The book titled Our Human Herds, The Theory of Dual Morality, proposes that inherent in all human beings are two distinct moral systems. They evolved within us to guide our handing of the two most fundamental conditions any group will face: PLENTY or SCARCITY. These two emotional patterns manifest themselves in many ways, the most recognizable of which are our politial divisions of left and right. Liberalism is the manifestation of our emotional outlook that tells us that there is enough for all, it just isn't distributed properly. Conservatism pushes us to beleive that there is not enough for all, so people and resources must be prioritized. At their extremes, these views lead to authoritarian redistribution schemes from the left, or severe heirarchial social arrangements on the right.
Chart 2 is a more rational political spectrum with total government in any form on the far Left and no government or anarchy on the far right. The U.S. was a Republic with a limited government, but for the past 60 years we have been moving leftward across the spectrum towards total government with each new piece of socialist legislation.
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I agree that both the authoritarian right and left betray the founders' intent to secure a stable, limited government by denying power to authoritarian megalomaniacs. Now that government has run amok, it's irresistible to megalomaniacs. As Bastiat described in 'The Law', the power has reduced our legislatures to trading pits.
You’re a smart and decent man, Shermer. I’d vote for you if you ran for president. And if I could vote in American elections, which I can’t. Oh well. Best of luck with that! :)
Ban all political donations, publicize elections, add them into national budget, ban politicians trading individual stocks, make everyone get paid, no stock option b.s., ban stock buybacks, PROBLEM solved. OH ya secure our borders.
I know, it's odd of me, out of all you've written, to pick on this one nit, but I think any rational, empirically driven skeptic should understand how a sovereign fiat currency works.
So, why are you for a balanced budget? Have you read either Kelton's "The Deficit Myth," Wray's "Making Money Work for Us," or Hockett and Jame's "Money From Nothing"? One of the biggest pieces of B.S. we're being fed by politicians on both sides is that the U.S. government can go broke.
And not just by-the-way, all the above econs/philosophers emphasize that once one understand how a currency like the U.S.'s really works, the path to solving the climate crisis becomes clearer.
Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.
Oh, and other than the balanced budget/free market thing, I agree with pretty much all of what you've written.
I wish you would further explain what you mean re "the philosophy of individualism in contrast to collectivism". Humans have always lived in groups/tribes/communities. To makes these pleasant to live in the betterment of the group must take precedence over the individual.
Yes, I agree. What both the far right (fascism) and left (communism) have in common is the philosophical view that the individual is not an end in him/herself with the right to pursue happiness but is merely a means to achieve some grand collective scheme. Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers (despite all their faults) got it right!
Loved your, "Did your personally talk to God?" challenge to AL Justice Tom Parker. Now being 80, I've come to believe that there is no "right" or "wrong", rather there are outcomes we like or don't. I've learned this while pulling weeds, which are plants we don't like. It requires experience (testing?) to discover some of those outcomes. Living longer (like Biden?) gives more opportunities to observe. The Bible has given us the more obvious ones learned long ago. We've learned a few more complex things since.
Good stuff Michael, but you are most certainly an American and have been indoctrinated by American thinking about free markets. Markets need to be regulated much more than they are. Corporations and their CEOs get stinking wealthy while gouging the public.
Terrific post. You and I think so much alike. Are you familiar with Stephen Martin Fritz's Our Human Herds: The Theory of Dual Morality? He has a 1000+ page book by that title as well as a more digestible 314-page abridged version, freely available as a PDF on academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/39737882/Our_Human_Herds_The_Theory_of_Dual_Morality_Abridged_ . If you browse to this URL and scroll down to page 25, Figure 1-5, you will see a graphic of Fritz's Moral Compass, which looks identical to the Horseshoe graphic of the left and right.
The primary reason I read and pay for Substack is so I don’t have to read the rants and reactions on X - or whatever it’s currently called. So it is disappointing to read your article and have to go through idiotic posts. I’m not a prude, I’m not a Puritan. In fact I probably think a lot like you… However the F bombs and adolescent banter first thing in the morning make me wonder why I’m paying for the subscription. “Letting loose” is regression. Please leave them out or I will choose to leave.
On facebook I often drop into the Hetrodox Forum where we had a discussion about political spectrums, circles and so on. I had felt that the spectrum might be better expressed as a circle since the extremes had very similar characteristics. But I like the diamond shape that's posited. I too would consider myself a true classical liberal.
I've read/followed a lot of people over the years, most of them I no longer do, you, I still do, as you have always been fair and reasoned in your views.
Great points and great quotes. A couple of correction of facts: 1. There are not 750k IVF births in the US per year as that would be about a third of all births. More closely it is 75k.
