A big part of integrity is continuity of character – in other words, being pretty much the same person in all places and circumstances. But how do you know if you have it? Look to your circle of relationships. How would you feel if you gathered people from all areas of your life – work, friends, family – and hosted them together at one party?
Tag: change
Who’s Afraid of Russian Propaganda?
If we believe the people who claim to be so concerned about Russian Facebook activity, we really ought to be concerned about something much deeper: the apparent fragility of American society. For if the Russians can strike a propaganda blow comparable, as some have ludicrously said, to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, isn’t that also true for any number of domestic websites across the political spectrum?
When Academics Describe the World
In economics, theorists will tell you “public goods” like lighthouses can’t ever be supplied by private, profit-seeking ventures. Meanwhile, right outside their window there are private lighthouses, provided in ways too varied and ingenious for the academic mind to comprehend, and too skin-in-the-game trial-and-error intuitive for the entrepreneur to even know how to explicitly describe.
Standing Alone
If someone’s “beliefs” are the result of fear, or popularity contests, or any other outside influence, instead of the result of personal contemplation and soul-searching, then that person is likely to change his “beliefs” at the drop of a hat, because he has no real principles or convictions.
The Beauty of Starting from Scratch
I try not to cling to my past ideas tightly. If I work through them fully, get them out, and treat them with respect in the present, the parts that matter most tend to get embedded and carry forward silently until needed in the future.
Keep Your Nose on Your Own Property
Neglecting to understand which things are your business, and which are not, causes many problems. People spend too much time with their noses in places where they don’t belong while ignoring things for which they are responsible.
On Being a Part of City Life
I had to get a job before I started to realize the beauty of a city skyline, or even a busy interstate. The high office buildings, the businesses, the traffic, the construction, the people rushing off to do things – I’m a part of that flow now. I know what these places and things and activities are like. I know (some of) what it takes to create value in the world.
Uncertainty is the Root of the Current Market Craziness
Investors put their money into enterprises under certain tax and regulatory conditions. When those conditions start suddenly changing or looking like they may change, the investors worry. And when they worry, they get more cautious about where their money is and what it’s being used for. They sell off, move their money into what they hope are less volatile assets, and the stock market takes a hit.
Leftist Lessons of The Case Against Education
Overall, reactions to The Case Against Education have been civil and fair. While I’ve been heavily criticized, I’ve been criticized for what I actually said and believe. My main disappointment: While the quality of the left-wing critiques has been fine, the quantity is modest.
New Law in Utah Protects Free-Range Kids from Government “Protection”
State officials and lawmakers told the Washington Post that authorities in Utah were “not in the business” of arresting parents who allowed their children to roam freely, but lawmakers felt compelled to pass the legislation after Child Protective Service in other states opened criminal cases against parents who did.