By Oliver DeMille Read Part 1 Here But I do not believe that either the modern or the Shakespearean mindsets will influence our future as much as that from and even earlier age — the era of Virgil. I am convinced that Virgil’s understanding of freedom eclipses both of these others. Virgil witnessed Rome losing many of its freedoms, and he … [Read more...]
What Are We Sowing?
November 3, 2010 by 1 Comment
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...]
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
November 2, 2010 by 4 Comments
My adventure with the American election process began much like other young people entering college. Not certain who the candidates were, or even what they stood for, I voted with zeal but with little knowledge. As I gained more experience, through reading newspapers and magazines, I quickly fell into the democratic herd, who spout their … [Read more...]
15 Tough Questions For Political Candidates
October 22, 2010 by 3 Comments
Less than a month remains before the first Tuesday in November, and the current election cycle is finally beginning to peak. Many self-identified conservative commentators are breathlessly reminding us that "This is the most important election of our lifetimes" while they're busy helping set up the Republican Kool-Aid stand. Democrats seem … [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...]
Why Societies Decline, Part 2: Six Choices for Citizens
October 13, 2010 by 1 Comment
This is part 2 of a 2-part article. Read Part 1 Here If the first step of decline is arrogance, the second is “a time of troubles” where the actions of society and its institutions too often fall short of the people’s lofty ideals. For example, consider the era when Americans saw themselves as the land of the free, the best place in the … [Read more...]
Why Societies Decline, Part 1: The Positive Effects of Adversity
October 12, 2010 by 3 Comments
This is part 1 of a 2-part article. Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is often cited by people trying to see where America is on the long path of her place in history. Certainly the detail of Gibbon’s work is full of specifics and nuance. But another work may be even more helpful. Although it is more … [Read more...]
Islam on Trial
October 11, 2010 by 2 Comments
A recent (ahem) debate on a forum I'm involved with started out as a discussion on the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" -- a textbook example of Joseph Goebbel's "repeat a lie often enough" dictum -- but quickly deteriorated into what amounted to a trial of the Islamic faith. I claim no expertise on the subject of Islam, but I've encountered … [Read more...]
Is Government Broken? Part 2: Lost Leaders
September 28, 2010 by 2 Comments
This is part-2 of a 3-part article. Read Part 1 Here We are unable to overcome these and many of our deepest challenges because of the way we distribute leadership in our society. The American founders envisioned a truly great educational system, built around schools in every locale, to train their youth in the great ideas of mankind’s … [Read more...]
Disturbing Parallels Between America & 1930s Germany
September 20, 2010 by 3 Comments
The practice of invoking a comparison between your opponent's argument and Nazi ideology is such a common occurrence in internet discussions that, years ago, an author and attorney named Mike Godwin coined a tongue-in-cheek adage known as "Godwin's Law." Strictly speaking, this tactic constitutes an informal fallacy in that it relies upon … [Read more...]
