Author: Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Founder and editor of Everything-Voluntary.com and UnschoolingDads.com, Skyler is a husband and unschooling father of three beautiful children. His writings include the column series “One Voluntaryist’s Perspective” and “One Improved Unit,” and blog series “Two Cents“. Skyler also wrote the books No Hitting! and Toward a Free Society, and edited the books Everything Voluntary and Unschooling Dads. You can hear Skyler chatting away on his podcasts, Everything Voluntary and Thinking & Doing.

Li Zhao: Surviving History’s Greatest Mass Murderer (54m)

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

This episode features an interview of Chinese expatriate  Li Zhao from 2019 by Matt Kibbe, host of Kibbe on Liberty. She talks about her experiences growing up under the communist regime of Chairman Mao Zedong. Between her grisly stories of starvation and totalitarianism, she explains why it’s so important to continue fighting for worldwide freedom, and to resist the allure of democratic socialism today.

Liberty Quotes: Bertrand Russell, Thomas Jefferson, Francis Mahaffy, Mahatma Gandhi (28m) – Episode 446

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 446 has Skyler giving his commentary on a quote by Bertrand Russell on the idea that some questions and opinions aren’t open to discussion; by Thomas Jefferson on disobeying unjust laws; by Francis Mahaffy on the concept of “social justice” and the damage it does to justice; and by Mahatma Gandhi on the inhumanity that is the use of coercion.

Anderson’s Journey, Philosophy, Stoicism For a Better Life (1h6m) – Episode 445

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 445 welcomes Anderson Silver to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: the French language in Canada; the cultural diversity of Montreal; his journey to self-reeducation; publishing 3 books on Stoicism; how Stoicism saved his life; our physical needs versus our mental and spiritual needs; how we each have a spirit, or soul; Stoicism and parenting; the prevalence of unidentified philosophy, or people learning and choosing the wiser course of action; human capacity for good and evil; striving toward clarity in dire situations; emotions make for bad advisors; Vulcanism versus Stoicism and Virtue Ethics; Stoic insight on New Year’s resolutions; and more.

Gabor Mate: Brain Development and Addiction (1h5m)

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

This episode features a talk by Canadian physician and addiction expert Gabor Mate from 2009. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, compulsive work habits, sexual seeking or spending: what is amiss with our lives that we seek such destructive ways to comfort ourselves? And why is it so difficult to stop these habits, even as they threaten our health, jeopardize our relationships and corrode our spirits?

ARK3 Returns, Teaching Kids, Realism, & Frontiers (1h5m) – Episode 444

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 444 welcomes back Alex R. Knight III to chat with Skyler on the following topics: teaching social studies, English, and Spanish at a private sports academy; teaching future Olympic medalists in winter sports; why his social studies curriculum probably wouldn’t fly in public schools; the Tuttle Twins (and ATKE.org); “Great Myths of the Great Depression” by Lawrence Reed; the level of propaganda around COVID-19; why government parasites are always short-term thinkers; the fact that most people simply don’t care, and why should they?; the Voluntaryist vs. the Stoic in each of us; finding liberty in physical, entrepreneurial, and technological frontiers; finding helpfulness and community in relatively freer rural areas; his lamentations on a Biden presidency instead of 4 more years of Donald Trump; and more.

Allan’s Journey, Bitcoin, Face Masks in One Lesson (1h6m) – Episode 443

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 443 welcomes Allan Stevo to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: writing for over a decade and a half; what libertarianism means to him; free thinking and heterodoxy; being impressed by Ron Paul and working to promote his campaigns; Chicago corruption is acceptable as long the streets get cleared of snow; started a bitcoin exchange in New York City in 2013 (documentary), killed by BitLicense awhile later; hosted a bitcoin debate between Andrew Schiff and Jeffrey Tucker; his praise for Irwin Schiff; writing for LewRockwell.com; his new book Face Masks in One Lesson; the Lesson; the convenience of phrases like “I can’t safely wear a mask” and “I have a medical exemption from the County”; dealing with other patrons attacking you for not wearing a mask; safety reasons not to wear masks, including criminal deterrence; the importance of strengthening your resistance muscles; and more.

Mutual Interdependence & Efface Opinions (28m) – Episode 051

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 051 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Marcus Aurelius who wrote, “Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe. For in a sense, all things are mutually woven together and therefore have an affinity for each other—for one thing follows after another according to their tension of movement, their sympathetic stirrings, and the unity of all substance.”; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by Anderson Silver (yourusermanual), which began with another Marcus Aurelius quote, “Efface the opinion, I am harmed, and at once the feeling of being harmed disappears; efface the feeling, and the harm disappears at once.”

The Many Capitalisms, and Socialisms (28m) – Episode 442

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 442 has Skyler giving follow-up commentary on Episode 433, his response to Richard Wolff after his debates with David Friedman and Gene Epstein. This episode picks apart definitions for capitalism and socialism and shows how even the most horrible dictators and slaveowners in human history can be considered capitalists if we pervert words and concepts thoroughly enough.