“Under democracy, the incentive structure is systematically changed. Egalitarian sentiments and envy are given free reign. Everyone, not just the king, is now allowed to participate in the exploitation—via legislation or taxation—of everyone else. Everyone is free to express any confiscatory demands whatsoever. Nothing, no demand, is off limits. In Bastiat’s words, under democracy the State becomes the great fiction by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else. Every person and his personal property come within reach of and are up for grabs by everyone else.”
― A Short History of Man: Progress and Decline
― A Short History of Man: Progress and Decline
“On the one hand, all truth is relative; on the other hand, postmodernism tells it like it really is. On the one hand, all cultures are equally deserving of respect; on the other, Western culture is uniquely destructive and bad. Values are subjective—but sexism and racism are really evil. Technology is bad and destructive—and it is unfair that some people have more technology than others. Tolerance is good and dominance is bad—but when postmodernists come to power, political correctness follows.”
― Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault
― Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault
“good,’ in most people’s minds, comes down to whatever it is they believe best serves their own self-interest at any particular moment in time.”
― The Last Flamecaller
― The Last Flamecaller
What's the Name of That Book???
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Martin Wickman’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Martin Wickman’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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