Ed Hudgins

Ayn Rand’s Thoughts on Israel By Edward Hudgins May 12, 2016 -- On the anniversary of Israel's founding on May 14 1948, we can turn to Ayn Rand for insights about why such an economically successful state with an open society is so hated by its neighbors. East-West conflict and Israel In 1974, Ayn Rand was asked about American Middle East policy in the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli War of the previous year. That was the fourth war since the modern state of Israel was established in 1948. It was the fourth time that the little country had had to fight for its existence. While Rand did not advocate sending American troops into the conflict, she did argue that America should “Give all the help possible to Israel.” She stated specifically that “the help Israel needs is technology and military weapons—and they need them desperately. Why should we help Israel?” She explained that at that time, Israel was “fighting not just the Arabs but Soviet Russia, who is sending the Arabs armaments.” The Soviet Union, of course, has since collapsed. But there was more to Rand’s argument, because she asked, “Why are the Arabs against Israel?” Premodern vs. Modern Arab-Israeli culture clash “The Arabs are one of the least developed cultures,” Rand argued. “They are typically nomads. Their culture is primitive, and they resent Israel because it's the sole beachhead of modern science and civilization on their continent.” Of course, most Arabs even then weren’t nomads. Indeed, a millennium ago Baghdad and Cairo were major urban centers. But the deeper point was that in modern times Arabs have had a pre-modern culture and world view, especially compared to the Jews who had emigrated from Europe (Continue reading here.)

Our psychological capacities and many tendencies are programmed in us by evolution. But we need to question them with philosophy. For example, tribalism probably helped our survival value 100,000 years ago. Someone who looked radically different from members of your tribe probably did want to bash you in the head and take you stuff. But we judge that an instinct to make fun of skin color of eye shape is morally wrong. In some cases, psychological propensity lines up well with philosophy. If anyone threatened by wife and kids, they might well find themselves dead, and good riddance. In most cases empathy and philosophy line up. I'd grab the boat as well. But the empathy that drives many to support the welfare state is out of context.

I'd argue that Rand is saying, correctly, that all principles must be applied in the full context of the facts on the ground. All principles assume a certain context. This is how an Objectivist view of ethics differs from an intrinsicist view or a subjectivist view. The context of the principle of private property is that individuals 1) have a right to their own lives, which means 2) a right to act to preserve their lives, which means 3) a right to secure and utilize the materials in the world necessary for survival, which means 4) in a social context trading for one's own benefit with others based on mutual consent, each respecting the property of others, which 5) assumes all individuals have the capacity in a free society to produce enough to survive and prosper a some level. But in an emergency, life, the basis of all value, is threatened because one cannot survive by doing 3) and 4).

Is Theft Now Legal in Italy? By Edward Hudgins The Italian Supreme Court has ruled that stealing small amounts of food out of desperation “does not constitute a crime.” The adverse moral and political effects of this ruling will be large and downright criminal. License to steal The case concerned an impoverished Ukrainian immigrant who stole a few pieces of cheese and some sausages from a Genoese market. He was sentenced to six months in jail and a fine that he could not pay. One has visions of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables suffering as a state slave for stealing a loaf of bread to feed a hungry child. Who wouldn’t oppose such a miscarriage of justice? Indeed, in the appeal, Italy’s high court decided that “The condition of the accused and the circumstances in which he obtained the merchandise show that he had taken the little amount of food he needed to overcome his immediate and essential requirement for nourishment." The court further added that “People should not be punished if, forced by need, they steal small quantities of food in order to meet the basic requirement of feeding themselves.” This ruling leaves open many legal questions. Does it imply that the punishment didn’t fit the crime or does it imply that no crime was committed? Does it imply that anyone who steals and can make the case that they did so for some essential, immediate need must be found “not guilty?” Ethics of emergencies Ayn Rand sheds light on this case in her essay “The Ethics of Emergencies.” She explains that one must “differentiate between the rules of conduct in an emergency situation and the rules of conduct in the normal conditions of human existence. This does not mean a double standard of morality: the standard and the basic principles remain the same, but their application to either case requires precise definitions.” Specifically, she observed that “An emergency is an unchosen, unexpected event, limited in time, that creates conditions under which human survival is impossible—such as a flood, an earthquake, a fire, a shipwreck.” In such situations, it’s morally permissible to do things to preserve one’s life that would not be moral under normal circumstances. But there are crucial caveats. Rand explained that if ... (Continue reading here.)

