Have you ever heard a phrase similar to “bad news comes in threes?” It seems to be true, but it says here that this is not a mystery but a vagary of human communication.
Tag: media
How to Be Deep and Wide
Going deep into a single thinker doesn’t mean you can’t be a broad generalist. Think about it, if you read five books on one subject you will know more about it than 95% of the population and be able to converse with specialists. Yet it’s only five books. You can repeat this tons of times for whatever topic/thinker strikes your fancy. It’s so much more fruitful than a single book in passing.
Get Your Own House in Order First
Before making a big deal of someone else’s actions, it’s a good idea to look in the mirror. You might be surprised by what you see.
New Reflections on the Evolution in France
The biggest change is the ubiquitous police and military presence. Teams of militarized police and policified military patrol every tourist site and every public function, plus numerous random locations. It wasn’t just Paris; even small cities like Bayeaux were on guard. I’ve never seen anything like this in the United States, even on September 12, 2001.
Two Minutes Hate, At Least
The mindset is prevailing, I fear, that if a person isn’t actively part of the multitudes condemning, blasting and otherwise speaking negatively about something, then the person must be one of “them” or at least a sympathizer.
Worksheets or Wonder: A Story
The sky was a bright blue, clear with wispy white clouds and a strong June sun. My four children were ankle-deep in ocean water, shrieking with excitement each time they spotted a hermit crab or a sea star or a snail as the tide retreated.
Charlottesville Haters: Test Case for the Internet as Public Square
John Gilmore famously noted that “The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it.” Libertarians like me view the market in much the same way. This situation is a practical, nuts and bolts test of those views. There’s a great deal riding on the outcome.
How Mass Schooling Perpetuates Inequality
For kids like Matt, schooling can bring out the worst behaviors. Like a trapped tiger–angry and afraid–they rebel. Unable to conform properly to mass schooling’s mores, they get a label: troubled, slow learner, poor, at-risk. They will carry these scarlet letters with them throughout their 15,000 hours of mandatory mass schooling, emerging not with real skills and limitless opportunity, but further entrenched in their born disadvantage.
Let’s Try to Understand Before Casting Aside
I’m a firm believer in giving people enough rope to hang themselves, but I also try not to make judgments based on one or two often out-of-context comments.
Puppets on a String
How often does the mainstream media give attention and coverage to people who calmly and rationally explain the concepts and principles of voluntaryism? Answer: pretty much never. And how often does the mainstream media give attention and coverage to “alt-right” types frothing and ranting about Jews, blacks, immigrants, etc.? Answer: as often as possible.