gambit
Nobody asked but … One of the primary attributes of a voluntaryist’s behavior is its focus on effective action. We do not will I, nill I pursue missions antithetical to reality and nature. We look for the natural route. We cut to the root, the primary cause of a problem. So what is the root…
Words Poorly Used #17 — Victim
The place where I feel unease with the use of victim is in the idea of victimlessness. Strategically, I think it is a poor tactical argument to use against arbitrary legislation. If one’s complaint is against the proliferation and enforcement of victimless crime, then all the authoritarians need to do is to trump up a…
Re: Ethics of Torture II
Nobody asked but … A torture scenario such as that in a movie is an exercise in begging the question. It presumes that there is a circumstance under which torture can be justified. Torture may be explained, but it is never justified. Any situation that might be considered as justification of torture is already bankrupt…
What Did I Value As A Child?
Nobody asked but … I was fascinated by Skyler’s article this week about his wife’s childhood and their discussion of what values might abide in a child’s view of life. This lead me to revisit the belongings and likely belongings of my ancestors, and then to reflect on my own childhood. In 19th century rural…
Words Poorly Used #16 — Survival of the Fittest
So how do you determine fitness in an ever changing world? Unpacking the idea, I say there are two approaches, culling or creative neglect. The first method is adopted by authoritarians, in their conviction that humankind is destined to live forever, but must be herded toward that end. Individuals must be improved for doing their…
What Were You Expecting?
Nobody asked but … World = dangerous place, humans = dangerous animals. Would you by choice turn a government loose in this situation and expect the situation not to worsen at an exponential rate? Kilgore
Words Poorly Used #15 — Security
Since when is 3 ounces of liquid less likely to bring a plane tumbling from the sky than 4 ounces? Since when are 75 years old people automatically not wearing exploding shoes? Theater is not security, and security is not theater. Kilgore.
Words Poorly Used #14 — Courtesy
May I see your papers … please? Kilgore.
Flying in the Jailhouse Skies
Nobody asked but … When you go through that TSA checkpoint, you are not entering the friendly skies. You are incarcerated. You are detained. Your property is confiscated. The only way you can get out in an unexpected fashion is to die, or to crash, or to be hijacked. Whether you fly 100 miles or…