Our modern world is infatuated with the ends we have in our sight, the goals we want to accomplish, and the changes we want to see. Most people have the same needs and desires: liberty, happiness, security, prosperity, and peace. Why do we consistently find ourselves so far from where we want to be? The problem is two-fold: 1) we mistakenly … [Read more...]
“On His Brow I See that Written Which is Doom”
October 20, 2010 by 1 Comment
One of the sharpest social critics of 19th century European industrial capitalism was...Charles Dickens. Those who have read Karl Marx’s writings see the world that he is attacking; those who have read Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Bleak House, or A Christmas Carol will see that same world. However, we find the world described by … [Read more...]
Aggression Doesn’t Change Anything
October 6, 2010 by 7 Comments
This op-ed in the New York Times has me worried. Editorialist Frank Rich argues that our political dialogue has become more radical. The biggest reason why, he says, is panic about "a new era of cultural and demographic change." He points to cases of protesters carrying weapons or shouting incendiary phrases at political rallies. He … [Read more...]
The Law: Tool of Acquisition, Redistribution, or Justice?
September 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment
How To Keep The Law In Its Rightful Place The only legitimate purpose of legislation is to establish some level of justice in society. However, it doesn’t take long for that proposed intent to be abused. Human beings have a tendency to self-interest and legislators are no different. The French physiocrat Frederic Bastiat, popularized the … [Read more...]
Why Our Current Brand of Capitalism is Inconsistent With Freedom
August 26, 2010 by 2 Comments
"The system of corporate life is a new power for which our language contains no name. We have no word to express government by moneyed corporations." -Charles Francis Adams Equal opportunity is the bedrock of freedom. This nation was established to preserve, protect, and ensure that opportunity. The United States (and the world) will need to … [Read more...]
The Conservative/Liberal Divide
August 18, 2010 by 2 Comments
The Politically-Induced "Split-Personality" of the Human Soul I recently experienced an epiphany that generated hope out of a lot of frustration regarding the contending factions in American and world politics, and within my own heart. I was discussing Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments with a colleague, in which Smith (according to … [Read more...]
Socialization: What Does It Lead To?
August 12, 2010 by 2 Comments
The desire to “fit in” is fundamental to human nature and society. We enjoy being with people that we have much in common with; it brings comfort, security, familiarity, and gives us the sense that we are right about things. However, this desire can lead down a path that will take us away from where we want to go. In Leo Tolstoy’s novel … [Read more...]
What “Freedom” Means For a New Criminal Justice System
July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Freedom. Let it ring! Freedom. What does it mean? Although the Greeks and Romans discussed Liberty and Independence and what it meant in their city-states and republic, Freedom is essentially an Anglo-American concept in political philosophy, having its origin in ancient Germanic languages and being used in the culture of the … [Read more...]
What Does it Mean to Be “American?”
July 8, 2010 by 7 Comments
Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann once accused Barack Obama of holding positions that are "anti-American" (and she was not the first). What did she mean? In order to define what it means to be "anti-American" we should define what it means to be "American" and use examples from history to see if our judgment is fair or even … [Read more...]
Postmodern Politics: Individualist or Relationship-Based?
April 26, 2010 by 6 Comments
Confidence in human institutions is fading. Modernism is slowly losing its foothold as many human beings are seeing that institutions are unable to deliver the happiness they claim to provide. In fact, many are beginning to see the authoritarian nature of most human institutions as a limit to their pursuit of happiness, an encroachment on … [Read more...]
