Before beginning, I’ll note that Joe Carter is soliciting donations to the FT website —please consider giving to what I obviously think is a fine internet crossroads of content. Tocqueville’s concept of individualism is one of his most helpful, but often gets misunderstood due to our . . . . Continue Reading »
In case you don’t know, Peter’s The Restless Mind is one of the very best books there is on Tocqueville. Either the best, or in the top three. His post below, which contains a number of fascinating angles for further inquiry, and particularly about Tocqueville’s (scattered, and . . . . Continue Reading »
If Alexis de Tocqueville was right in observing that the American nation insists upon “perpetual adoration of itself,” why have Americans been such devoted readers of Democracy in America for almost two centuries now? Maybe initially Americans mistook the title itself for praise: Surely the . . . . Continue Reading »
One of our country’s most precious inheritance from the Puritans was the more or less compulsory cessation of commercial activity on Sunday. But we Hobbesian/Darwinian survivalists increasingly think there’s not time enough to allow the wasting of even a single day. Or . . . . Continue Reading »
Ross , as often transpires, has blogged something of interest: [ . . . ] Obama’s "ironist’s temperament" doesn’t just make him a more interesting politician than your average baby-kisser: It has the potential to be crucial to his success as President. Mass democracy has . . . . Continue Reading »
What are the springs of action that material well-being might unbend or loosen? I suppose they’re all the things that have to do with — acquiring material well-being, up to a point, of course. Everyone seems to agree that somewhere in the range of economic flourishing there is a point . . . . Continue Reading »
Bowing to relentless and overwhelming demand from postmodern-leaning lovers of truth and virtue waiting somewhere out there in cyberspace, I offer this extended version of the Draft Manifesto from a few weeks ago. (I include the previously published first 8 points here, so you won’t . . . . Continue Reading »
I have heard your requests made for reading that might provide some background to the ideas I’m working out, and I gladly comply. I have mentioned Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss - but the former is almost impossible (and evil, by the way, but also indispensible) and the latter himself . . . . Continue Reading »
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