Episode 434 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics from r/blackpeopletwitter and r/whitepeopletwitter: the dangerous stupidity of using experts (who always disagree) to make public policy; agreeing with Rep. Ilhan Omar that it’s time for the Feds to decriminalize marijuana; whether Jesus counseled people to take care of the poor or needy, or to outsource that to government; agreeing with Senator Cory Booker’s call to phase out factory farming; and the need to reconsider our entire economic system.
Category: Everything Voluntary
Skyler J. Collins vs. Richard D. Wolff on Capitalism and Socialism (47m) – Episode 433
Episode 433 has Skyler responding to claims and arguments made by Richard Wolff in debates with David Friedman and Gene Epstein. Topics include: Wolff’s debate tactic of feigning ignorance; Wolff’s definitions of capitalism and socialism; the concept of self-ownership; the concept of private property from original appropriation; how private firms can be organized; capitalism as a concept verse markets as a concept; and more.
Antinatalism, Political Libertinism, & Poverty (23m) – Episode 432
Episode 432 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: his original look at antinatalism, the belief that it is morally wrong to procreate; his lament that too many people are political libertines, the type of people who don’t consider moral principles as it concerns government action; why poverty is and is not the default state of mankind; and more.
Debunking Common Criticisms of Austrian Economics (29m) – Episode 431
Episode 431 has Skyler reading and giving his commentary on an article by entrepreneurship professor Per Bylund titled, “Debunking Seven Common Criticisms of Austrian Economics”.
Contra Communism, Proper Role of Government, & Misconceptions of Libertarianism (35m) – Episode 430
Episode 430 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following questions from Quora: “Why are you against communism?”; “What is the role of a government in the modern economic system?”; and “What are some negative misconceptions about libertarianism that people should be aware of?”
Brenden’s Journey, MasterTalk, Knowledge, & Personal Development (1h10m) – Episode 429
Episode 429 welcomes Brenden Kumarasamy to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: his YouTube channel “MasterTalk”; living in Montreal, Canada; Stoicism and sphere of control; older kids still living at home; parenting and kids leaving the nest; knowledge and truth; religion and the afterlife; his favorite anime “Death Note”; collecting stories and trying to live a mistake free life; his top 3 podcasts: “Akimbo” by Seth Godin, “The School of Greatness” by Lewis Howes, and “Impact Theory” by Tom Bilyeu; Warrent Buffet’s focus framework; the value of attending personal development conferences; his book recommendation: Thirst by Scott Harrison; and more
ARK3 Returns, Trauma and Rage, PTSD, & Violent Parenting (1h3m) – Episode 428
Episode 428 welcomes back Alex R. Knight III to chat with Skyler on the following topics: finally making the connection between his former alcoholism and trauma he experienced in childhood and adolescence; accepting failure as okay, and not as shameful; post-traumatic stress disorder experienced by both of them; family disfunction and divorce; the roots of authoritarianism in violent (physically and psychologically/emotionally) parenting; laws against spanking; the effects of prolonged brain exposure to stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline; stress in infancy, such as “cry-it-out”; evolutionary reasons why kids protest bedtime; Skyler’s family bedroom; and more.
AIER, Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report (28m) – Episode 427
Episode 427 has Skyler giving his commentary on a new report by the American Institute of Economic Research titled, “Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report”. It begins: “In the debate over coronavirus policy, there has been far too little focus on the costs of lockdowns. It’s very common for the proponents of these interventions to write articles and large studies without even mentioning the downsides. Here is a brief look at the cost of stringencies in the United States, and around the world, including stay-at-home orders, closings of business and schools, restrictions on gatherings, shutting of arts and sports, restrictions on medical services, and interventions in the freedom of movement.”
Shepard’s Journey, Former Cop, Voluntaryism, & Spreading Liberty (59m) – Episode 426
Episode 426 welcomes Shepard the Voluntaryist to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: knowing Carl Watner intimately and his work at Voluntaryist.com; Watner introducing both Skyler and Shepard to Stoicism; his discovery of Ron Paul, and then Murray Rothbard, Walter Block, Larken Rose, et al; his 10 year career as a police officer, 2 of which were as a prison guard; capitalism versus corporatism; growing up with the Mennonites, but later becoming an atheist; Marc Stevens’ method of challenging state jurisdiction; the wisdom in avoiding the cops; why the BLM protests over the some had the wrong grievance about injustice; a story of a prison inmate getting beat up for flushing a toilet, and how asking about why this happened to a fellow prison guard got him ostracized; why spreading the ideas of liberty, planting seeds, is a very slow process; fun strategies to repel cops; and more.
Emily’s Journey, Schooling Deficiencies, Human Conation, & Consulting Business (1h1m) – Episode 425
Episode 424 welcomes Emily Melious to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: why school only works for 20% of kids, and leaves out the rest; the trouble that gifted kids have in school; learning only how to do things according to someone’s “correct” way and the limits this places on kids; schooling versus human nature and creativity; the importance of school grades in the business world; the trilogy of mind: cognition (skills/knowledge), affection (emotions/motivations/personality), and conation (volition/desire); Kolbe Corpe and the way they assess a person’s trilogy of mind; her history learning about herself and advocating for her strengths personally and professionally; why she’s always focused on her capabilities instead of her immutable characteristics like gender; the limits on usefulness of personality tests; the challenges that 2020 has brought to her consulting business LaunchConsulting.io; and more.