Epilepsy and Consciousness By Talia G. Hudgins When I was 21 years old I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Though the news was upsetting, I was relieved it wasn’t a brain tumor. But as I realized the seriousness of the diagnosis, I also came to appreciate how wonderful consciousness and the ability to think rationally really are. Strange sounds It began with a series of strange feelings, or “auras,” themselves mild seizures. I could no longer hear a woman who was speaking to me. I realized with a thud in my stomach that I was “feeling” her voice. Standing on a subway platform, a fear enveloped me that my hearing was disappearing with the train in the tunnel, and a fear that my consciousness might be slipping away as well. I frequently had vague, heart-pounding feelings of dread—always that I would faint, or worse. But as unpleasant as these experiences were, I thought I could explain them: The wind or sound in the tunnel knocked out my hearing. I was tired, hungry, or anxious. The temperature was too hot or cold. But one morning I woke with every muscle screaming, and nausea so intense that merely lifting my head was agony. Worst of all, I had bitten the sides of my tongue to a pulp. Diagnosis and control Then came the MRI scans and EEG tests. It was epilepsy, a default diagnosis when neurologists cannot explain seizures by a brain tumor or injury. Afterward came years of trying different medications. One wasn’t quite strong enough. One stole my appetite (a welcome side effect) but also what felt like my sanity. All made me dizzy and tired. But finally an excellent physician figured out the right treatment. The medicine eased my dread of waking up with a chomped-up tongue. I had to give up alcohol, an easy sacrifice, though giving up espresso was not. Except for some few and far between “episodes” caused by dehydration and childbearing complications, grand-mal seizures became a thing of the past. I’ve had none for many years now. Conscious of altered consciousness However, I still occasionally get the auras. The symptoms... (Continue reading here.)

Millennials Need Capitalist Morality By Edward Hudgins April 28, 2016 -- A new Harvard survey found that only 42% of 18 to 29 year olds support capitalism. The good news of sorts is that only 33% support socialism. Yet 44% support its close cousin progressivism, and 48% support “social justice activism.” These results show a deep confusion that will require a strong dose of capitalist morality to cure. Mixed-up data about millennials and capitalism Many friends of freedom see the strong support for Bernie Sanders among young people as evidence that a new socialist ascendency will move America more swiftly to economic catastrophe a la Greece or, worse, Venezuela. And Pew surveys have found that only 46% of young people have a positive “reaction to” capitalism while 49% react positively to socialism. Granted, these are different questions from the ones in the Harvard report. But when the word “free market” is used instead of “capitalism,” results are more favorable. Even so, concerning that Harvard report, the Washington Post screamed a sensationalist headline, “A majority of millennials now reject capitalism, poll shows.” While these findings indeed are wake-up calls for friends of freedom, they need to be understood in full context. For example, while the Harvard survey found that 51% of young people do not support capitalism, it also found that 59% don’t support socialism. Further, 49% don’t support progressivism and 42% don’t support “social justice activism.” These and other surveys do find that America is an extremely polarized society. Mixed-up millennial understanding about capitalism But even more than being polarized, America is an extremely confused society. Today we live in a crony system. Businesses, unions, and ideological interest groups use political pull and influence to secure taxpayer handouts or regulations that favor them by limiting the liberty of others. This corrupt system, facilitated by both Democrats and Republicans, is rightly condemned by both Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street adherents. Capitalism, by contrast, is the system in which who gets what is determined by individuals and enterprises producing goods and services to trade with voluntary customers. But statist politicians, led by Bernie Sanders, portray the crony system as “capitalism” and argue that it should be replaced by a system in which only certain elites... (Continue reading here.)

