BREAKING NEWS

[Martin Hash]

Though I agree, don’t minimize the threat a carefully placed Elite is to liberty.

Affirmative Action & the male tendency to capitulate to women may yet be our downfall.

[SuburbanFarmer]

If it had been left to a bunch of semi-literate mobs the American revolution would have, probably within one generation, become just another European mercantile monarchy.

we managed to stave that off for a little while.

U.S. liberty and dynamism is still a going concern, despite the catastrophizing impulse of activists or the 'very-online' who need to get a better hobby

Given the current rivers of small-business bankruptcy and closures, I’d say that we’ve achieved at least an Eastern European level of mercantile oligarchy. A true monarchy is still a few years off, I grant you.

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

Though I agree, don’t minimize the threat a carefully placed Elite is to liberty.

Affirmative Action & the male tendency to capitulate to women may yet be our downfall.

I guess, fundamentally, a powerful aristocratic and elite class can be (and has often been) the best defense against anti-liberty and pro-comfort, equity, and safety populism - but concentrated and unaccountable power can also leverage itself against liberty if it is so inclined.

Certainly a dangerous threat, but there are many things that are dangerous and threatening that we, nevertheless, embrace - like women.

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

we managed to stave that off for a little while.

U.S. liberty and dynamism is still a going concern, despite the catastrophizing impulse of activists or the 'very-online' who need to get a better hobby

Given the current rivers of small-business bankruptcy and closures, I’d say that we’ve achieved at least an Eastern European level of mercantile oligarchy. A true monarchy is still a few years off, I grant you.

There are also rivers of dynamic problem solving creating new businesses and products. Capital might be streaming in different directions these days, but that is the great thing about liberal markets - they can adapt. (Tradesmen in my area are really high demand, and their small businesses are thriving. Lumber and gardening supply stores of all sizes are also crushing it, along with weed delivery operations. Capitalism #1!)

This little hiccup won't be the end of American ingenuity, but fear and cynicism will always be mopey and dour handmaidens of change. Don't let negativity be a prison for your mind, brother.

[Xenophon]

Hol' up. Are we trying to say that personal liberty didn't exist under monarchy? Cause that's just not true.

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

Hol' up. Are we trying to say that personal liberty didn't exist under monarchy? Cause that's just not true.

I'm not. I have been trying to argue that aristocracy and elitism are, on balance, good for personal liberty. It has, so far, not been a popular position.

[Martin Hash]

Hol' up. Are we trying to say that personal liberty didn't exist under monarchy? Cause that's just not true.

I'm not. I have been trying to argue that aristocracy and elitism are, on balance, good for personal liberty. It has, so far, not been a popular position.

The most efficient & effective forms of government are Enlightened Tyranny & Benevolent Dictators, it's just that the adjectives have to hold.

p.s. I'm available if you need one?

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

Hol' up. Are we trying to say that personal liberty didn't exist under monarchy? Cause that's just not true.

I'm not. I have been trying to argue that aristocracy and elitism are, on balance, good for personal liberty. It has, so far, not been a popular position.

The most efficient & effective forms of government are Enlightened Tyranny & Benevolent Dictators, it's just that the adjectives have to hold.

p.s. I'm available if you need one?

I've got one: An oligarchy is an aristocracy that has stopped being aristocratic.

[Xenophon]

I'm not. I have been trying to argue that aristocracy and elitism are, on balance, good for personal liberty. It has, so far, not been a popular position.

The most efficient & effective forms of government are Enlightened Tyranny & Benevolent Dictators, it's just that the adjectives have to hold.

p.s. I'm available if you need one?

I've got one: An oligarchy is an aristocracy that has stopped being aristocratic.

That is true. The royalty and aristocracy are there to enshrine the values of a nation as a visible symbol to the populace. Oligarchs just want 'dat bread.

[SuburbanFarmer]

U.S. liberty and dynamism is still a going concern, despite the catastrophizing impulse of activists or the 'very-online' who need to get a better hobby

Given the current rivers of small-business bankruptcy and closures, I’d say that we’ve achieved at least an Eastern European level of mercantile oligarchy. A true monarchy is still a few years off, I grant you.

There are also rivers of dynamic problem solving creating new businesses and products. Capital might be streaming in different directions these days, but that is the great thing about liberal markets - they can adapt. (Tradesmen in my area are really high demand, and their small businesses are thriving. Lumber and gardening supply stores of all sizes are also crushing it, along with weed delivery operations. Capitalism #1!)

This little hiccup won't be the end of American ingenuity, but fear and cynicism will always be mopey and dour handmaidens of change. Don't let negativity be a prison for your mind, brother.

I do envy your optimism. But I think you’ll find that Master Bezos does not agree.