When discussion turns to how to make government “better,” however any particular person would conceive that condition, libertarians understand that we are in the fraught world of second-bests. In other words, because of the nature of the state, no solution that merely attempts to reform it will be or could be truly satisfying. The system will continue to feature exploitation, rent-seeking, public-choice and knowledge problems, and worse.
Tag: religion
Moral Relativism and Moral Fanaticism
What exactly is moral fanaticism? Like moral relativism, moral fanaticism is a meta-ethical theory – a theory about moral facts and moral reasoning. Moral relativism says, roughly, that there are no moral facts, and moral “reasoning” is just thinly-veiled emoting. Moral fanaticism, in contrast, affirms that there are moral facts, but pretends that thinly-veiled emoting is ironclad moral reasoning.
Mask Mandates: Pope Joe versus “The Science”
“Look, I hope everybody’s realized by now, these masks make a difference,” said President Joe Biden in response to the lifting of mask mandates in Texas and Mississippi. “[T]he last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that [as vaccines roll out], everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters.” Biden’s statement abandons “the science” in at least two ways.
That Old Minimum-Wage Magic
You don’t have to actually think that legislating and raising the minimum wage will help low-skilled workers earn more money. That’s not the point. The point is to display your correct political religion.
Capitalizing on Your Insecurity
Most of the time I have observed people promoting their religion/faith, they aren’t selling the virtues of the ideology. It isn’t promoting scripture, showing the wisdom inherent in god’s word, or anything like this. The way most advertising for religion works is merely the same exact way used by con men and cults, they are capitalizing on your insecurity.
Share What You Think is Important
When something is important to you, you want to share it. If other people don’t understand it, you want to explain it to them. You usually want others to like and understand it as much as you do, whether it’s a skill, a hobby, a religion, knowledge, or an idea. It’s why — besides the…
Collective Guilt for Everyone for Everything
After “Don’t blame the victim,” the second-most obvious maxim for blame is, “Only blame the perpetrators.” Precisely who, though, are the “perpetrators”? Another deep criticism of my approach is that I blame too narrowly. Instead of concentrating blame on specific wrong-doers, we should blame large swaths of society – or even whole countries.
Politics Not a Good Look on Anyone
(My Eastern New Mexico News column for February 10, 2021)
When something is important to you, you want to share it. If other people don’t understand it, you want to explain it to them.
You usually want others to like and understand it as much as you …
The Cult of Covid
In spite of the craziness, the Branch Covidians have gone mainstream– pushing their religion from the media and government buildings– and it’s bizarre.
Can Do without Biden’s ‘Unity’
(My Eastern New Mexico News column for February 3, 2021)
Politics has a strange effect on people.
I’m stunned at how many people can’t let go of Donald Trump. They cling to him like a life raft in an ocean of uncertainty.
I’m not talking about Trump’…