Aspirations, Gaza Death Tunnels, Schools of Hope By Edward Hudgins Geopolitical decisions often reflect the aspirations of peoples. The Hamas rulers of Gaza made no secret of their aspirations when they built a secret tunnel from their territory into Israel: to kidnap and kill Jews. But a focus on the physical tunnel itself lends a telling perspective on the self-made hell of these moral monsters. Death tunnel or schools? The latest of many tunnels discovered by the Israeli Defense Forces was said to measure a mile and a quarter long, wide enough to bring people easily through it. It was made of concrete, and supplied with electricity and ventilation. And it was to come out near a kibbutz, allowing easy access for the infiltrating murderers to potential victims. My back-of-the-envelope calculation finds that a tunnel of this length, with 8-foot-high and wide walls, dug 100 feet deep, would require about 250,000 square feet of concrete. But what else could that material have been used to build? An elementary close to where I live is a two-story structure that is about 190 feet square. Such a space could fit 18 decent-sized classrooms, a few administrative offices, and a large rec-room/cafeteria, all with concrete interior walls. Such a school could educate around 1,000 kids at a time. I calculate that such a school would require about 125,000 square feet of concrete. In other words, the 250,000 square feet in the Hamas death tunnel could have built two elementary schools to educate 2,000 children at a time. Condemning their own children The Gazans chose their Hamas rulers who... (Continue reading here.)

Dishonest Attacks on Genetically Modified Organisms By Kevin Schooler For those who take their health seriously, it’s always a challenge to determine which claims are true and which are fiction. This task is made more difficult by those who, either out of malice or shear ignorance, spread misinformation. One example that seems more deliberate distortion is the case made by many against Genetically Modified Organisms or “GMOs.” GMOs targeted GMOs, unfortunately, have been the targets of much deliberate misinformation and fear-mongering by organizations like Greenpeace and countless bloggers who spread memes that ignore underlying research. They state as fact that GMOs are somehow harmful to human health. The evidence suggests they aren't. They state as fact that GMOs increase the use of pesticides or reduce yields. The evidence suggests they don't. They state as fact that GMO cotton has caused the suicides of tens of thousands of Indian farmers. The evidence suggests it hasn't. They state as fact that GMO companies, Monsanto in particular, engage in unscrupulous business practices, somehow "forcing" farmers to buy from them. The evidence suggests they don't. The objections to GMOs are almost always demonstrably false. Almost. Truths out of context Occasionally, there are genuine attributes of GMOs which are the basis for critics’ objections. However, these attributes are presented in the most distorted and out of context ways possible. For example, it is asserted that GMOs are "unnatural." Technically, this is true in the sense that human intervention rather than nature evolution has resulted in altered organisms. What the anti-GMO folks don't usually mention is that apart from wild game, virtually the entire modern food supply is unnatural, the result of hundreds or thousands of years of artificial selection. ... (Continue reading here.)

On Nabokov’s Birthday, Lessons in Liberty By Talia G. Hudgins April 22, 2016 -- April 22 marks the birthday of Vladimir Nabokov. Born in 1899, this writer had similarities to as well as differences from fellow Russian Ayn Rand. But Rand fans will find that his insights on individualism and liberty complemented hers. Ayn Rand and Vladimir Nabokov parallels Rand and Nabokov probably never met. But both hailed from St. Petersburg, and Rand and Nabokov’s younger sister were schoolmates. Like Rand, the native language of the world-famous author of Lolita was not English. And like Rand, this non-native speaker wrote some of 20th century’s definitive works in English, in the United States—the country they both adopted and that adopted them. Both were victims of tyranny; the Bolsheviks confiscated Nabokov’s family fortune and Rand’s father’s business. Nabokov lived in poverty among émigrés in Berlin until he, his Jewish wife, and their son fled to France and then the United States. Rand arrived in America via Berlin, when she took advantage of a rare chance to leave the communist dictatorship supposedly on a temporary visa. She stayed in America and had to work her way up like so many other immigrants. Political novels One difference between Nabokov and Rand is that he had no interest in political writing. He claimed only disdain for “art shot through with ‘human interest,’” which he thought dangerously close to propaganda. However, he did write two novels—Invitation to a Beheading (1934) and Bend Sinister (1947)—with political settings. Both take place in dystopias that resemble Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. Perhaps an inspiration for them was that Nabokov, like Rand, was horrified by naive Westerners who sympathized with the Bolsheviks, who he thought no less brutal than the Nazis. But his novels weren’t forewarnings, finger-waggings, or calls to action. His interest was different than that: it was the freedom in one’s soul. Avoiding a beheading Invitation to a Beheading begins with a political prisoner named Cincinnatus C. The name itself is suggestive. Cincinnatus was an ancient Roman magistrate who had retired but was summoned by the Senate and given the powers of a dictator so he could lead an army against invaders. He defeated the enemy in less than two weeks; but then he gave up his power so he could return to private life, wanting no more part of politics. Nabokov’s Cincinnatus is in jail... (Continue reading here.)

