Idiocracy: From Fiction to Reality
Idiocracy is an American science fiction comedy film released in 2006. It follows Joe Bauers, a US Army librarian, and Rita, a prostitute, who are both selected, as the most average people, to take part in a government hibernation experiment. The experiment goes wrong, and both of them wake up 500 years in the future, only to find that the world has become significantly dumber (as smarter people had less children), and that they are now the most intelligent people on the planet.
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Idiocracy: From Fiction to Reality
Popular Entertainment & Incompetency The people Joe finds in this new society live extremely hedonistic lifestyles, meaning they put pleasure before anything else. They spend the whole...
No Clear Nor Close Target
The Problems and Failures of Inflation Targeting and Price Stability“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, is the famous quote usually...
What is Money?
To address this, humans have long resorted to specializing in a craft they have an affinity for, trading services rather than doing everything (MISES, 2008). Think, how many of the things...
‘Inflation’ is still transitory
After a 16-month hiatus, I am getting back on the horse to resume analysing the economy and financial matters, as well as their prospects, of course. In view of the fact that the...
Philosophy
Public Education – A socialist fetish
Much is said about education. In fact, it seems that saying that ‘education is the solution for the world’ is, alongside various forms of entertainment, in a hedonistic society, unanimous. I intend to question the reason for this fetish for education, but first I want to question why people turn to the worst means of realising this fantasy, the state.
Cars in Free European Cities
Liberty respecters throughout the world have a bit of a love affair with cars, indeed it appears rather similar to the love affair which liberty disrespecters have with centrally planned golem conveyors. But is it just as dumb?
What can we learn from Jordan Peterson on a macro scale?
We have to fix our own countries before we think of foreign affairs in distant countries that do not affect us directly.
War in Ukraine: Individuals are the victims of States
Should we care for Putin’s, Biden’s or Zelenskyy’s objectives, or for individuals vs States? Here is a question that is unfortunately forgotten by too many freedom lovers.
The Vegan Extreme of the Non-Aggression Principle
Vegans received more than a fair share of ridicule throughout the years. Not eating meat generated a ton of mediocre memes, meanspirited jokes, but also comedic genius with its peak on Jack Whitehall standup special. Though the British comedian pokes fun at the shortcomings of the plant positive dietary position, he ends his bit on a less hostile reflection that much of the hate vegans get is linked to the self-control they manifest. Successfully maintaining a stringent habit, is an achievement many might struggle with. I must confess to yielding quite a lot of enjoyment from vegan-related comedy, but nevertheless, I hold some respect for the vegan position. Firstly, it indeed requires a certain amount of self-control. Perhaps it is self-control misguided into unnecessarily sad life, but still admirable.
Economics
No Clear Nor Close Target
Price stability and a positive rate of inflation should not be the aims of a monetary authority, as such policies tend to create severe financial instability. Prices should fluctuate to reflect the productivity of individual industries and the economy as a whole, and the efficient (or inefficient) allocation of resources.
What is Money?
People are in constant search to satisfy their needs. However, it is very difficult nowadays for us to be able to satisfy our needs alone. It is impossible for a single person to produce everything he needs to have a minimally modern life: it is not possible to obtain time, much less, all the knowledge necessary to learn how to produce everything (HAYEK, 1945). It is natural for each person to be better at some tasks than others, so people specialise in different tasks (MISES, 2008).
‘Inflation’ is still transitory
I was wrong about both the persistence and magnitude of the price increases of goods and services. What did escape my reasoning, you ask? In short, I never thought banks and other credit institutions would be so stupid and
reckless.
Time Preference
In the 19th century the Austrian Economist, Bohm Bawerk, introduced what we now know as time preference. In Bawerk’s words:
“Present goods are always of more value than future goods of the same kind and quantity.”
The Austrian Theory of Constraints
“It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.” – Alice
Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
Politics
French Elections: The Illusion of Democracy
The French presidential election happened a few weeks ago and the results were no surprise to myself nor to many people. From the first round, it was clear that the left-wing Emmanuel Macron would once again win and be the president of France for a second term. Those who have been following the situation in France over the last five years know this result can only be tragic for France’s future in terms of freedom.
However, I thought it was important, in this context, to discuss the notion of democracy, that is always being praised in France, particularly by politicians, and what the figures of this French presidential election reveal about it. By the end of this article, it will be clear to you why France is not a democracy and why democracies are doomed to fail.
New Geopolitical Equilibrium
All conflicts between two or more people could end in two ways. Either the people involved sit down and try to find a compromise in order to get back to normal relationships, or they completely ignore each other for the rest of their lives and the conflicts ends once they are all dead. For nations, the second alternative is almost impossible, because nations live for centuries or even ages. In consequence, a compromise will follow sooner or later. If all nations involved are satisfied with the compromises they have made, we enter a new phase of equilibrium, in case of states, a geopolitical equilibrium.
Who is responsible for the energy prices surge?
