whYNOT

""A widely used definition is: "A conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgement or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest."" A too narrowly technical definition, besides bulky. What rational individuals share is a non-malevolent universe view, and a commitment to reality and confidence in their reason. From which follows their rational self-interest, the values and virtues (self-esteem, productiveness, independence, integrity etc.) they have in common. Being rational, each is in the full

Vaccination passports ~must~ be stopped. Kibbe on Liberty and Spike Cohen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9UExuALuQI&list=PL36_JCmmBwZrrsXd0VIMJXHBSuWfUm57k&index=1

I'm hesitant to interrupt, you're doing very well, imo, ET - but I beg to differ on this about Branden's ouput. Honoring the Self, to the chapter on the Problem of Self Alienation, opened at random: "Avoidance always has its reasons. The organism is trying to protect itself, ensure its well-being, and preserve self-esteem--but in the wrong way. Since emotions, negative and positive, express our assessment of the significance of different aspects of reality for ourselves, when we bury feelings and emotions we also bury ourselves. This is what it means to exist in a state of alien

d_w, When looked at as observations, a commentary, on the activities and motivations (or lack of) of more recent generations, his findings are generally valid - and shocking - and his insights have large merit I think. What after all does he point to, but what has become visible: a growing lack of purpose, loss of individual values, the disintegrating cognitive-emotional self, anti-intellectualism, appearances to others mattering more than truths ("reality"), expressed emotions, when not deadened, not even being the genuine article any longer, but facsimiles for presentation to others, t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV4tMvr7xZY

What vid, it's an article

More "upbeat" general info. No comment. https://americanconsequences.com/it-all-started-with-bitcoin-pizzas/

Harrison, when and if ¬correctly¬ diagnosed, your and your son's ADD should be medicated, I can't recommend too highly. Probably not yet for him at his age, while the particular drug and dosage you use seems like it might need reappraisal. I'm no expert on psychiatric matters, though I do know and have seen the havoc untreated ADD/ADHD can cause in all areas, school, relationships, work, career, and self-esteem - nearly always leading to 'self-medication'. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater in this difficult period.

Yes, I hear the useful, practicable, rational and even the idealist attractions of bitcoin. A little bit of those does seem to me self-justifying. There are two aspects, either it is a currency - or it is an investment. Fine and well that one should speculate in bitcoin, and that's for certain how the large numbers of people - only - see it. The greed motive. A massive return to be made, short-term. Like getting something almost for nothing, to most. If one is going to invest in stocks and commodities etc. you'd definitely have your money solidly accounted for (in dollars, preferab

Since I don't own Bitcoins I haven't any feelings. The info would interest me. What would guarantee a crypto currency's longevity, not to add stability? The confidence of the Bitcoiners?

https://youtu.be/ssvSsMqTtjo Kibbe on Liberty: Pandemic imprisoning and the culture war. Perspectives from Britain and the USA. Great conversation.

***Split from Correspondence and Coherence*** Most upbeat. What's to stop bitcoin crashing in a year or two? There's no inherent or objective value/standard that I can see, and the huge fluctuations seen in its value point to its obvious attraction for speculators, well above the individual freedom and practicality the writer justifies. Does one want to own a speculative cryptocurrency which can soar or crash, the value varying by market demand day by day? Could make one nervous.

The justifications used, go further than some personal failure and wrongdoing, but rather - for any doings, whatsoever. Diffused into the broad culture, a compromised (individual) free will has its outlet in collectivism. (One could describe as 'ancestral predestination'). Or, you are predetermined by your "group" identity. Here's one vividly visible, mass outcome from, in part, the undermining of free will by meddling science-philosophers. Free will -> individualism; determinism -> collectivism. So one could, as many have, justify the tribal prejudice (supreriority/inferiority

Exactly, and half proves the point. Non-reasoning and non-volition run together. How many people reason? We here know cognition is volitional. For this I like to quote Aquinas: A man has free choice to the extent he is rational. To the extent... No one can avoid the undeniable fact of his free will, for long. No one is that self-unaware and so totally unconscious of his acts. It's the ~partial~ and intermittent evasions and the effects of, that you can observe sometimes or often. You won't hear it said overtly, I think; it sounds pretty gutless to admit that you can't be he