editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
History repeats itself. Men have constantly fought and died in the war for equality throughout the centuries. However, not all of them had in mind the same idea of equality when they gave their lives...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Throughout most of human civilization, centuries of men have starved, died from the elements (for lack of proper housing), suffered terrible health, and barely lived. Even today, starvation kills mil...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, unlike people or other corporations, Federal reserve bank stockholders don't have to pay federal, state,or local taxes on their annual, fixed dividends of 6% on capital stock (w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul just came out with a plan to cut $1 trillion from the US's federal budget and severely curtail entitlement programs. According to the "Plan to Restore America," it cuts $1 trillion in spendi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The strategy by the labor union leadership was said to be based simply: "how do we bring down the stock market, how do we bring down their bonuses, how do we interfere with their ability to, to be ri...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Competition increases change and motivates people to excel. For example, gamers recently competed to solve a scientific problem that has "vexed researchers for a decade." Companies compete for your b...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Make everyone equal. It is a common battle cry across the centuries. Just look at the current class warfare that Obama is pushing because we are not all equal. (Or, as Orwell famously put it in Anima...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to non-violent, ideological leaders, Mahatma Gandhi has got to be toward the very top of the list. His resistance to British tyranny through mass civil disobedience is famous. Needless...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to politics, it's difficult to say "liberals believe this" or "conservatives believe that." After all, within each political ideology, there are many views; sometimes even views that se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Do you really need a 4.0 grade point average?
There's a proposal on the table that we should consider. For far too long, there have been many underachieving students. We're not going to get into t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the business world, most workers receive a base salary and then salary increases or bonuses based on performance. Performance can be measured by various factors, including company performance, ind...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
First, let me make this perfectly clear: I am an anarchist (or, more specifically, an anarcho-capitalist). I do not support any kind of government, including a president. The last election I voted in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned Albert Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist.
Einstein's passionate commitment to the cause of global peace led him to support the creation of a single, u...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As scary as it might sound, we already know that evidence doesn't matter much in the context of politics. So, even when there is clear evidence of a certain idea being factually true, many people don...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
(Meanwhile, as the Italian cabinet approves a tough austerity plan, and as Nero feasts while Rome burns...)
According to the AP, "France, Italy, Spain and Belgium are banning short-selling on sele...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
James Fenimore Cooper once said: "All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never ha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Alan Greenspan. Economic wonderboy. Market maestro. Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman. Past disciple of Ayn Rand. Someone who once thought gold was the only proper standard for money and a protec...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Nowadays, you have to take on massive amounts of debt to go to college, only to graduate and find that there aren't any jobs available. So you leave college, go back to living with your parents, and...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Praxeology is a general theory of human action or, more specifically, purposeful behavior. Unlike unconscious behavior such as breathing or reflexes, we act in conscious, chosen ways to achieve vario...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Communism, "the greatest social engineering experiment we have ever seen," is responsible for approximately over 100 million deaths. The Communists tried to construct a "utopia.....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The latest weapon of mass destruction: starvation.
The situation is dire. It's the worst drought in Africa in 60 years. The UN is airlifting food to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. It's estimated th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The printing press: what a great invention... It fostered a rapid development in and dissemination of art and science through the production of books. But one wonders if Johannes Gutenberg would be a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Remember the guy who talked about change? Where'd he go?
In 2006, Obama said this:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Philosopher of revolution" Pyotr Kropotkin (aka Peter Kropotkin) once wrote: "America is just the country that shows how all the written guarantees in the world for freedom are no protection against...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From the "you can't make this shit up" files...
Statists have plenty of bad ideas: going to war for oil, setting up regulatory agencies that don't do their jobs, molesting people in the name of se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who "passionately" believes in the welfare system, is lashing out at parents who are raising their children through social welfare programs. He thinks the issue is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand once wrote that "Definitions are the guardians of rationality, the first line of defense against the chaos of mental disintegration." Perhaps that's one of the reasons politics always appear...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul has entered the US presidential race for the third time as a Republican. But he's not really a Republican - he's a Libertarian. Ron Paul, like all Libertarians, is always talking about limit...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The great political theorist and economist Frédéric Bastiat wrote in The State: "The oppressor no longer acts directly by his own force on the oppressed. No, our conscience has become too fastidiou...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's an adage in economics that goes: people do not walk barefoot because there aren't any government shoe factories. In markets where competition exists (not to be confused with free markets), bu...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with morality, and the moral code/ideology used when differentiating between right and wrong is critical (e.g., consider that Hitler used national socialis...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Don't expect gas prices to "tank" anytime soon. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun.) Today I learned that Americans live in a distorted world when it comes to gas prices. The average price of gas across...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Discussing sports, Noam Chomsky once remarked: "Take, say, sports -- that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it -- you know, it offers people so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the adventure film Sahara, General Kazim states: "Don't worry. It's Africa. Nobody cares about Africa." In 2009, it's estimated that 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with almost 70% liv...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin which revolutionized the cotton industry. But he had a hard time profiting from his invention because he tried to charge farmers a huge price (2/5 of their profits...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Do a search on the web and you'll find all sorts of criteria for what makes an effective leader. People can't even seem to agree on the definition of leadership. As a result, theories abound. But wha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You can call a fish a duck, but that doesn't make it so. Does anyone else find it funny that people claiming to be anarchists - which is, by definition, being against government - are rioting in su...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Gamers are super-empowered hopeful individuals." They are masters at figuring things out, even medical problems. So who wants to use gaming to change the world?
