Again on the causes of civilization’s decline
Over the last month I have published several glosses reminding us that the West reached its civilizational peak around 1950-80, that there is incredibly little attention paid to this period,…
On new communists
“Climate activists are the communists of today”,says Lord Nocktom and the more simple-minded people erupt with enthusiasm. Finally, they’ve said it in full. But here’s the uncomfortable question. What are…
How not to be a fanatic
The American psychologist Jonathan Haidt has well observed that people have an incredibly weak ability to apply psychological insights to themselves. An ability so weak that it’s shocking. Even among…
On the neoliberal dystopia
Sooner or later, the advocates of socialism were frustrated by its statism, inefficiency, greyness, bureaucratisation, the birth of a “new class” and the failure to meet original expectations. The same…
On leadership
I saw an invitation to a conference on “leadership”. I scroll through the list of speakers and they all have something in common – colorless, tasteless, odorless corporate bureaucrats who…
On the democratic nature of human happiness
During Saturday’s lecture, I tried to refute a certain type of conservative criticism that if we want to be happy, it’s unacceptable hedonism. What else should it be about when…