Tag: society

Social Salvation vs. Individual Salvation

James Walpole

From one era to another of human history, human energies seem to be dedicated either to social salvation – think “progress” – or individual salvation – think “enlightenment” or “sanctification”. Sometimes this takes religious guises, other times more secular ones. We live in a time that, despite its frequent pandering to individual *lusts* and frequent spastic efforts to find “enlightenment” (yoga, New Age, etc), does not really have a structure that encourages individual salvation.

Two-Bedroom Rentals, Comfortable Life, 10-Hour Workweeks, & Cocaine Piracy (31m) – Episode 335

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 335 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/shitstatistssay: CNBC writes, “Full-time minimum wage workers cannot afford a two-bedroom rental anywhere in the U.S. and cannot afford a one-bedroom rental in 95% of U.S. counties.”; GoAheadAndH8Me writes, “Free consent cannot be given in a society that lacks a UBI providing a comfortable life as the worst possible outcome.”; the Hampton Institute writes, “If capitalism were suddenly outlawed & we all began working for each other (instead of for a handful of rich people), we’d have 10-hour workweeks, no poverty, no war, no crime, more time with our families & communities, creative/productive outlets, and sustainable/healthy living.”; and Talos-Valcoran writes, “The government takes a part of the money it gave to the companies, who gave it to you, back so that it can improve your life. Without taxes the whole government wouldn’t work.”

“Peak Libertarianism?” No, Thom Hartmann is Just a Sore Winner

Thomas L. Knapp

“We have now reached peak Libertarianism,” Thom Hartmann informs us at CounterPunch, “and this bizarre experiment that has been promoted by the billionaire class for over 40 years is literally killing us.” That claim is so bizarre on its face that it’s easy to dismiss. On the other hand, even the craziest claims can fool people if nobody takes the time to debunk them.

Aphorisms in Honor of Liberty, Part Three (31m) – Episode 334

Skyler J. Collins (Editor)

Episode 334 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following aphorisms written by Jakub Bożydar Wiśniewski: “A bad economist believes that prices should be policed by the state. A good economist believes that police should be priced by the market.”; “A barbarian believes that liberty erodes community. A civilized person knows that liberty creates community.”; “A fool believes that taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society. A person of reason knows that a civilized society is the price we pay for taxes.”; “Bad may be less bad than worse, but that doesn’t make it any better.”; “A fool believes that the way to destroy culture is to commercialize it. A person of reason knows that it is to subsidize it.”; “A little knowledge makes one believe that he knows everything. Some knowledge makes one afraid of how little he knows. A lot of knowledge makes one accept that he knows nothing.”

Government Makes Crisis Worse

Kent McManigal

Whatever the crisis is, and whether it was caused by a virus, police callousness, racism, inequality, or something else, governments love the excuse to crack down on liberty. This is often among their first responses — regardless of what the crisis is, what caused the crisis, or how it might be solved. It’s as though they don’t even care about those trivial details.

America’s “Days of Rage”: The Extensive Left-Wing Bombings & Domestic Terrorism of the 1970s

Brian Miller

Most Americans have never heard of these acts of terrorism from leftist groups that were so numerous throughout the 1970s. But this is a prime example of “those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The urban unrest, which has rocked America in the early 2020s, is nothing new. The 1960s saw both race riots and left-wing terrorist groups looking to exploit animosity between racial groups in America.