The fastest way for me to become disappointed in someone I care about is for them to take a government “job”. That’ll do it every time.
Tag: respect
Rights and Responsibilities, Again
Your rights are your responsibility. My only responsibility concerning your rights is to not interfere with you exercising them. I am responsible for not violating you, and if I do, I’m responsible for that, too.
Lessons from Building Praxis – Part 5
I had a lot to do, much of it outside my ability, much of it costly, and I had a few grand I could put on my personal credit card and that was it. The idea for Praxis wasn’t fundable yet, and I didn’t even know what the letters “VC” meant anyway, let alone how to go raise. But I didn’t need any of that because I had something far more valuable. I had dozens of accounts with positive balances of social capital, and it was time to cash them in.
Being Content with Being Bad
I don’t want to rape and murder, not because it is wrong, but because I have empathy for others and it would destroy my life for many reasons. I think societies should stop people from raping and murdering because it is in people’s self-interest to do so.
Selfish Reasons for Civilized Behavior
The nihilist in me isn’t too interested in moralizing to my children about right and wrong. Yes, I believe in ethics and morality, but no, I do not believe that we are obligated to anyone but ourselves to be good and moral people. If we aren’t obligated to anyone but ourselves, then any reason why find to be good and moral must necessarily be selfish. Right? I think so. And after polling some friends on what they considered “civilized behavior,” here are some actions and the selfish reasons to perform them.
On Property and Aggression
Rights are not metaphysical entities. No pathologist finds them during an autopsy. In a sense, they are conventions, but by that, I do not mean they are arbitrary. They are conventions much in the same way that David Hume saw the virtue of justice, which he equated with respect for property.
Anything But Original Appropriation is Nonsensical
Ultimately, whatever property conventions people voluntary decide to respect amongst each other is or should be acceptable for the voluntaryist. However, until there is a meeting of the minds between individuals concerning property conventions, how should conflicts over property claims be judged? In my opinion, they should be judged on the basis of original appropriation, and anything else is nonsensical.
Are You Disrespecting Your Child with this Type of Attention?
I think attention is a wonderful commodity and the anecdote to so many of the problems that arise with our children. The key is to understand what kind of attention is helping and what kind of attention is hurting.
Develop an Abundant Understanding of Abundance
It’s important to value yourself, but it’s equally important to not be too defensive or short-sighted when it comes to opportunities that aren’t accompanied by a nice paycheck.
The Problem With Obedience: Why You Really Don’t Want An Obedient Child
Wouldn’t it be nice if your children just did what you asked all the time? Do you ever have this thought? Of course you do! You have children. I have had the same thoughts (trust me), but when you really think about the long term consequences of obedience and how that looks in a relationship, you start to really question our culture’s parenting methods.