I am here to give you back your future. Human flourishing in the coming post-liberal West. The hour is late, and Moloch is within the gates. Foundationalism. Reality-focused writings, often on history and politics.
Episodes
Monday Jan 06, 2020
Monday Jan 06, 2020
This book explains a great deal this is otherwise opaque, and shows why the propaganda we are fed about value, GDP and the like, is propaganda, that blinds us to the reality of our economy. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)
Friday Jan 03, 2020
Friday Jan 03, 2020
Václav Havel's famous essay, born of a specific time and place, resonates decades later in our own proto-totalitarian society. What should be done? Havel tells us. (The written version of this review was first published May 18, 2018. Written versions, in web and PDF formats, are available here.)
Thursday Dec 26, 2019
Thursday Dec 26, 2019
I thought this book was be good; I was wrong. Free market fundamentalism is bad, to be sure, but what Karl Polanyi offers isn't better, and his analysis is dated. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)
Friday Dec 20, 2019
Friday Dec 20, 2019
John Carreyrou's Bad Blood is unbelievably good. No recap of the book, though: rather thoughts on every on at Theranos behaving badly, including, especially, the lawyers. And my take on why Elizabeth Holmes was able to do what she did. Also why autonomous cars are BS. (The written version of this review was first published September 25, 2018. Written versions, in web and PDF formats, are available here.)
Tuesday Dec 17, 2019
Tuesday Dec 17, 2019
An examination of a fascinating work on the settlement of Polynesia, with a focus on human accomplishment. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)
Monday Dec 16, 2019
Monday Dec 16, 2019
On how conservatives hobble themselves with preemptive apologies that have been conditioned into them by the Left. (The written version of this review was first published September 19, 2018. Written versions, in web and PDF formats, can be found here.)
Saturday Dec 14, 2019
Saturday Dec 14, 2019
Just in time to explain the inevitable Left reaction to Boris Johnson's triumph, an analysis of the Left's hatred of actual democracy. (The written version of this review was first published September 25, 2018. Written versions, in web and PDF formats, are available here.)
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
A turn (mostly) away from current politics, to speak of eternal things. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)
Tuesday Dec 10, 2019
Tuesday Dec 10, 2019
The beginnings, through discussion tied to this mediocre book, of an attempt to understand the creation of value in society. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)
Thursday Dec 05, 2019
Thursday Dec 05, 2019
Yet another classic work that is, unfortunately, just as relevant today. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)