Paradocracy

A common argument has swept like wildfire across social media. The argument pits Democrats against Republicans on the basis of economic output in cities and counties dominated by each political ideology. The argument claims that Democrat-controlled counties vastly outperform their Republican counterparts. This argument is, at first, met with corroboration in that the majority of economic output, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), stems from Democrat-controlled metropolises. However, what this argument tends to ignore is that most of the spending and economic activity (as captured by the GDP) takes place in the cities; that most of the people live in or around the cities, and therefore they enjoy economies of scale; that far more human activity in the cities necessarily drives spending, and that far less human activity requires the same in the country; that the economic activity found in the cities is not a consequence of active government, but rather an incentive for more of ...

A variety of myths and misconceptions have arisen out of the modern world. As the world advances economically and technologically, it appears that the people grow just as distant to the throes of reality. In just this way, the people have begun to develop new ways of thinking about the world and each other, and they and their followers have come to fancy themselves more advanced for matching their pitch. Whether it's misplaced faith in cryptocurrency, democracy or the theories of manmade climate change, the modern world is rife with myths and misconceptions. Another prime example which affects us all is the belief that everything can be replaced, or, as one self-described expert puts it, "We shouldn't use deadly force to protect our property." Now, it's worth noting that the so-called expert isn't alone here. He has a lot of company. Some of his supporters have claimed that burglars shouldn't be met with force or violence if they haven't presented th...

There’s a popular misconception around the developed world, and even, to a lesser extent, among undeveloped nations: the misconception is that there is virtue in democracy. Whether political or economic, there is this notion that democracy, or democratic process, provides a positive good in and of itself. However, when pressed to support their claims, if they’re even prepared to defend them, more often than not its proponents are full of trite, dogmatic, or euphemistic language. Of course, most of them believe that the merits of democracy are self-evident, but beneath the trite, dogmatic, and euphemistic language, we find the disturbing truth about democracy: between the lines of propaganda and deceit, the treasured myths and misconceptions, we find nothing more than another form of mob rule.  As a people, we are better off with whatever system succeeds in securing the jewel of the public liberty, not for a term or dynasty, but for all of posterity. For the proponents of democ...

Some people attribute the incidence of gun-related crime in America to backward or insensible gun laws, but the data do not bear this out. Indeed, up until 2020, fewer Americans were dying as a result of gun violence. Indeed, this was the continuation of a trend that began about three decades earlier. Contrary to the popular misconception that America has become more and more violent over time, the data suggest that, up until 2020, it had actually become considerably safer. However, this is not the only story in the data. Indeed, there's a far more interesting tale to tell. Before we get there, let's start with the facts. First, let's settle the debate on whether America has actually become a more violent place over recent decades. Fortunately, the facts are indisputable. As it turns out, the number of privately-held firearms and the incidence of gun-related homicides (both expressed by percentage change over that period) had managed a near-symmetrical divergence over the p...

"With much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases."  In such discouraging times as these, we find ourselves desperate for wisdom. We find ourselves searching high and low for answers and truths. As people of the twenty-first century, we seem to have, more than ever, strayed further and further away from it all: the truth, reality, and our traditions. The objective ought now, as ever, to be the reclamation of our values such that we may stand to redeem ourselves, right our wrongs and, above all, recover the truth. The challenge for those of us faithful and courageous enough to take on this task is that wisdom seldom prevails without difficulty. Indeed, any endeavor of this kind is invariably met with doubters and detractors; even the first steps in the search are, among laymen, as unlikely to be taken as the shrouded trail is now to be found. As we seek wisdom in our lives, and as we seek to defend it, we must remember the teachings of Ecclesiastes i...

For generations Americans have long debated the meaning of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. Many of them read into it what they prefer to believe, interpreting it to fit with their own particular views on the subject. Fortunately for those in pursuit of the truth, the tools of grammar and the annals of history are at our disposal to wade through all of the noise. First, it is essential for readers to understand that every power reserved to Congress is expressly enumerated within Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Not one of those powers pertains to regulations, limitations or prohibitions on firearms; indeed, not one part of the section pertains in any way to firearms, whether specifically or generally. Remember, Congress reserves the power to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers , which in this case, regardless of subsequent acts or measures, do not extend to the matter of firearms.   Congr...