melbourne

This Is Not Australia

– August 20, 2020

“Our leadership must acknowledge the suffering of countless thousands of Australian citizens affected by measures taken to ‘defeat’ the virus. We need a collective plan that restores our civil and human rights and returns us to a liveable, albeit new normality. If we ever want to sing that inspiring Seekers song together again, then it’s time for all Australians to start thinking and acting collectively for the good of us all and for the future of this ‘lucky country.’” ~ Tania de Jong

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pathological parochial altruism

Pathological and Parochial Altruism in the Age of Fear

– August 20, 2020

“A healthy altruism already resides in the concepts of liberty, free markets, free trade, and exchanges that are beneficial to each individual. If in the spirit of entrepreneurship, the defectors from the status quo, the disruptors and ingenious can rise up to challenge the “new normal” and break away from the cult of blind obedience and pathological altruism, then there is still hope.” ~ Lucio Saverio Eastman

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pot commitment

Intellectuals, Politicians, and Pot Commitment

– August 20, 2020

“When a politician or another figure of authority lies, or changes their story without conceding previous error, it is important to remember that theirs is, ultimately, an edifice of assumed credibility. Honesty, unfortunately, would only erode it. Perhaps replacing attorneys with poker players would improve the climate of strategic courage in our state houses and Washington, D.C.” ~ Peter C. Earle

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Stop Tearing Down Statues. Use Them to Tell the Story of American Liberty.

– August 19, 2020

“It is time that we confront our paradoxical history of personalities, beliefs, and institutions, telling a story of continued struggle to manifest a civic inheritance of individual liberty and human dignity. A struggle marked with failure, but which we hope will continue to bear fruit for the good of humankind.” ~ James L. Caton

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lights

An Economics Lesson on the Ceiling

– August 19, 2020

“Whether you are a student or a senior citizen, be curious about the physics, engineering, and economics behind the everyday devices and systems that you depend on so heavily and take so much for granted. Of course, there isn’t time to research everything but with so many resources now available online, you can reward yourself by learning something new every day.” ~ Warren C. Gibson

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A Three-Item Post-Pandemic Regulatory Wishlist

– August 19, 2020

“It is easy to say ‘this is what the government should do;’ however, it is a lot harder to actually make the government do it. Progress toward a permissive, innovation-embracing political and cultural constitution would be just that: progress.” ~ Art Carden

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lightbulb

Let’s Cancel Environmentalism: A Triple Review of Environmentalism’s Opponents

– August 19, 2020

“We need to cancel environmentalism – and replace it with a scientifically sound and carefully deliberated environmental humanism. A humanism where damages and harm to the planet matters, but so do human life, wealth, and well-being.” ~ Joakim Book

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The Insidious Political Ends of Cancel Culture

– August 18, 2020

“The problem comes when such behavior gets so pervasive that it makes any sort of desirable social fabric impossible. To those people who wish to engage in the heavy politicization, divisiveness, and domination inherent to cancel culture, I say: make sure we actually have a society left.” ~ Ethan Yang

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Review of Steven Horwitz, Austrian Economics: An Introduction

– August 18, 2020

“Austrian Economics: An Introduction is a very useful and accessible summary of what we know about this simple but powerful paradigm. Teachers and students alike would benefit from consulting it.” ~ Art Carden

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usps

Mail Slowdowns Started 50 Years Before Trump

– August 18, 2020

“‘The post office has been run poorly for many, many decades,’ Trump declared last week. In a less histrionic era, the Postal Service’s failures could spur Congress to finally remove the roadblocks to private innovation in letter delivery. Instead, the coming delivery debacles may become the conspiratorial RussiaGate of the 2020 election.” ~ James Bovard

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statue, liberty

Watchwords that Threaten Liberty

– August 17, 2020

“This does not mean that oppressions, injustices, and ‘privileges’ have not existed and, when present, should not be repealed. But it is necessary to comprehend that, at the end of the day, it is political power, through its legitimized threat and use of force, that has been and is behind virtually all such immoral practices. And that the ideas and ideals of classical liberalism have been and remain the only lasting answers to ending the real social and cultural ills that continue to plague parts of humanity around the world.” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

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tsunami

Against the Bambi Syndrome: Nature Is Not Nice

– August 12, 2020

“Nature may be pristine, but nature is not friendly. With climate change making nature even less secure, we would do well to let technology and global economic growth protect us. With wealth and technology, we can both tame it and protect against its worst excesses.” ~ Joakim Book

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