Can Individualism Cure Loneliness? By Edward Hudgins The Los Angeles Timesrecently highlighted a study published in Heart, a British Medical Journal publication, that found loneliness can increase the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 50%. If you’re an individualist, you should take note that your health and well-being depend in part on your relationships with others. But those who would put “others” before self had better understand that the risks to them of this error are even greater. Loneliness is associated with health problems The so-called “meta-analysis” in Heart looked at 23 different studies from several advanced countries that tracked subjects over periods of between 3 and 21 years. The findings put the risk for heart problems and stroke due to isolation from friends and family groups on the same level as light smoking. They found that isolation made a better predictor of vascular diseases than high blood pressure or obesity. Isolation can result from a number of factors, including mobility problems and the death of family members and friends. It can also come from a choice to generally stay apart from others. This study still leaves open the question of whether loneliness resulted in a failure to exercise or see doctors regularly, or in unhealthy habits like overeating, heavy drinking, or smoking, which, in turn, would increase health problems. As the newspaper review observed, “As a result, it's hard to know whether loneliness is a contributor to, the result of, or just another symptom of poor health. And for the same reason, it's hard to know whether programs aimed at getting the socially isolated to re-engage will improve their health, and how.” But other studies suggest a strong relationship between psychological well-being—which is improved by association with friends and family—and physical health. Communities are important to the individual So what are the implications of these findings for individualists—including Objectivists—who argue that each of us should put our personal happiness and well-being first? Individualists argue, correctly, that individuals should be free to choose those associations with others that offer value for them. Some who fancy themselves as individualists have mistakenly... (Continue reading here.) ------ On Twitter follow Edward Hudgins @DrEdwardHudgins .

Michael – I agree with a good bit of what you say. I want people to read my pieces and think well of them. I want people to listen to my speeches and say “Boy, that kicked butt!” I’m proud of my work. And ultimately, I’d like my efforts to change minds, to “make a dent in the universe” as Steve Jobs said. I assume my efforts will at best change minds that have mixed premises but that are changeable. I hope my efforts will bring some new light or perspective to those who do share my values. I’m disappointed when they don’t. But I usually have a good sense of whether the fault lies in my work on in the audience. I want applause for the right reasons as did Rand. I judge that the Human Achievement Alliance project I’ve been trying to interest people in for some time is one of my best and most important ideas since my Index of Economic Freedom idea. I’ve had some very positive reactions but so far we haven’t been showered with money for the project. In part that’s because I haven’t developed a detailed enough business plan. Perhaps it’s no analogous to the reaction to Rand for Atlas Shrugged. But I know the feeling. Still, I’ve been advocating for years and being dumped on for years, so I’ve developed a pretty thick skin. Otherwise I wouldn’t be in this business. My criticism of Trump is that he seeks adulation by pandering to ignorance. I think he’s smart and, thus, I don’t think he can be so stupid as to not understand that his policies on trade or rounding up illegals just won’t work. (If he is that ignorant or unthinking, that’s a major problem too.) So he’s like Wynand, treating his audience with contempt. Reagan no doubt wanted applause as well. But he appealed to the best in people. Trump appeals the worst. And therein is the problem. Cheers! Ed ------ On Twitter follow Edward Hudgins @DrEdwardHudgins.

