Few people today fully appreciate just how insightful the founding fathers of America really were. Limiting the power of central government because they knew that problems are local in origin and require local solution is lost on our generation. One size shoe fits few feet.
If only we could find another frontier to allow us to escape the government bondage that has been created this last 150 years. I'm too old for it now, but imagine entire worlds, like the Moon or Mars, to spread into. That's where I would be looking to go if I were a young man. Barring an epiphany on what is truly moral, i.e. rational self-interest, by a significant portion of the world's population that is the only hope for finding the kind of freedom to live our 19th century ancestors enjoyed.
I thought that too. I came to California in the 70s and it was still sort of the untamed part of the country. People poured in. Fortunes were made, roads were built, new cities sprung up, but now there is no more frontier. I don't think we're handling that constraint all that well.
I LOVE this one. I think I'm going to print out hard copies to mail to each of my grand-daughters, with a note saying "THIS is your heritage. Treasure it."
This essay is a breath of fresh air. In today's climate of identity politics, one of the hardest philosophical concepts for people to grasp is "individualism." So, when I get frustrated by people's penchant for boxing themselves into biological categories, I often turn to your work to restore my sanity. I especially loved your mention of "rugged individualism," a term that far too few are familiar with these days. Thank you for the history and philosophy lessons!
Few people today fully appreciate just how insightful the founding fathers of America really were. Limiting the power of central government because they knew that problems are local in origin and require local solution is lost on our generation. One size shoe fits few feet.
If only we could find another frontier to allow us to escape the government bondage that has been created this last 150 years. I'm too old for it now, but imagine entire worlds, like the Moon or Mars, to spread into. That's where I would be looking to go if I were a young man. Barring an epiphany on what is truly moral, i.e. rational self-interest, by a significant portion of the world's population that is the only hope for finding the kind of freedom to live our 19th century ancestors enjoyed.
I thought that too. I came to California in the 70s and it was still sort of the untamed part of the country. People poured in. Fortunes were made, roads were built, new cities sprung up, but now there is no more frontier. I don't think we're handling that constraint all that well.
This period of human history truly is a wonder to behold. And it should have its own 10-part TV series.
Talk about the migratory flow of literally millions! And its importance to the advance of humanity!
Well done introduction and description ...a book in the works maybe?
I LOVE this one. I think I'm going to print out hard copies to mail to each of my grand-daughters, with a note saying "THIS is your heritage. Treasure it."
Very well done...again!
This essay is a breath of fresh air. In today's climate of identity politics, one of the hardest philosophical concepts for people to grasp is "individualism." So, when I get frustrated by people's penchant for boxing themselves into biological categories, I often turn to your work to restore my sanity. I especially loved your mention of "rugged individualism," a term that far too few are familiar with these days. Thank you for the history and philosophy lessons!