There’s a time to speak up and a time to observe and collect data. Wisdom is knowing which time it is.
Category: Blogs
The official Everything-Voluntary.com blog.
The Obvious Bad and the Unobvious Worse
The era of true anti-intellectualism arrives not when intellectuals have to dread the stupidity of simpletons, but when simpletons have to dread the stupidity of intellectuals.
The No Fly List: More Dangerous than the Capitol Rioters
As I write this, the Capitol Hill riot of January 6 is enjoying its extended 15 minutes of fame, complete with straight-faced comparisons to December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001.
Intellectual Property: Skyler J. Collins vs. Alex R. Knight III
I had a little back and forth in the comment section on one of my recent podcast episodes with my friend Alex Knight (ARK3). I thought I’d reproduce it here in all it’s glory.
Orthogonality
One of my favorite words is orthogonality — perhaps because it is found only rarely. I owe my ownership of the word to my mentor from Kentucky State University, Dr. Terry Magel, formerly head of the Computer Science program.
A Sea of Counter Conformity
We live in a sea of conformity and signaling. We are drowning in it, and, to some degree, this is okay. We are a social species, and we need to accept that the social nature of the species expresses itself in this way. I am on the far side of the spectrum that feels moderately comfortable being unacceptable, but I am an aberration. Even in myself, I feel the same social impulses everyone feels.
The Road to a Dim Dystopia
What has happened with tech companies over the last several years have really challenged certain perceptions I have held on government, private businesses, and markets.
USPS is Failing Me
Right after Christmas, I ordered a couple of items with Christmas money. And I’m still waiting for them to arrive.
Both were sent United [sic] States Postal Service. Both have tracking numbers, but…
One apparently disappeared into the U…
Families, Not the Government, Should Regulate Big Tech
Here are five ideas for turning action into agency regarding Big Tech and social media.
Convenience vs. Social Desirability Bias
Convenience has a massive effect on your behavior. You rarely shop in your favorite store, eat in your favorite restaurant, or visit your favorite place. Why not? Because doing so is typically inconvenient. They’re too far away, or not open at the right hours, so you settle for second-best or third-best or tenth-best. You usually don’t switch your cell phone company, your streaming service, or your credit card just because a better option comes along. Why not? Because switching is not convenient. Students even pass up financial aid because they don’t feel like filling out the paperwork. Why not? You guessed it: Because paperwork is inconvenient.