Gas prices have risen to record levels in October this year and are back to similar levels as we speak. The main reasons that the mainstream media are giving you are the Ukraine-Russia tensions, or the delay regarding the approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. But what if at the core of the surging prices in Europe was the European Union itself?
They want the end of detached houses
The government of Emmanuel Macron wants to put an end to the detached houses, according to Minister Delegate for Housing, Emmanuelle Wargon. France is not alone when it comes to those absurd ideas regarding housing and we should be concerned.
Is it wrong to use the Star of David to protest Discrimination?
The Yellow Star of David, which the National Socialists would make the Jews wear in order to stigmatise them, started to be used again, recently, with the wording ‘Not vaccinated’, by protestors against the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination and vaccine passport schemes. The mainstream media, outraged by this, labelled the action as radical and antisemitic. Is it really? Or is it just a way to make a political statement proportionate to the current government policies? I will answer this question through an analysis of facts.
Science & Technology
Essential reading for your pro-lockdown friends
“The quicker I give up my freedoms, the faster I will get them back”, said the person who has never read a history book. “Two weeks to flatten the curve” turned into lockdown measures that already have lasted over a year.
Get a Clear Picture of Science News
Pop-science is currently no topic to overlook on social media. Websites or social media groups sharing factoids or infographics amass millions of likes and receive a high number of content re-shares. In parallel, pop-science magazines also attract many readers and have a strong online presence.
What You Need to Know to Join the Alt-Tech Exodus
So, you’ve heard that big tech companies have transcended the niggling free market and reached the lofty heights of partisan politics — and act accordingly. Unlike prominent political figures you might not make the top of the purge list, but it’s no secret that censorship is surging. Both to protect your freedom, and to stop providing resources to those who would undermine it, it makes sense to jump ship. Now, when everybody else is also doing it. But how?
History
City air makes you free: How cities freed medieval people
‘Stadtluft macht frei’ (‘City air makes you free’) is a popular German saying, referring to a principle of law in place in Europe during the Middle Ages. This one would enable a serf living unfree under feudalism to become free from their lord, in a city, after a period of one year and one day. This increased the migration of medieval people seeking freedom from the feudal territories to the cities from the 11th century onwards.
Because of that freedom, cities became a centre of trade, gathering merchants, entertainers and much more, and offering a large variety of products and services. This made the cities vibrant and prosperous, with its inhabitants enjoying better life conditions than on the feudal territories.
Britain’s Free Radio Revolution
In the beginning of the 1960s, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had the monopoly of radio in the United Kingdom. In fact, apart from one commercial TV network, the airwaves were owned by the BBC. As it happens with any monopoly, because of the lack of competition, the broadcaster was not particularly interested in providing better quality services, and ones that would fit the demand of the British. Because of that, some people started their own radio stations broadcasting their programmes from boats located outside the British territorial waters. These were known as free (or pirate) radios.
The Window Tax: Daylight Robbery
The Window Tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house, first introduced in Britain in 1696 and later on, in France. It resulted in a new form of tax avoidance, as people started to brick up their windows in order to avoid paying the tax. Those old houses with windows having been bricked up or plastered can still be seen in England and France today.
Reblochon: the French Cheese born from Tax Evasion
Reblochon is a soft French cheese made in the Alpine region of Savoie from raw cow’s milk. It is, without a doubt, one of the most famous French cheeses. It is commonly used for cooking in France and is a key ingredient to several dishes such as the popular Tartiflette; a Savoyard gratin made from potatoes, bacon and onions. However, few people know the story behind the origin of this cheese. In fact, Reblochon was born as a result of an early form of tax evasion in the Middle Ages.
The anarchist Republic of Cospaia
People often think that the lack of a government and the lack of laws would create some kind of Mad Max Society, where people would savagely kill each other. Hollywood certainly helped to shape our thinking about how the abstention of some authority would lead us to total chaos, after all, they have been making a lot of movies with themes such as the wild west since the beginning of the twentieth century. I am sorry to disappoint you, but the wild west was not that wild. Perhaps in another article I will talk about the Wild West not being Wild. In this article I will talk about something older and in the old continent.
Français
Idiocracy : de la Fiction à la Réalité
Idiocracy est une comédie satirique de science-fiction américaine sortie en 2006. Le film suit Joe Bauers, un bibliothécaire de l’armée américaine, et Rita, une prostituée, tous deux sélectionnés, comme les personnes les plus moyennes, pour participer à une expérience d’hibernation gouvernementale. L’expérience tourne mal et ils se réveillent tous les deux 500 ans dans le futur, pour constater que le monde est devenu considérablement plus stupide (car les personnes les plus intelligentes ont eu moins d’enfants) et qu’ils sont désormais les personnes les plus intelligentes de la planète.
Derniers Articles
Idiocracy : de la Fiction à la Réalité
Divertissement populaire et incompétence Les gens que Joe trouve dans cette nouvelle société vivent des modes de vie extrêmement hédonistes, ce qui signifie qu'ils placent le plaisir avant...
Qu’est-ce que l’argent ?
