For the people who work there, nonprofits are a wonderful, dangerous vacation from the feedback of reality. They provide a sort of cushy anti-moral hazard, where people take less risk than they would if they faced direct market feedback from customers. An environment like that is good at slowly stagnating or even corroding the human spirit, as safety nets tend to do. Be careful.
Tag: principles
Economic Nationalism: Elitism in Populist Clothing
My old friend and former “American Conservative” editor Dan McCarthy gets it all wrong about Donald Trump’s “national security” tariffs on aluminum and steel.
Can You Explain Why Slavery is Wrong?
We’ve encountered some reasonable refutations of this premise, with the biggest critique being around the claim that it’s “self-evident”. In that way, it looks like the other weak arguments. When I’m asked to prove that I own myself, I don’t have a quick and easy answer, I can’t produce a receipt. But I am responsible for my actions, and I chose how and when to use my body. These are qualities of ownership. And even with a gun pointed at my head, the decision to cooperate is still ultimately mine. I couldn’t forfeit control if I wanted to.
What is Voluntaryism?
I was, in fact, challenged as to “What is a voluntaryist?” I will, from time to time, read a piece, in the SIG for Writers to which I belong, where I will claim to be a “voluntaryist.” Although curiosity will kill the cat, someone decided to query how and why I was using the word, “voluntaryist.”
Book Lists
When you task a dozen people over 50 with the idea of each picking her or his favorite novel, you need to get ready to get dozens of titles added to your reading list. Most of us, between 60 and 90, come from some of the last reading generations.
The Little Engine That Could, But Chose Not To
The Little Engine was told about a job for which a train was needed. A job that paid well. A job that was said to be helpful; hauling government troops and their equipment over a steep mountain to their next destination. It wouldn’t be an easy job but would push the Little Engine to its limits.
The Road
It’s difficult to decide what single action would make gender inequality go away. If getting rid of POTUS would do the trick, I say “off with his head!” But neither the direction nor the facts are crystal clear. Look at the history already exposed. It’s not linear. The future is as unpredictable as the weather. Turbulence may pop up anywhere. Where shall we hold the March? Which road shall we take?
Hans-Hermann is Lying
Sorry Hans, but if you are advocating something which violates the ZAP, you are not a “real libertarian” by definition no matter what sort of name calling you engage in. No matter what you believe your “study” has shown you. If your advocated violation hinges on allowing (employees of) the State to violate the ZAP then you are lying and advocating statism.
It’s The Golden Mean, Not the Golden Median
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.
My Evil Self
In the past I did things I now consider evil. Things which violate my values, principles, and ethics– or at least the ones I have now. Some of those things I even considered evil when I did them, yet I did them anyway. What’s up with that?