People are outraged that the federal “stimulus” bill transferred millions of tax dollars to prisoners and dead people. But why aren’t they outraged that government is transferring money at all? Government seizure of income from people who earn it, income … Continue reading
Q: Dr. Hurd, I think I’ve determined once and for all that I do much better with some sort of forced structure — that is, a structure where I’m held accountable every day to show up, do something, etc. Do … Continue reading
Somewhere, Oliver Wendell Holmes says that the purpose of education is to create a mind that cannot be humbugged by words. Well, that is not the purpose of American education now. Much of the humbugging by words take place inside … Continue reading
THE central political issue is liberty. Liberty refers to the right to exercise your own mind and use your own judgment, and to be responsible for that judgment. If you make a judgment that’s mistaken, you don’t have the liberty … Continue reading
Skepticism is not the same as perpetual doubt. Imagine that you say, “I’ll never believe what this person says. In fact, because he says it, I’m sure it’s wrong.” This makes you every bit as dependent on the person, and … Continue reading
Do you have a neighbor who ‘drops in,’ uninvited? Do you know a child (or an adult, for that matter) who can’t keep her hands off of your property? Do you have friends who call and expect you to be … Continue reading
A true leader doesn’t even think of himself as a leader. Yes, he leads by example, but he’s not trying to lead. He’s simply leading the best life he knows how to lead, maximizing his competence and with full integrity. … Continue reading
There are two contexts for the notion of “crazy.” The first refers to a person who has sensory hallucinations and/or concretely, patently untrue delusions (e.g., the newscaster on the television is actually talking to me, personally). The second notion of … Continue reading
The upcoming Congressional election is a battle — not the war itself. The war in America, if there even is one, is over individual rights and capitalism as against the dependency of the welfare state and the ethics of self-sacrifice. … Continue reading
People tend to hold on to pessimism because they see it as a form of realism. For example, ‘There are hard and negative things in life, and it’s looking at life through rose-colored glasses to ignore them.’ This of course … Continue reading
We live in a world “where cruise ships throw away more food in a day than most residents of Port-au-Prince see in a year, where white folks’ greed runs a world in need.” These are the words of Rev. Jeremiah … Continue reading
“Charity degrades those who receive it and hardens those who dispense it.” George Sand