There are many problems to address...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
So many consider money as the primary asset in life. Sometimes we are so caught up in the "rat race" that we forget that money, and each possession we acquire from it, costs us something very valuabl...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Attention US government. You're not very bright. By having a high corporate tax rate, you are pushing jobs, profits, patents, executives, research, and operations of US companies overseas. (And, as a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
New research confirms scandal: not just anyone can be a supermodel. Such discrimination! Say the word discrimination and most immediately think of prejudice. In many countries, by law, employers cann...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In Mel Brooks's very funny History of the World Part I, King Louis XVI is told by his advisor that the people are revolting. The king replies "You said it. They stink on ice."
As the UK government...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Libertarians are often talking about freedom and liberty. Thomas Jefferson claimed in his magnum opus the Declaration of Independence that we all have a right to liberty. But freedom and liberty aren...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In politics, it seems that everything is an issue. Why? Because everything that politicians do is based on wealth redistribution - taking from one person and giving to another. As a result, politics...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Contrary to Wikipedia and its source - pseudo-economist Paul Samuelson, who was the "key to Keynes' influence" - there isn't any such thing as a natural monopoly. Any monopoly that comes about and ma...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
One of the problems with democracy is that it leads to corporatism. "Corporatism is a system where businesses are nominally in private hands, but are in fact controlled by the government. In a corpor...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Someone once made a comment that he was 100% supportive of a tyrannical, socialist government as long as he was the only citizen of his country (paraphrased). Throughout the world, and especially in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Insurance companies have been getting a lot of negative press lately, especially when it comes to health care. It seems that, generally, people believe that insurance companies exist primarily for so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The economy is in dire straits. Many adults can't find jobs. The government is lying about employment figures. So why would some politician try to repeal an existing law that would bring more people...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When people argue against capitalism (aka the free market), almost never do they argue from an efficiency perspective. Instead, the arguments typically claim capitalism exploits the working class by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Capitalism gets a bad rap, often claimed to be the destroyer of everything good. One argument made is that capitalism creates class warfare - the rich against the poor. So-called "social crusaders,"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The folks at the Venus Project and the larger Zeitgeist movement think society has many problems, and they are concerned. Hard to disagree. When a doctor is trying to cure what ails you, he'll typica...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Through John Galt in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand said: "The source of man's rights is not divine law or congressional law, but the law of identity. A is A - and Man is Man. Rights are conditions of exis...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
All economic goods must be produced by someone. They aren't gifts of nature or something that can be conjured up by waiving a magic wand. Somehow, people have gotten the false idea that it is governm...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Economics is typically considered very dry and of little interest to most. But to paraphrase the adage typically referring to politics, just because you ignore economics doesn't mean that it will ign...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a funny sign that reads: "Confused Socialist Party. Smash capitalism! Then blog about it on your $2500 Macbook." All of the major economies in the world are known as mixed economies. You migh...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Among the New Year's resolutions made, it's likely that some have resolved to file for divorce this year. As always, the government is only too happy to help. Why? Any question about government start...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the US government ordered a farmer to destroy his own crops in order to increase market prices. The case, Wickard v. Filburn, went to the US Supreme Court, and the court sided wi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
By definition, a contract has to be an agreement. It's intellectually dishonest to call something a contract without an agreement. To paraphrase Lysander Spooner, a contract made hundreds of years ag...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Have we become a culture of dependence? As far as we can see, the "producers" continue to support the "non-producers" instead of, say, "going on strike." Why do people generally think that they have...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand warned us. She did it in her books such as Atlas Shrugged (and, to a certain extent, >The Fountainhead). She did it on TV such as in this famous interview between her and Mike Wallace on...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
More than any other politician by a Grand Canyon-wide margin, Ron Paul is a man of impeccable character when it comes to supporting the ideas of freedom and "is a force for good." (He easily won his...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Although it's impossible to define it with objective standards, the concept of the "common good" is directly linked with "society" and the "majority." Which is better for humanity and should take pre...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
If we are to believe UNICEF, there are about 158 million children aged 5-14 engaged in child labor, "working in hazardous situations or conditions." Most people give this a scary name like "child ex...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Making generalizations always comes with challenges. After all, just because a claim is oftentimes true doesn't make it fact in all cases. Although intellectual dishonesty abounds, I generally catego...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In group chat, we recently went on a tangent to discuss the effectiveness of charity. (To quote one of our Braincravers, "teach a man to fish and he'll stay drunk on a boat.") Benjamin Franklin obser...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The history of humanity is based on progress. Progress has been the result of individuals coming together to solve problems and to enhance our lives. But history also provides numerous examples of gr...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Granted, not everyone values freedom and wants to be free. But why do so many people think that prosperity is greater the larger/more powerful government is? Given how terrible the economy is, and gi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Many think that, if governments just tax the rich more, the country's fiscal problems will be solved. Even Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, thinks taxing the rich should be pub...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Regardless or whether you agree or disagree with specific social programs, we can generally agree that government wastes much money as it tries to engineer social outcomes (50% by some estimates). Th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Atlas Shrugged was not intended to be an instruction manual. Ayn Rand talked through Francisco d'Anconia about what it took to kill the motor of the world: "He stepped to the window and pointed to th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
