Lord Acton wrote that power tends to corrupt, but I’m going to say flat out that it does corrupt. I’ll go further and say that it’s an addiction (probably every bit as bad as cocaine), and that the lust for control is one of its primary drivers. Continue reading “Control Is An Addiction”
Election Day Options
Today is election day in America, and this time I’ll offer my opinions. I’m not endorsing anyone (the issues surrounding this year’s election are far larger than that) but I will contribute a few ideas. And to be very clear, I’m doing this for three distinct reasons: Because I love my neighbors; because I love the American people; and because the idea of America is far too important to lose. Continue reading “Election Day Options”
Fear Is A Mind Hack
(Originally published March 16, 2020)
Humans are not naturally stupid. They are not naturally bad. Fear, however, distorts them, weakens them, and makes them far less effective than they’d naturally be. Fear, in its many guises, is the great enemy of mankind, and it’s time that we addressed it head on. Continue reading “Fear Is A Mind Hack”
The Gospel of Ignorance
The good news about ignorance? Yes, and emphatically yes.
The good news about ignorance is that it sets us free from mental chains. Now, to be clear, what I’m talking about here is accepting and admitting our ignorance. This is essential if we want to actually know things, as opposed to making a show of knowing things. And I can tell you from personal experience that it really works. I gained the habit of admitting my ignorance (almost advertising it) back in the early 1980s, and that habit has helped me toward more understanding and discovery than I’d be able to itemize. Continue reading “The Gospel of Ignorance”
The Serfdom State of Mind
Serfdom was… and is… a state of mind far more than an economic or social position.
The Serfdom State of Mind focuses on the desire for safety and security… of remaining clear of blame… to the detriment of self-reliance and living as a free and independent moral agent.
Everyone enjoys safety, of course, but to place placidity above life itself is a grave error, and lies at the root of serfdom.
Social Media Is A Polarization Machine
Sure, we’ve all seen this in practice and people have developed catchy terms for it, like echo chamber, but the polarization effect of social media has been demonstrated scientifically. In fact, some of us were warning about it a long time ago. And while I can no longer find my original documentation on the subject, I can tell you precisely how it works. Continue reading “Social Media Is A Polarization Machine”
Would You Like An Advantage In Business?
I spent a a good deal of my young adulthood searching for business advantages. Ultimately I found mine by reading: While the other guys were talking about nonsense and chugging back brews, I was reading the literature of my business… and it worked.
Things are a bit different nowadays, but I still respect the drive to get ahead, and today I have something for all who are interested: a big advantage, ready for the taking. Most people will turn away from it, but if you’re serious about getting ahead, this is for you. Continue reading “Would You Like An Advantage In Business?”
Why Can’t We Thrive Like 1905?
When writing historical things, I try to include perspective from people who actually lived through the events. And for money issues in the US, I’m able to do that back to about 1905.
So, do you think life was nasty, brutish, and short in 1905? That there were poor and starving people falling dead on every street corner?
Lèse-Majesté And The Necessity of Idolatry
Lèse-Majesté, an offense against the dignity of a ruler, is a little-used but very important concept. And it is the central crime that cannot be tolerated by the ruler.
Lèse-Majesté stands against the concept of free speech, of course, but when push comes to shove, necessities stand above the law, and lèse-Majesté is a necessity to rulers.
As we examine in this podcast, lèse-Majesté is crucial for the legitimacy of the ruler (without legitimacy the whole structure of rulership would fail), and is crucial to what I call “applied idolatry” in our world.
The Dignity of Work
At one time I lived close to the Field Museum of Chicago; I had a membership and spent a good deal of time there. One evening, about ten minutes before closing, I noticed that workers had begun preparing the first floor for an evening event. I had a panoramic view from where I stood at the second floor balcony, and what I saw has stuck with me ever since. Continue reading “The Dignity of Work”