Is Trump a Howard Roark? By Edward Hudgins Donald Trump recently said he’s a fan of Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. Even if you haven’t read it, a reflection on the key characters in that excellent work will help you understand much of what’s wrong with The Donald. Not wishing to write a book-length treatment on the subject, I’ll focus on just one thing that’s relevant to the presidential election: how one treats others. In an interview with Kristen Powers, Trump said of The Fountainhead, “It relates to business … beauty … life and inner emotions. That book relates to … everything.” (Here he’s right!) He identified with Howard Roark, the novel’s architect hero, loosely based on Frank Lloyd Wright. Trump builds buildings too, so no doubt a novel on the subject would interest him. But much of the resemblance between Roark and Trump ends there. Roark treats people with respect Howard Roark loves the creative work of designing buildings for the purpose of seeing them built just the way he designs them. His work is his source of pride. He doesn’t work for the approval of others. Roark must struggle because in his world established architects simply want to imitate the styles of the past, mainly to impress other people who, for the most part, aren’t particularly impressed in any case. Roark must find individuals and enterprises that want his buildings. But he is quite clear that “I don’t build in order to have clients. I have clients in order to build.” He does not bastardize his buildings—sticking columns or balconies on them just to make sales. He has his standards... (Continue reading here. And on Twitter follow Edward Hudgins @DrEdwardHudgins. )

Two Proposals to Stop the Government Looting By Edward Hudgins April 18, 2016 -- Denouncing the government for taxing us into servitude is necessary and right, but it doesn’t actually stop government looting. So how do we rouse a complacent public to rise up and stop the despoilers? 1: Make Election Season Tax Season First, move Tax Day from April 15 to November 1 so it will never be more than a week from a national election. Have you ever noticed how Tax Day is almost exactly equal distance after the last November 1st and before the next one? Perhaps it’s not an accident. Half a year leaves enough time to forget our anger at the past election and it’s far enough from the coming one that other issues will obliterate our memories of the anger at Tax Day. So connect the two tightly. Just when everyone is most ticked off at taxes they can enter the polling booth and take it out on their oppressors. But, you protest, too many folks will think, “I’m happy ‘cause I’m getting a refund!” not appreciating that the government took dollars and have them back dimes. So what do we do about this? 2: End Tax Withholding Second, get rid of tax withholding and have everybody write out checks to the government on November 1st Tax Day. So if someone has a $40,000 salary, they will receive the full $40,000 over the year. Then on Tax Day they will have to sit down and write out checks for federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance and anything else the government demands. The Coors brewing company tried to do something... (Continue reading here.) ------ On Twitter follow Edward Hudgins @DrEdwardHudgins.

On Tax Day, What if Atlas Shrugged? By Edward Hudgins April 15, 2016 -- On Tax Day in the United States, productive individuals are punished for being productive, even as their tormentors demand that they produce even more for those tormentors to take. And during this election year, Democrat candidates especially trip over each other with their class warfare rhetoric. They promise their supporters they will “redistribute” to them more out of the pockets of the productive, even as they try to guilt-trip producers into acquiescing in their own despoilment. You’d think this description of the facts alone would cause any morally decent person to feel shame for buying into such rhetoric and to shun politicians who stoop to it. It says something about those who applaud Sanders and his ilk. Perhaps another way to shake at least some in the Bernie brigade out of their ignorant slumbers is to offer them another perspective. If there were no Atlases In her novel Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand spun out a story of a world in which the most productive individuals began to disappear. So ask, what would happen if those who create wealth in our world today and are the targets of the purveyors of class hatred simply shrug? The top 1% who are demonized by Sanders pay in 40% of all income tax revenue. The top 10% pay in 70% of income tax revenue. What would happen if they simply stopped producing, simply retired, went off to live in the Cayman Islands, whatever? Whose pockets would the politicians pick? Where would they find the $900 billion that they could no longer redistribute? All that nasty Bernie rhetoric would not produce one loaf of bread, and all his supporters would be left with nothing but bile in their empty bellies... (Continue reading here.)

