Gordon Tullock used to taunt anarchists by asserting that if the USA abolished its government, people would not have to worry about the Russians taking over the country because “the Mexicans would get here first.”
Tag: rules
A Critique of Stefan Molyneux’s Discussion with Stephan Kinsella on Schooling
One of my strategies in sniffing out unequal or one sided relationships is to always shift the players around. Lets say a politician asked the question “How do you manage the behavior of the people?” Your response would likely be something like “Who are you? I am not your subject to be managed!” Of course you are probably thinking, well this is the difference between a young child who lacks experience and mental capabilities and an adult. I would somewhat agree, but also have strong disagreement. There is a little bit more subtlety at work.
Don’t Be Afraid of Hard Work
It’s easy for people to make the fallacious leap from “hard work isn’t everything” to “hard work isn’t anything.” We may very well be a culture guilty of working too much, but that doesn’t mean we should abandon the idea that there’s such a thing as working too little.
Stop Looking For Something That Works
Sometimes things will work really well for other people, but they won’t work so well for you. Sometimes things won’t work out for other people, but they’ll work really well for you. Professional advertisers have a phrase for this: “Individual results may vary.”
Jail is no Substitute for Evidence
Evidence is “the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.” Putting someone in jail does not prove magical rules called “laws” apply to us. I can forcibly apply my rules to you, that doesn’t mean they are applicable to you and create obligations on you. It’s irrational to hold otherwise.
Things to Keep in Mind During the Health Care Debate
Politicians, of course, can declare a right to medical care, but those are mere words. What counts is what happens after the declaration. Since a system in which everyone could have, on demand, all the medical care they wanted at no cost would be unsustainable, the so-called right to medical care necessarily translates into the power of politicians and bureaucrats to set the terms under which medical services and products may be provided and received.
Be More Than a Spectator in Your Own Mind
Without a correct understanding of how to use their potent minds to receive new information, intelligent people will lead lives of wasted opportunity. The principles of effective thinking are what allow you to tap into the totality of your capabilities. Effective thinking makes your curiosity viable.
There is Power in Weakness
It’s not enough to focus on only the positive parts of yourself. The exceptional person identifies their weaknesses too. Without radical honesty about your limitations, you will always be their slave. Knowledge gives you the chance to improve your shortcomings or structure your life to avoid them. Know your weaknesses, but don’t trust them. Do not think you ignore them.
“But Gregory, Why on Earth Do You Need so Many Passports?”
Since it is not practical (and in most cases impossible) to exist beyond the influence of nation-states, the next best option for the exceptional person seeking to expand his identity is to embrace multiple nationalities.
The Religion of the State
Many objects have been turned into totems, but among the most common are flags, which are emblems signifying an association with a group and a cause taken to be larger than any individual. There’s hardly a need to point out how the flag is venerated in the United States — especially these days.