https://youtu.be/mQPsSGf9hfk To flip the argument just given, the renters also don’t have to live at that specific location. There’s no God-given right to be able to live in someone else’s property rent free. And assuming the obligations of a renter is part of the responsibility you take on when you sign a contract and becomeContinue reading “Landlords’ and renters’ rights”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
A final letter to KXYZ
You have lost me as a viewer permanently. This special is not news, this is political re-education. These “bias” trainings have not been shown to be effective, in fact there is a great deal of evidence that they cause and perpetuate the problems they intend to address. They are not based in a well-grounded orContinue reading “A final letter to KXYZ”
A children’s guide to Marxism
I recently read a summary of Marx’s ideas in a philosophy book for children that summed up his cultural and intellectual contributions thusly: He really cared about poor people, he was unpopular for his ideas, but his ideas ended up being very influential, so maybe they weren’t so wrong after all. That was pretty muchContinue reading “A children’s guide to Marxism”
A dream of the pantheon
I had a strange dream. Ignoring the events that led up to it, there was a gathering of powerful people, and I was among them. There was going to be a great ordering and striving to see who would take what position. Everyone had strengths and abilities. There were men and women. Some I knew,Continue reading “A dream of the pantheon”
Creating false demand, with an aside on evil
In response to the idea that markets are distorted because suppliers have created artificial demand that didn’t exist. From this discussion. https://youtu.be/ndehWd9N9Z4 This is the wrong way of viewing things entirely. You cannot literally create demand. You can hijack it, you can confuse it, you can subvert it, you can alter it, you can divertContinue reading “Creating false demand, with an aside on evil”
From a letter to a newspaper
As a news organization, the positions of any given national politician should not be characterized as an attack on people. Words aren’t attacks on people, they are statements of positions. We can agree and disagree with words, statements, and positions. They can be analyzed and falsified. But half the problem that prevents any kind ofContinue reading “From a letter to a newspaper”
From a conversation with a journalist
Hello, I had some concerns about the reporting in this story. I’m going to assume that this story is not completely unidimensional, and that there are people other than those who say it is all racism, although that is not apparent from the story itself. I am not saying, myself, that using such mascots andContinue reading “From a conversation with a journalist”
The job of government
The job of government is to codify and enforce the rules of fair play, not ensure equal or specific outcomes. So government needs to make sure that the rules are uniform (which produces freedom and opportunity), not make sure that the results are uniform (which virtually always involves injustice and tyranny, even when well-meant). PrivateContinue reading “The job of government”
The end of medicine
You can’t have a well developed conception of pathology without a well developed concept of an ideal. When doctors at last lose the prejudice for any certain ideal of health, they will no longer be able to diagnose nor cure disease, and will be sent home.
Playing the role
The great lesson to be learned from casting is that you won’t always get the role you wanted or expected or deserved, and you can waste your moment being resentful or disappointed about that. What you really can and should do is to make the most of the moment you’re given and play the partContinue reading “Playing the role”
Trump and conservatism
From a fiscal perspective, Trump probably did more damage to the conservative role in government than all the liberal presidents put together. He accomplished what no democratic president could ever do; he ran the fiscal conservatives out government. Far from it, the presence of an opposition president often galvanized conservative leaders. People like Paul RyanContinue reading “Trump and conservatism”
College for all?
The idea of college for all is tricky. For two reasons. First, a huge amount of money is already being wasted on college for people who take it for granted (especially those who aren’t paying for it) and don’t have any good reason to be there. They see it as an extension of high school,Continue reading “College for all?”
Who has sexual advantage?
Men and women both have advantages and disadvantages in their respective approaches. It’s very easy to see the disadvantages of your approach when you’re dealing with the other, when you’re on the other side’s turf, their domains of special competence (whose very existence some people would no doubt deny today) and out of your element.Continue reading “Who has sexual advantage?”
Suicide, covid, and women
In response to the claim that the reason for the general increase in suicides (in Japan) during covid was due to women being stuck at home with abusive men. I asked, do they have data in that, or is that speculation? To which I received a very frosty glare and the rejoinder that people whoContinue reading “Suicide, covid, and women”
Ravi and scandal
From a conversation about Ravi Zacharias and the revelations of his misdeeds with masseurs. One note I should make first is that it’s very easy to have the right ideas and quite another thing to live by them. As much as I like to talk about the need for courage to face the truth andContinue reading “Ravi and scandal”
False confidence
True confidence isn’t found by believing in yourself. That’s just ignorance, aggression, bluster, and self-deceit. You don’t steady yourself by grasping yourself tighter and tighter. Real confidence comes from fixing your eye on something bigger than yourself, outside of yourself, and grabbing hold of that. If you’ve grabbed something big enough and solid enough, itContinue reading “False confidence”
Who is the ideal modern feminist?
I heard a very curious argument from a transgender person today that is hard to respond to. He (or she, possibly, I’m going to assume he was intending to present as a she) was arguing that the whole point of feminism (as a movement) was to free the meaning of being a woman from theContinue reading “Who is the ideal modern feminist?”
The instinct against liberalism
There is an argument to be made that liberalism was an experimental strategy, one that had never been attempted on a large scale before and so had no real proven track record, and other forms of social organization had and have a better one across time and differing conditions. Liberalism ended up going pretty wellContinue reading “The instinct against liberalism”
My application to the DEI board
As DEI programs become more commonplace across the country, it is very easy for such processes to become mired in political concerns and personal and social conflicts. It is easy for them to become reactive, focused on deflecting complaints and liability, rather than on the production of excellence in education. I believe that part ofContinue reading “My application to the DEI board”
What is respect?
I think there is a question of what it means to respect someone, or even to respect a whole people. Does it mean indulging them, protecting them? Defending or coddling them, making them comfortable, patronizing them? How should we view someone we respect? As a friend, as a child, as a pet, as a project?Continue reading “What is respect?”
Making Nobody Happy 