Can Toyota and Reason Overcome Blindness? By Edward Hudgins April 12, 2016 -- If you’ve shut your eyes at the ugly spectacle of political and cultural decline around you, look in the right direction and you’ll see what’s best in the world, including innovations from Toyota that are helping the visually impaired. Technology helping the blind see The research department at the world-class auto maker is doing more than designing Priuses. It recently unveiled Project BLAID, a shoulder and neck-worn device that can help guide visually-impaired folks through building interiors with cameras, speakers and other technology. This is just one nice bit of good news in a world where the media is ruled by “if it bleeds, it leads.” This is one of many innovations in a world that is being transformed by exponential technologies. For example, in January an Australian research team at Monash University announced development of another system to help the blind that it will test soon. It bypasses the eyeball, which is often damaged beyond use in blind people, and uses a pair of glasses that feeds visual data directly into the brain. At this time that technology at best would give blind people very limited vision, only enough to let them maneuver around like the Toyota technology does. But it’s a start. Technology helping the deaf hear Let’s remember that in recent decades, some 190,000 deaf individuals have received cochlear implants. These devises do not simply amplify sound as do hearing aids. They translate sound into electrical impulses that directly stimulate the cochlear nerve in the ear so the individuals can hear. It is estimated that around 150,000 children are born each year with hearing impairment so serious that they could benefit from such implants... (Continue reading here.)

"Things To Come" is indeed inspiring even though Wells present a pseudo-fascist vision of how to create a utopian future. Kind of a guilty pleasure. But it does show the spirit of the old left.

Yuri’s Night Out: Celebrating 55 Years of Humans in Space By Edward Hudgins Space enthusiasts mark April 12th as “Yuri’s Night Out,” a celebration of the first human in space: Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth in 1961. But Gagarin’s trip was courtesy of the Soviet government, which was hostile to the individual liberty that is the mark of civilization. Gagarin’s flight was still an achievement that marked a monumental turning point in human history and reflected values actually held in common by many in East and West, values that are, sadly, under siege in our world today. The dream of space travel While political and military concerns drove the Cold War race into space and to the Moon, many of the men and women involved were motivated by the goals of exploration and knowledge. America no doubt reached the Moon before the Soviet Union in part because our society was more open and free. Both sides had technical failures. But the dictatorial Soviet system meant few in the space program would speak truth to leadership. Indeed, Gagarin himself was scheduled as the backup astronaut on a mission to dock two capsules in space, ordered by Soviet boss Brezhnev to mark the 50th anniversary of the communist takeover of Russia. Gagarin and his colleagues knew the capsules were death traps, but those who questioned orders found themselves demoted or worse. Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died when his failing craft crashed back to earth. Ultimately, the Soviet’s socialist economy and closed political system collapsed under its own contradictions. At the same time, the socialistic left’s belief in technological modernity collapsed as well. The modernist aspiration of the old left Karl Marx celebrated the Industrial Revolution’s production of immense wealth. (He was profoundly wrong in his belief that capitalists in market economies reaped the lion’s share of that wealth by exploiting workers.) This belief in the power of technology was a hallmark of the old left. Soviet leaders sought to modernize... (Continue reading here.)

Minimum Wage Reveals Warped Leftist Values By Edward Hudgins April 5, 2016 -- When Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law requiring all employers to pay workers at least $15 per hour, he unbelievably acknowledged that “Economically, minimum wages may not make sense.” This statement reveals the depravity of leftist ideology and highlights the need for friends of freedom to fight those who would rob us of our liberty on moral grounds. Minimum wages create economic harm Economists have long pointed out the serious adverse effects of raising the minimum wage. Just recently Andy Puzder, the CEO of the Carl’s Jr. hamburger chain said, "With government driving up the cost of labor, it's driving down the number of jobs," and "You're going to see automation not just in airports and grocery stores, but in restaurants." He added that "If you're making labor more expensive, and automation less expensive—this is not rocket science." Rapidly advancing technologies are stepping in to take advantage of government stupidity. We can expect in the future that burger-flippers will not be low-paid or even not-too-poorly paid teenagers in after-school jobs. They will be machines. Minimum wages not only cause businesses to cut back on the number of workers or worker hours and perhaps go to robots. It deprives young people of the opportunity to learn the personal workplace habits they will need to get better-paying jobs in the future. And the vast majority of minimum wage workers are not single heads of families. They are students, part-time workers, and the like. The moral ugliness of egalitarianism So if the economic damage of minimum wage hikes is clear, what could compel Gov. Brown to sign the bill and for leftists from Bernie to Hillary to make $15 per hour a policy promise? Brown explained that “Morally and socially and politically, [minimum wages] make every sense because it binds the community together and makes sure that parents can take care of their kids.” Of course, Brown’s claim about helping parents care for kids is made false by his admission that such laws make no economic sense—unless he means that parents who are unemployed ... (Continue reading here.)

