Should you be self-controlled or free? The golden medians would tell you to give yourself some choice, but not too much. I would tell you that to be fully self-controlled requires being fully free, and vice versa. You must be both, to the nth degree.
Tag: behavior
#ReleaseTheMemo — And Then Some
On the campaign trail, they tell us that we’re their employers and that they’re just humble “public servants.” But once elected, they go to work behind closed doors and hide their hearings, their discussions, their memos and their other work product from us at will.
I, Protector
If we place our protection in the charge of sophisticated and powerful machinery (aka government and police states), above any individual autonomy and discretion, we will allow ourselves to become dominated by self-created protection systems.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Have you ever known someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? I am very reluctant to label anybody in that way. First of all, I am a follower of Thomas Szasz, who cautioned strongly against using labels. Secondly, in the broader scheme of things, evolution may look like aberation from the sanctum of the “normal.”
The Reformulation of Rights as Liberties
Everyone and their mom likes to posit that humans have rights, and they shan’t be violated. Some say the source of these rights are God, or the gods. Others say that our rights were bestowed upon us by nature. Others, by “government” (Oy!). Through my study of this concept and the evolution of where my thinking on it stood, I have decided, for now at least, that “rights” are just liberties.
Two Types of Laws; The Voluntaryist Perspective on Politics
The best way to understand the voluntaryist perspective on politics is to realize that there are only two types of laws: 1) those that prohibit crime, and 2) those that prohibit liberties.
Unschooling Dads with Skyler Collins, an Interview
“Skyler is an unschooling dad of three children and is the editor of the book Unschooling Dads: Twenty-two Testimonials on Their Unconventional Approach to Education. It’s not often that we get to hear about unschooling from the dad’s perspective and I really love that you took the time and effort to pull this book together. I really enjoyed reading their perspectives.”
Celebrity Presidents, Voluntary Governance, & Benign Bigotry (28m) – Editor’s Break 047
Editor’s Break 047 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson running for President of the United States, the importance of governance in a voluntary society, what “duly elected” means and non-voters being credited for a vote of non-confidence, dealing with anger, especially as it concerns raising children, and why attacking bigotry should take a back seat to attacking prickish behavior and violence.
Get Better at Dealing with Anger
Yesterday a loved one asked me about dealing with anger — he lashed out at someone he loves in a way that hurt her and filled him with shame and regret. I think we can all related to this — most of us have lashed out in anger and regretted it later.
Some Views on Left and Right
“Left” and “Right” are a false dichotomy in most ways that count. However, I’ve noticed something that has caught my attention in how people who identify on either side view their fellow human beings, and thought I’d share.