People always claim that anarchy will never work. My response is typically "why is anarchy more radical than going into a $14 trillion debt, or starting wars that murder millions of people, or promot...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
On September 14, 2001, Princeton professor Paul Krugman, who won the Nobel prize in economics, wrote the following in the New York Times: "Ghastly as it may seem to say this, the terror attack -- lik...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What's the difference between being a slave and a serf? When slavery was common hundreds of years ago, your master kept 100% of what you earned. Now they take about 50%. Masters used to keep you in l...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I won't repeat the statistics, as there are too many. Bring a strong stomach when you read these. Politicians are not your friends. Unless you are in the top 1%, government is hurting you and your ch...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Welcome to the bizarre world of union ideology. Unions are hiring unemployed people at the minimum wage to walk picket lines. (Snicker.) Why aren't they being paid union rates? I personally think the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Faced with a system that makes their practice unprofitable, doctors are getting out of the business of taking Medicare patients. After stupid laws that ignore economics have finished destroying the h...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Economics are very simple to understand. Granted, there are faux economists like Nobel-prize winner Paul Krugman who try to confuse people with false theories that last only until other people's mone...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Hitler once said "Our strategy is to destroy the enemy from within, to conquer him through himself." US politicians, laws, and regulations are destroying people who live in America like a cancer. Her...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It's the typical Catch-22. You can't get hired for a job because you have limited experience, and you can't get experience until you get a job. It appears there are many young people who are having ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From Reader's Digest... Why do the lobbyists always win? Why does the political system even allow lobbyists to exist? Why are farm subsidies even allowed? Does this occur in other countries?
FTA:...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
FTV: "I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work, or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth. Banks are g...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How do you make economics more fun so that people better understand basic concepts and, just as important, what the ramifications are from making poor economic choices?
FTA: "Who is better informe...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Is your "mood" changing about government largess? Do you believe the government works for you, or is it the other way around? In the poor economy, are government workers becoming scapegoats or is ang...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I have a problem, I'll get a grant.'...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
This animation drawing alone is enough reason to watch this video, even if you have no interest in the topic. It's amazing...
FTV: "As long as the task involved used only mechanical skill... the h...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Go figure... who would have thought that using the philosophy of Socialism to force the reduction of costs, artificially set prices, and provide for everyone would result in long-term problems? Oh, w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Which is better for a poor person - to be paid $3.00/hour for working or to be unemployed where the minimum wage law is $6.00/hour? Unions love minimum wage laws, and they spend millions lobbying for...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Government spending now accounts for 52% of UK's economy. FTA: "A public sector that swallows more than half of GDP is doing more than wrecking our economy: it is devouring our national character and...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It is true that the welfare-statists are not socialists, that they never advocated or intended the socialization of private property, that they want to 'preserve' private property - with government c...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"The "private sector" of the economy is, in fact, the voluntary sector; and...the "public sector" is, in fact, the coercive sector." - Henry Hazlitt
DISCUSS!
Original posting by Braincrave Seco...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The collectivists assert the socialist moral imperative that the highest good for each individual is to live for the sake of others (e.g., for the good of "society"). Marx summed it up perfectly: "Fr...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Have you ever heard the term moral hazard? Here's a good 3-minute video called Economics 101: Moral Hazard that discusses one of the biggest issues with ALL government policies which touch on busines...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Previously, Anna Victoria, who lives under the terror of socialist Hugo Chavez, facilitated a great discussion on demagoguery back on Nov 30 (http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=17). Look now w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Are the natives getting restless? You bet they are. And the military is getting ready to crush it. See the article Officials and Experts Warn of Crash-Induced Unrest
DISCUSS!
Original posting b...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Last night in group chat, we had a bunch of conversations (sometimes very heated) about what the Constitution does and does not allow. As part of it, we got into the US Great Depression, FDR, court ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As those of you in the US enjoy the holiday, thought you might want to learn about the true story of thanksgiving - this might make some interesting conversation around the dinner table... it's calle...
The irony is so thick in this story, you may not be able to handle it. Let's go back to the financial crisis of 2008. Easily, one of the biggest heists in world history went by the name of TARP, an...
Never did I expect to write a screed with that as the title. But principles must be defended even when the actors are evil.
First things first: however reluctantly, I admit to using Google for som...
Back in the 1960s, DC Comics introduced a parallel Earth called Bizarro, where everything is inverted and everyone is insane. They even have their own wacky Superman, which ends up being a formidab...