Obama Says Israel’s Prosperity Obstructs Peace By Edward Hudgins March 31, 2016 -- President Obama seems to blame the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict on, of all things, Israel’s prosperity. Not only is Obama wrong. If he understood the moral source of Israel’s affluence, he’d understand the avenue to peace. Israel's economic strength Asked at a town hall meeting about that conflict, the president replied that “in some ways because Israeli society has been so successful economically, it has I think from a position of strength been less willing to make concessions. On the other hand, the Palestinians because of weakness have not had the political cohesion and organization to enter into negotiations and feel like they can get what they need.” Is Obama right? To answer this question, we need to step back and look at some basic facts. The values of Israel Jews began coming to what was then Turkish-governed (later British-governed) Palestine in the late 1880s. Those from Eastern Europe were escaping the ghettos into which they were confined and subjected to periodic pogroms. Those from Western Europe saw continued anti-Semitism and their legal rights of citizenship as too tenuous a protection for their lives. The fears of those Zionists were proven all too right by Hitler and his henchmen. After World War II, Holocaust survivors sought refuge in Palestine. Once in Palestine, Jews worked what some called a miracle. They purchased land, created settlements, introduced advanced agricultural and irrigation practices, and literally made the desert bloom. They founded Tel Aviv as a modern, Westernized city. Indeed, today Israeli firms and entrepreneurs are cutting-edge techno-leaders: “Silicon Wadi” is that country’s equivalent of Silicon Valley. In other words, the two top values defining Israeli society are life and productive achievement. The values of Palestinians When Israel declared itself a country per a United Nations resolution, David Ben Gurion promised the new state “will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants... (Continue reading here.)

Disney’s Zootopia Teaches Kids about Inept Government By Edward Hudgins March 29, 2016 - The popular Disney kid-flick Zootopia does something unusual for Hollywood: it takes a swipe at government. The cartoon film is set in a city where all animals, the minority predators and the majority herbivores, seemingly live in peace and harmony. But a string of disappearances leads a rookie bunny cop to enlist the help of a hustler fox to help her solve the mystery. Sloth slow bureaucrats The heroes must act fast and need to run a license plate. They rush into the Department of Motor Vehicles only to see it is staffed by sloths, an entire room full of them, sitting behind their desks, moving very, very, very slowly. The fast-talking bunny, quick as a rabbit, gives a clerk, ironically named Flash, the plate number. She watches in frustration as seconds pass and the sloth’s finger slowly rises, stops, and then slowly, oh-so-slowly, descends to the keyboard. One. Painful. Letter. At. A. Time. When I saw the film with my five-year-olds, the adults in the theater howled with laugher. They’ve all been through it before. Perhaps some of the elders in the audience with their grandkids remembered the old Bob and Ray “Slow Talkers of America” routine. Consciousness raising against government bureaucrats Let’s hope the scene is a consciousness-raising experience for adults. Visits to the DMV... (Continue reading here.)

