Humanity stands about halfway between gorillas and gods. The great question that looms over us, is this: “Which will we incorporate into our lives? Primate things or God things?” Continue reading “Are You a Gorilla or a God?”
Author: Paul
Silk Road Died, Bitcoin Crashed. So why am I so happy?
(Originally published October, 2013)
You may have heard that Silk Road – the truly free online market – was taken down today, by the FBI. In response, the price of Bitcoin crashed 24%.
Yet here I am – just a few hours later, feeling very optimistic. Why? Because the philosophy of freedom just showed itself to be massively stronger than statism and its “don’t think, just obey” philosophy. Continue reading “Silk Road Died, Bitcoin Crashed. So why am I so happy?”
The Forces that Work Against You in a Jury Trial
A few years ago I received a jury summons. And while I detest the barbaric “show up or else” aspect of it, I do appreciate juries as a last ditch measure against tyranny. (Years ago I spent some time with Larry Dodge, the founder of the Fully Informed Jury Association, and I’ve been a fan ever since.) Continue reading “The Forces that Work Against You in a Jury Trial”
If The Founders of Democracy Could See This…
The word democracy is held in awe these days. Mention it almost anywhere and you’ll get instant nods of approval.
People actually believe that democracy gives us harmony and peace, not to mention wealth. They are sure that it is the ultimate and inevitable end of human development, created by the wise and noble Greeks and given to us, the enlightened society that took it to the ends of the Earth! Continue reading “If The Founders of Democracy Could See This…”
The Blow That Ended America 100 Years Ago
(Originally published in 2013.)
“There is a lot of ruin in a nation,” wrote Adam Smith. His point was that it takes a long time for nations to fall, even when they’re dead on their feet. And he was certainly right.
America took its fatal blow in 1913, one hundred years ago; it just hasn’t hit the ground yet. This is a slow process, but it’s actually fast compared to the Romans. It took them several centuries to collapse. Continue reading “The Blow That Ended America 100 Years Ago”
The Fascist’s Guide to Business Success
I was downtown last Thursday and ended up with an hour to kill before my train home, so I went down the station’s back stairs and around the corner to Jay’s Bar. It was almost six o’clock, so the crowd was a mix of corporate suits buying expensive vodka, tradesmen enjoying decent beer, and jobless neighborhood guys drinking cheap beer. I ordered something inoffensive and watched to see if any of my old Cypherpunk pals would show up. Continue reading “The Fascist’s Guide to Business Success”
Thomas Jefferson: “We Failed”
Thomas Jefferson – one of my long-time heroes – was convinced that he and his friends blew the chance they had to establish freedom in America. I know that a hundred thousand self-praising textbooks, speeches, pundits and songs claim that Jefferson and the rest established freedom, but that’s not what Jefferson thought, and it’s not what he said. Continue reading “Thomas Jefferson: “We Failed””
The 21st Century Addictions
In any negotiation, the one with power is the one who can walk away. If you can’t walk, you have no power and you won’t get what you want.
I bring this up because a couple of billion people have entered relationships in which they have no power at all, and who are being intentionally used. More than that, this relationship carries a chemical component, making it an addiction. Continue reading “The 21st Century Addictions”
Podcast: Post-Primate Society, Part 7
This series of seven podcasts include the text (but not the notes) of my book, Post-Primate Society: A New Look At The Human Story. I think it’s a very important book, but I also think it will take some time to be accepted. And so I posted it to Kindle and am posting it here as quickly as I could. A proper audio book will follow, and I hope a paper book will follow, but all in good time.
The material in this book is simply a lot to ingest. I’m convinced I have described it well, and it certainly makes attractive arguments, but I also expect it to be difficult to retain: It’s simply too foreign.
And so, please go through it as well as you can, and allow the concepts to remain in the back of your mind.
Thanks.
Podcast: Post-Primate Society, Part 6
This series of seven podcasts include the text (but not the notes) of my book, Post-Primate Society: A New Look At The Human Story. I think it’s a very important book, but I also think it will take some time to be accepted. And so I posted it to Kindle and am posting it here as quickly as I could. A proper audio book will follow, and I hope a paper book will follow, but all in good time.
The material in this book is simply a lot to ingest. I’m convinced I have described it well, and it certainly makes attractive arguments, but I also expect it to be difficult to retain: It’s simply too foreign.
And so, please go through it as well as you can, and allow the concepts to remain in the back of your mind.
Thanks.