‘There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody! You built a factory out there? Good for you! But I want to be clear: You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of … Continue reading
At the Consent of the Government
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Medicating the Mind (Part 3 of 3)
Coercion, Psychotherapy and Psychiatry: Can A Mind Be Made To Reason? Sally Satel, a physician who wrote a book entitled ‘P.C., M.D.: How Political Correctness Is Corrupting Medicine,’ likewise fails to see the point about her profession. On the one … Continue reading
Medicating the Mind (Part 2 of 3)
What Do Pills Really Do To Change Your Life? At best, a pill can calm or sedate you. Sometimes this might be a good idea, but more often it probably isn’t. If you’re too calm or sedated, how can you … Continue reading
Medicating the Mind (Part 1 of 3)
What disturbs me most about the trend towards ‘medication first/medication exclusively’ is not the notion of medication itself. If a pill could cure problems as well as the medical establishment would have us believe, then life would be an effortless … Continue reading
Self-Esteem and Narcissism: Is It All About Me?
A growing number of research studies are showing that self-esteem might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. Low-achieving students, some studies show, think as highly of themselves as valedictorians. Violent criminals are no more likely to show … Continue reading
Even Free Speech Troubles Some People
Q. I read with interest your commentary on free speech, published at Capitalism Magazine. I am troubled by the idea of ‘freedom of ALL speech’. If ideas matter, and they lead to action, then perhaps speech that advocates the violation of fundamental … Continue reading
Couples Therapy: Madness or Sanity?
Marital counseling and couples therapy are often a flop. This holds true even if the therapist is a pretty good one. Why is this? There are two common reasons. One is that couples wait until at least one of them … Continue reading
“Don’t Tell Me. I’d Rather Not Know.”
Newsmax.com reports: “Republican voters are split on whether Rick Perry’s hardline views on Social Security make him a better choice for president or a worse one. One-in-five say they are more likely to vote for the Texas governor because of … Continue reading
Flies Do It (Part II)
Under the code of ethics that I propose (the honest and rational one) people will realize, before becoming parents, that they had better really be ready for the job, because there’s no village to rescue them if they change their … Continue reading
Flies Do It (Part I)
Why do so many parents act, speak and appear to think as if having a child is the ultimate accomplishment? Flies also reproduce. Primitive savages do it too. Cavemen did it. Having offspring is not a particularly human accomplishment. It’s … Continue reading
Men and Women Both Need Psychology
Being committed to growth means that you are willing to question yourself and others; to think philosophically and critically, rather than just react to events; and to go by reason rather than just by sheer ‘instinct.’ A person committed to … Continue reading
Is There a Right to Let Others Die?
When Republican presidential candidates who oppose socialized medicine are asked, in essence, “What will you do with a sick person — let him die?” the answer they normally give is, “Of course not. The government requires hospitals to provide emergency … Continue reading