Brussels in the War for Civilization By Edward Hudgins March 24, 2016 -- In the aftermath of the March 22 Islamist attacks in Brussels you’ll hear legitimate discussions about security measures, immigration policy, and Obama’s moral cowardice in refusing to identify “Islamists” as the problem. But the underlying cause—philosophy—should be the ultimate focus of our attention. Western attitudes toward Muslims The discussions after each attack like the one in Brussels always center on Muslims and Islam. Many say “Not all Muslims are Islamists or terrorists,” or “I work with many fine Muslims,” or “We need to ally with Kurds, Turks, and other nice Muslims to defeat ISIS and Al Qaida.” Some—Donald Trump most loudly—argue for keeping Muslims—or at least those from Syria—out of the United States until we can sort out who’s dangerous. And Trump echoes other when he asserts that "Islam hates us." Most of these views center on political concerns: Will more Muslims in a country lead to an increase in acts of terror or violence, and calls for repression in order to accommodate Muslims' sensitivities? Will not criticizing Islam or Muslim culture best ensure that Muslims respect the liberty of others? But politics is a reflection of underlying values, reinforced by institutions and culture. The political regimes in Western Europe—and, most notably, in North America— are based on the Enlightenment. Our Enlightenment civilization Our civilization is based on a recognition of the power of human reason to understand the world and to guide our lives. See Isaac Newton! Our civilization is based on the freedom of individuals in society to think, speak, and inquire freely. See Voltaire! Our civilization is based on the recognition that individuals are ends in themselves, that we each have our own goals and dreams, and in society with others we should have the right to do as we please, dealing with our fellows based on mutual consent. See John Locke! Our civilization is based on the notion that the purpose of government is to protect the liberty of each individual. See America’s Founders! Our civilization is based on separation of church and state. See the U.S. Constitution. That’s why Ayn Rand called the United States, “in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world.” Muslims and modernity Those who take Islam most seriously... (Continue reading here.)

He had a heart attack, You can read details if you wish on Rebecca Reale's Facebook page and express condolences to her there. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.reale?fref=ts

Donald Heath RIP We note in sorrow the recent death of Donald Heath. Don joined the staff as our director of operations, 1992-98, leaving a successful position in sales at IBM in Canada. In those early years, he put our business affairs on a professional basis; and he designed the program format for the Summer Seminar that we continue using to this day. He moved on to work for the Reason Foundation, but his commitment to and passion for the advance of Objectivist was undying. With his beloved Rebecca Reale, he attended the 2015 Atlas Summit where his enthusiasm, charm, wit, and insight helped make the event special. Don was a bright light in our universe. We will post a remembrance soon on the TAS site, and we invite memories and photos all who knew him. David Kelley

Krugman Endorses Theft Via Funny Money By Edward Hudgins March 26, 2016 -- In his latest column entitled “Crazy About Money,” Paul Krugman goes after Sen. Ted Cruz and House Speaker Paul Ryan for their endorsement of a return to the gold standard. But who is crazy? The idea of a return to the gold standard disturbs him especially because the GOP gentlemen seem to have gotten it from Ayn Rand. (He even links right here to The Atlas Society as proof of this nefarious connection!) I wish they got all their policies from that source! But more important than debating Krugman’s economic errors is highlighting his moral errors. The gold standard didn’t cause the Great Depression Krugman argues that there is a consensus among economists that returning to the gold standard is a bad idea. Rather, he believes that it is better to allow the federal government through the Federal Reserve to control the money supply. For example, he says many economists believe “that a destructive focus on gold played a major role in the spread of the Great Depression.” Wrong! The newly-created Fed in the U.S. after World War One was able to inflate the currency, that is, print up dollar bills, because those bills were no longer strictly tied to a certain amount of gold. The goal at that time was, in part, to bring the exchange rate of the dollar with the British pound and other currencies into line with the rates that existed before the War, when currencies were tied to gold. They inflated the dollar—the Florida land boom and ‘20s stock boom resulting—and when they hauled back on the money supply. . . Pop went the markets! Krugman forgets that Britain and North America industrialized in the 19th century, experiencing growth as fast as in the 20th, while basing their monies in gold. Of course, a bigger picture issue is that what we need is a free banking and monetary system. Then people will choose the best money for them: gold-backed, bitcoin, or perhaps suddenly trusty Federal Reserve notes. Government can cheat and steal When the government forces individuals to abandon gold as a currency and exercises control over money, the medium of exchange, the deeper problem is a moral one. First, political control of money usually is part of a fundamental evasion of reality. Pandering politicians think they can get something for nothing... (Continue reading here.)