The Way of the 21st Century: Going Nowhere While Very, Very Frightened

(Originally published in February, 2015)

We’re 14 years into a new century, which is typically how long it takes for a century’s unique characteristics to show up. The 20th century, for example, looked a lot like the 19th until 1914; from there on it looked a lot different. So I think this is a good time to take a look at our new century and see how it’s shaping up.

I see two particular things that are defining the mainline culture just now. Let’s go with the easy and obvious one first: Continue reading “The Way of the 21st Century: Going Nowhere While Very, Very Frightened”

Looking for a Reason to Believe: The Benefit of the Doubt Is Cracking

Those of us who pursue positive change are very often frustrated. We see the necessity of change all too clearly, and we can explain how it should come about, but it never seems to happen.

The truth, however, is that change does come; it just comes more slowly than we’d like, and in ways that differ from those we imagined.

One real change I like to point out is the passing of blind trust in politicians. In the 1950s and ‘60s, most people spoke of politicians with respect and even with reverence. Now it’s almost standard for people to agree that they’re liars and thieves. That’s a very significant change, even if it did take several decades to unfold. Continue reading “Looking for a Reason to Believe: The Benefit of the Doubt Is Cracking”

The Passing of American Exceptionalism: How We Became Like All the Other Nations

Once upon a time there really was an American exceptionalism and America was a light unto the world. That exceptionalism was a long way from perfect (looking for perfection in a mass of humans is silly), but it was legitimate.

Alas, that was long ago. People who say that American exceptionalism still exists may have good intentions, but they don’t understand what it was. Others, with less noble intentions, promote the idea to whip up support. Telling people to praise themselves is always a big seller. Continue reading “The Passing of American Exceptionalism: How We Became Like All the Other Nations”

Jury Nullification and Why Ross Ulbricht’s Prosecutors Are Trying to Evade It

(Originally published in December, 2014, a few weeks before the trial began.)

There is a basic principle that underlies any honest attempt at good governance:

Anyone given power over others must be subject to more scrutiny, and must be given less benefit of the doubt. Continue reading “Jury Nullification and Why Ross Ulbricht’s Prosecutors Are Trying to Evade It”

The Corporate Cocoon

CorporateCocoonIn my town, the corporate throngs travel almost in unison every morning and every night, making their way from the manicured suburbs to the shiny central city and then back again.

They’re not particularly bad people, you understand. In fact, many of them are pleasant and smart. But they’re being slowly digested into the body of a larger host: the 21st Century Mega-Corp Network. Continue reading “The Corporate Cocoon”

How To Judge Cultures

Perhaps the most vehement intellectual foolishness of our time is the demand that no culture may be judged. According to this dogma, all cultures are equally valid and very certainly none can be judged as inferior to another.

That’s not just hogwash, but dangerous hogwash. And the reason it’s dangerous is very simple:

Without evaluation there can be no quality control. Continue reading “How To Judge Cultures”

Druglord, Genius, or Saint? What Kind of Man, Really, Is Silk Road’s Dread Pirate Roberts?

(Originally published November, 2014)

As many of you must know, the US government (and I’m not certain of all the agencies involved) has charged a young man named Ross Ulbricht with being “Dread Pirate Roberts” (DPR), the “drug kingpin” behind the Silk Road online bazaar. You probably do not know, however, that he goes on trial in two months. Continue reading “Druglord, Genius, or Saint? What Kind of Man, Really, Is Silk Road’s Dread Pirate Roberts?”