2. National Socialism is not a right wing construct but left wing.
The book titled Our Human Herds, The Theory of Dual Morality, proposes that inherent in all human beings are two distinct moral systems. They evolved within us to guide our handing of the two most fundamental conditions any group will face: PLENTY or SCARCITY. These two emotional patterns manifest themselves in many ways, the most recognizable of which are our politial divisions of left and right. Liberalism is the manifestation of our emotional outlook that tells us that there is enough for all, it just isn't distributed properly. Conservatism pushes us to beleive that there is not enough for all, so people and resources must be prioritized. At their extremes, these views lead to authoritarian redistribution schemes from the left, or severe heirarchial social arrangements on the right.
The false choice political spectrum, an abusive mind control technique using language, is called a double-bind in hypnosis, or tie-down in sales. The abuse is described by Gary Allen in https://ia903007.us.archive.org/23/items/nonedarecallitconspiracy_201904/None%20Dare%20Call%20It%20Conspiracy%20-%20John%20Schmitz.pdf on p. 16-17:
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Chart 2 is a more rational political spectrum with total government in any form on the far Left and no government or anarchy on the far right. The U.S. was a Republic with a limited government, but for the past 60 years we have been moving leftward across the spectrum towards total government with each new piece of socialist legislation.
>>
I agree that both the authoritarian right and left betray the founders' intent to secure a stable, limited government by denying power to authoritarian megalomaniacs. Now that government has run amok, it's irresistible to megalomaniacs. As Bastiat described in 'The Law', the power has reduced our legislatures to trading pits.
Thank you.
You’re a smart and decent man, Shermer. I’d vote for you if you ran for president. And if I could vote in American elections, which I can’t. Oh well. Best of luck with that! :)
Ban all political donations, publicize elections, add them into national budget, ban politicians trading individual stocks, make everyone get paid, no stock option b.s., ban stock buybacks, PROBLEM solved. OH ya secure our borders.
I know, it's odd of me, out of all you've written, to pick on this one nit, but I think any rational, empirically driven skeptic should understand how a sovereign fiat currency works.
So, why are you for a balanced budget? Have you read either Kelton's "The Deficit Myth," Wray's "Making Money Work for Us," or Hockett and Jame's "Money From Nothing"? One of the biggest pieces of B.S. we're being fed by politicians on both sides is that the U.S. government can go broke.
And not just by-the-way, all the above econs/philosophers emphasize that once one understand how a currency like the U.S.'s really works, the path to solving the climate crisis becomes clearer.
Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.
Oh, and other than the balanced budget/free market thing, I agree with pretty much all of what you've written.
I wish you would further explain what you mean re "the philosophy of individualism in contrast to collectivism". Humans have always lived in groups/tribes/communities. To makes these pleasant to live in the betterment of the group must take precedence over the individual.
Yes, I agree. What both the far right (fascism) and left (communism) have in common is the philosophical view that the individual is not an end in him/herself with the right to pursue happiness but is merely a means to achieve some grand collective scheme. Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers (despite all their faults) got it right!
Loved your, "Did your personally talk to God?" challenge to AL Justice Tom Parker. Now being 80, I've come to believe that there is no "right" or "wrong", rather there are outcomes we like or don't. I've learned this while pulling weeds, which are plants we don't like. It requires experience (testing?) to discover some of those outcomes. Living longer (like Biden?) gives more opportunities to observe. The Bible has given us the more obvious ones learned long ago. We've learned a few more complex things since.
Good stuff Michael, but you are most certainly an American and have been indoctrinated by American thinking about free markets. Markets need to be regulated much more than they are. Corporations and their CEOs get stinking wealthy while gouging the public.
Terrific post. You and I think so much alike. Are you familiar with Stephen Martin Fritz's Our Human Herds: The Theory of Dual Morality? He has a 1000+ page book by that title as well as a more digestible 314-page abridged version, freely available as a PDF on academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/39737882/Our_Human_Herds_The_Theory_of_Dual_Morality_Abridged_ . If you browse to this URL and scroll down to page 25, Figure 1-5, you will see a graphic of Fritz's Moral Compass, which looks identical to the Horseshoe graphic of the left and right.
The primary reason I read and pay for Substack is so I don’t have to read the rants and reactions on X - or whatever it’s currently called. So it is disappointing to read your article and have to go through idiotic posts. I’m not a prude, I’m not a Puritan. In fact I probably think a lot like you… However the F bombs and adolescent banter first thing in the morning make me wonder why I’m paying for the subscription. “Letting loose” is regression. Please leave them out or I will choose to leave.
Looks really good !!!
On facebook I often drop into the Hetrodox Forum where we had a discussion about political spectrums, circles and so on. I had felt that the spectrum might be better expressed as a circle since the extremes had very similar characteristics. But I like the diamond shape that's posited. I too would consider myself a true classical liberal.
I've read/followed a lot of people over the years, most of them I no longer do, you, I still do, as you have always been fair and reasoned in your views.
Mr. Shermer,
Great points and great quotes. A couple of correction of facts: 1. There are not 750k IVF births in the US per year as that would be about a third of all births. More closely it is 75k.
2. National Socialism is not a right wing construct but left wing.