People who are frightened of risk — all risk, risk as such — are missing the point of life. The only thing that gives accomplishment meaning is the fact that you might not have accomplished it, yet you did. Without … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Ask a Stupid Question…
“Let’s put it to the American people: Do you prefer the Republican position of doing literally nothing to rein in these abuses or should we try to rein them in?” asked Rep. Barney Frank, defending Congress’ decision to pass a … Continue reading
When the Wrong are Confident
The worst people are the ones who are confident in their errors. Error is not propped up, psychologically, by the confidence and strength of reality. Usually, people in error are propped up by a combination of their own evasion and … Continue reading
Drivng the Marketplace Out of the Market
I have two more fallacies for you regarding the push for socialized medicine. First, when politicians speak of “controlling costs” they are not talking about the cost of health insurance. These are the costs that concern those who purchase health … Continue reading
Greatness and Excellence
It isn’t necessary or possible to be great at everything. In fact, you cheapen the concepts “greatness” or “excellence” by expecting them as the rule rather than the exception, in yourself or others. Greatness and excellence are, by definition, the … Continue reading
Freedom and Happiness
Being free doesn’t make you happy. But freedom is necessary for happiness. People who are indifferent to freedom are not happy in the first place. People who don’t have freedom, but want it, can attain happiness in the fight for … Continue reading
Voice of the Parasite
I was astonished to hear Barack Obama admit, on Thursday, that genuine economic growth will have to come from the private sector. He actually stated that there’s only so much the government can do, and that if America is to … Continue reading
Are Celebrities Your Teachers? Not Mine
People keep talking about the Tiger Woods scandal as a “teachable moment.” They debate whether or not it is, in fact, a teachable moment “for us” or whether it isn’t. My question: Why does something that some celebrity does have … Continue reading
The Ideal Self
In psychological theory, there is something called the ‘ideal self.’ A person is thought to hold, consciously or subconsciously, a view of the person he’s supposed to be. If the ideal is rational, there’s no serious problem with this, but … Continue reading
You Were There
Don’t worry about what others say or think. You know what your track record is — good or bad. You were there.
Religious Conservatism, Like Liberalism, Kills
The most important function of government — making it the only acceptable alternative to anarchy — is the protection of the individual from physical force. Governments cannot prevent people from becoming criminals, of course, and much criminal punishment comes after … Continue reading
Reality Your Friend: Who Would Have Thought?
Will the truth set you free? Absolutely. If something really is true, it’s part of reality. You’re much better off in contact with reality than not. If you’re ignorant, knowing what’s true sets you free to be knowledgable. If you’re … Continue reading