Pour y remédier, les humains ont longtemps eu recours à la spécialisation dans un métier pour lequel ils ont une affinité, en échangeant des services plutôt que de tout faire (MISES,...
Préférence Temporelle
Fondamentalement, la loi de préférence temporelle dit que, ceteris paribus, les individus préfèrent atteindre leurs objectifs le plus rapidement possible. Ou, pour le dire autrement :...
L’éducation publique – Un fétiche socialiste
Tout ce qui est fourni par l'État est toujours de moins bonne qualité et plus cher que lorsqu'il est fourni par le marché. En effet, l'État est guidé par des pressions politiques et non...
Português
Idiocracia: da Ficção à Realidade
Idiocracia é um filme americano de comédia e ficção científica lançado em 2006. Segue Joe Bauers, um bibliotecário do Exército dos EUA, e Rita, uma prostituta, ambos selecionados, como as pessoas mais comuns, para participar de um experimento de hibernação do governo. O experimento dá errado, e os dois acordam 500 anos no futuro, apenas para descobrir que o mundo se tornou significativamente mais burro (já que as pessoas mais inteligentes tiveram menos filhos) e que agora são as pessoas mais inteligentes do planeta.
Últimos Artigos
Idiocracia: da Ficção à Realidade
Entretenimento Popular e Incompetência As pessoas que Joe encontra nesta nova sociedade vivem estilos de vida extremamente hedonistas, o que significa que colocam o prazer antes de...
Preferência Temporal
Basicamente, a lei de preferência temporal diz que, ceteris paribus, os indivíduos preferem atingir os seus objetivos o mais rapidamente possível. Ou, dito de outra forma: Em igualdade de...
Educação Pública – Um fetiche socialista
Tudo que é fornecido por meio do estado é sempre de pior qualidade e mais caro do que quando fornecido pelo mercado. Isto porque o estado se guia por pressões políticas, e não pelo...
O verdadeiro significado de inflação
Primeiramente vamos ver qual a definição mainstream de inflação. Segundo Mankiw (2013) inflação é:Um aumento do nível geral de preços da economia (MANKIW, 2013, p. 15).Outros economistas...
Español
Idiocracia: de la Ficción a la Realidad
Idiocracia es una película de comedia y ciencia ficción estadounidense estrenada en 2006. Sigue a Joe Bauers, un bibliotecario del ejército de los EE. UU., y Rita, una prostituta, quienes son seleccionados, como las personas más promedio, para participar en un experimento de hibernación del gobierno. El experimento sale mal y ambos se despiertan 500 años en el futuro, solo para descubrir que el mundo se ha vuelto significativamente más tonto (ya que las personas más inteligentes han tenido menos hijos) y que ahora son las personas más inteligentes del planeta.
Últimos Artículos
Idiocracia: de la Ficción a la Realidad
Entretenimiento Popular e Incompetencia Las personas que Joe encuentra en esta nueva sociedad viven estilos de vida extremadamente hedonistas, lo que significa que anteponen el placer a...
¿Qué es el dinero?
Para abordar esto, los humanos han recurrido durante mucho tiempo a especializarse en un oficio por el que tienen afinidad, intercambiar servicios en lugar de hacerlo todo (MISES, 2008)....
Preferencia Temporal
Básicamente, la ley de la preferencia temporal dice que, ceteris paribus, los individuos prefieren alcanzar sus objetivos lo más rápido posible. O dicho de otro modo: en igualdad de...
Educación Pública – Un fetiche socialista
Todo lo que se suministra a través del Estado es siempre de peor calidad y más caro que cuando lo suministra el mercado. Esto se debe a que el estado se guía por presiones políticas y no...
Italiano
Cos’è il fascismo?
“Fascismo” è un termine che è stato banalizzato dalla sinistra, così come i termini “Nazismo” e “Nazi”, che si riferiscono rispettivamente a Nazional-socialismo e Nazional-socialisti Specialmente dopo l’ascesa di gruppi di estrema sinistra, come gli Antifa, tra i giovani, le parole fascismo e fascisti sono usate di continuo per attaccare i propri nemici.
I nostri ultimi articoli
Cos’è il fascismo?
Ma dopotutto, cos'è il fascismo? Questa è una domanda alla quale la maggior parte delle persone non sa rispondere. E' normale che la maggior parte della gente non sappia cosa sia realmente...
Socialismo e fascismo: Due facce della stessa medaglia
Religioni secolari Socialismo e fascismo sono nati nello stesso periodo storico e sociale, quello in cui il potere del cristianesimo ha iniziato a perdere la sua capacità di influenzare le...
Negativa e Positiva: Due concetti di libertà
Costringere un uomo è privarlo della libertà - libertà di cosa? [...] Propongo di esaminare non più di due di questi sensi - sebbene centrali, con molta storia umana alle spalle e, oserei...
Libertà e uguaglianza: perché non possiamo avere entrembe
Nascondendosi dietro l'idea di vero socialismo- qualcosa di molto diverso da ciò che si è visto ogni volta che è stato provato- hanno sostenuto che il reale obiettivo del socialismo fosse...
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