Last month Zenpundit brought to my attention an interesting debate between military historian Lt. Col. Robert Bateman and classicist Victor Davis Hanson. The topic up for debate was Carnage and Culture, the magnum opus of Mr. Hanson’s career. For those unfamiliar with the work, the thesis of Carnage and Culture is stated eloquently on its […]
Consider the following: Social norms are customary rules of behavior that coordinate our interactions with others. 1.A Culture is ultimately a social phenomena; the phrase “cultural norms” should be regarded as synonymous with “social norms.” Social norms influence all interpersonal decisions an individual may make. 2.A. By extension, social norms are the basis of the […]
Over the course of the last week the Transportation Security Administration’s new airport security measures have generated a great deal of public outcry and controversy. This bout of public dissatisfaction provides a rare opportunity that should not be wasted. For the first time in nine years Americans are seriously questioning at least one part of […]
Much of what is written below is pulled from my comments on Zenpundit’s critique of my earlier post “Dreaming Grand Strategy.” If you have already read them, you will find little new here. In the post “Dreaming Grand Strategy” I set out to explain why America is suffering a crisis in grand strategy. Doing so […]
WARNING – ANOTHER SUPER LONG POST (Sorry I keep throwing these things on you guys). An interesting discussion has been enfolding over at Zenpundit’s place. The topic of the day is grand strategy and its relation to moral and national purpose. My previous foray into the topic, “Dreaming Grand Strategy”, drew the attention of Mark […]
Via Arts and Letters Daily comes this fascinating presentation by psychologist Jonathan Haidt on ‘moral psychology’. More interesting than Hait’s thesis is the qualifiers he adds to it, noting two important studies that gave him cause for intellectual humility. Says he: The New Science of Morality Jonathan Haidt. Edge. July 2010. But before I come […]
THE REPUBLIC An Uncomfortable Intimacy Joseph Fouche. Committee of Public Safety. 4 August 2010. This is an important piece that addresses many of the themes found on this site. In good time I hope to write a response to it. Though the author does not claim as much, it lays bare one of the fundamental […]
A while back I wrote of the danger historical metaphors pose to statesmen, analysts, and others concerned with public affairs. While the focus of that post was analogies of a historical nature, the general points of concern extend to any metaphor we use to explain the world around us. Human beings have a difficult time […]
This author has waged a long crusade to turn public attention towards the greatest challenge now facing our Republic – the irresponsible and unaccountable elite that rule America and the citizen apathy that allows this rentier class to stand unopposed. While much of the traffic on this site comes from my posts on the matter, […]
A collection of articles, essays, and blog post of merit. THE REPUBLIC The Polarization of Job Opportunities in the U.S. Labor Market: Implications for Employment and Earnings David Autor. Center for American Progress. April 2010. In Law Schools, Grades Go Up, Just Like That Catherine Rampell. New York Times. 21 June 2010. Financial Revolving Doors: […]
