Free-Man's Perspective

While it’s possible to use “conspiracy theory” in a neutral way, I’m struggling to recall an instance. In actual use, to call someone a conspiracy theorist is to slap them. It’s purpose is to shut them up, to stop others from considering what they said, and to shame them as badly as possible. Anyone who’s been its target knows this.

Calling “conspiracy theory” adds precisely no factual input to a discussion; it’s simply an attempt to end a conversation; an attempt to intimidate and paralyze. Continue reading ““Conspiracy Theory” Is Thuggery”

I got an email from my old friend Dick not too long ago, who is maybe the smartest guy I ever met, and I’ve known a lot of smart guys. He was coming through town and we decided to meet at our old hangout, Jay’s Bar.

Dick was from California, but he came through Chicago every now and then back in the 90s, and he often joined our cypherpunk hangout in the back room at Jay’s. Continue reading “You’re Already Rich”

When I say homeschooling is easier than you think, I really mean it: it’s easier and better. (And yes, I’ve done it myself.) That said, there are complications and difficulties involved.

Given the current reign of madness in so many schools these difficulties hardly matter, but I’d still like to begin by describing the hard parts of homeschooling: I want you to know what you’re getting into. Continue reading “Homeschooling Is Easier Than You Think”

Nearly every creature upon this planet has one or more natural predators: creatures that prey upon them. Humans are a striking exception; even though we’re bereft of natural weapons – claws, ripping teeth and so on – we easily protect ourselves from even large predators. There are the occasional “bear in the woods” stories, but those come when we leave our constructed environments. Continue reading “Our Natural Predators”

Have you ever noticed that pessimistic and depressed people avoid babies?

I’m sure there are exceptions to this statement, but on the whole, I think it’s accurate. Dark, gloomy minds shy away from babies. I think there’s something to learn from this. Continue reading “When Was the Last Time You Held a Baby?”

There’s no virtue in suffering itself, but suffering is required if you want to be more than mundane. If you can’t accept suffering, anyone with a pin and a threat owns you. So, let’s be clear on this: Living in any way except the one prescribed by authority requires suffering. Continue reading “Suffering Is Required”

There are a large number of people have been waiting for a full-spectrum, apocalyptic crash of the Western system. I maintain that it won’t happen. And I hope to convince you that I’m right.

Not that an apocalypse doesn’t have great dramatic appeal, of course…

Continue reading “Why You Shouldn’t Believe In A Full-Spectrum Crash”

Sadly, there are fairly few people left who understand what the Hippies were really about. Mostly people remember the Hollywood version: pot-smoking, political protesting and clumsy dancing. The actual Hippies, especially the early Hippies, were a much different group. They were interesting and brave people: people very much worth remembering. Continue reading “The Wisdom Of The Hippies”

There is a simple fact that people are unable to ingest. You can explain it with charts, graphs and documentation… and they may even like the sound of it… but it soon fades and is forgotten.

This truth is simply too foreign to us; it doesn’t fit within our mental universe. Most of us don’t particularly fight it, but we’re very slow to integrate it. Continue reading “The Truth We Can’t Accept”

We can call this one an experiment..

The life that has been gifted to us is old… more than 6,000 years old. It began before recorded time, on the plains of Mesopotamia. There it was that the race of men was regimented; it was there that they learned to be ruled. Continue reading “6,000 Years On The Wheel”