I just returned from a vacation to Florida, driving both ways. As we drove through cities, particularly Washington and New York, I reflected on the presence of expanded lanes and dedicated commuter lanes. Knowing what we know now, these solutions to commuter traffic are inferior to developing better public transportation. I would suggest further that [...]
Continue reading about Commuter Lanes and Public Transportation
I organized my book Systems out of Balance to reflect the layers of problems we face. On the surface are economic problems, but underneath that surface are political problems, and underneath that are cultural problems. Just so, this series on restoring balance follows a similar sequence. Economic solutions are the most easily envisioned, but out [...]
Continue reading about Restoring Cultural Balance – Independence over Indulgence
The length of this letter calls for another two-pager. You will note from the date that it is during the 1960 election year. It was seldom hard to figure out where Pop stood on things.
Norfolk, Conn.
July 23, 1960
Mr. Harold Lufkin, V.P.
Newton Mfg. Co.,
Newton, Iowa.
Dear Mr. Lufkin:
Am sending your clipping back and thanks a lot for [...]
Continue reading about Pop’s Letters – July 23, 1960 – Part One
Security is an entitlement provided by government. In the natural world nothing can be made secure for you. Even human culture cannot make life totally secure and, in fact, some cultures make life less secure for some types of people. Yet security for citizens is a primary goal of many cultures, and its primary importance [...]
This is the last entry in a series on the liberty of production. Previous entries covered the distinction between the liberty of production and liberty of consumption; how those two liberties have evolved over time in western culture; and the current causes and effects connected to exercising our liberty of consumption. This final entry presents [...]
My book Systems out of Balance is now in a phase of publication where further rewrites are impractical. Yet I never stop refining in my mind what the essence of a message is, thanks in part to ongoing events and in part to the writing I continue to do for The Middle Class Forum. I [...]
I once lost my job at a time when my family was young and I needed to be the major breadwinner. I adapted and we made out OK. In my current employment my hours are about to be cut due to the current economy. I will adapt again. It helps that I always have avoided [...]
This is the concluding entry for this week’s series on natural rights and cultural entitlements. The natural rights were free will, free thought and, for lack of a better concept in today’s greed-based economy, merited consequences. Privacy was introduced as a cultural entitlement that many might think is a natural right, based on mistaken assumptions [...]
The times I have come closest to death have been in the wilderness. One time involved a bear; one time involved a cliff; and one time involved a freezing hail and lightning storm. Regardless of those mishaps, when I am done with the parenting phase of my journey I will again subject myself to the [...]
The previous three entries on The Middle Class Forum described free will, free thought and merited consequences as our natural rights. Our guaranteed liberties do not stem from our natural rights so much as from cultural entitlements. The big three cultural entitlements that we frame as liberties are privacy, property and security. Out [...]
