Book Review: The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy, by David Gelles If this book doesn’t boil your blood you’re part of the problem. In this account of the late GE CEO Jack Welch, David Gelles illuminates the essence …
Category Archives: Socioeconomic Policy
The WEIRDest People in the World
Book Review: The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous, by: Joseph Henrich If you’ve ever wondered how Western culture, language, and technology came to have the prominent role it has worldwide, the answer may be literally WEIRD from a reading of Joseph Henrich’s book. WEIRD in this case …
Will Issue Definitions Ever Stabilize?
This is a quick question with a probable quick answer. I started with a title of this post that was about battle lines, and those appear to be in flux. Upon further consideration, it appears to me that what’s altering the battle lines is the often fuzziness of issue definitions. Statements one would make today …
Policies and Actions Goals List—dynamically updated
Update summary as of July 14, 2020: Items 1, 2, and 3 established. This is a list of recommended government and corporate policies as well as societal actions, which seem to me would benefit persons as individuals and improve the general welfare. Remove cannabis from Schedule I. Cannabis use may be part of a larger …
Continue reading “Policies and Actions Goals List—dynamically updated”
Personal Agency is Essential to Difficult Conversations
To be clear, this is about those difficult conversations about correcting white privilege and the systemic oppression that routinely places persons of color into situations of existential gravity. The word “systemic” is not hyperbole or overwrought in this case—it’s merely accurate. We need to talk about it. In order to do talk about it successfully, …
Continue reading “Personal Agency is Essential to Difficult Conversations”
“ANCSA” for African Americans—a Proposal for Reparations
I would like to contribute the following thoughts about the most proper and effective way to compensate African Americans for the suffering of their ancestors under slavery and the continuing racist oppression they experience today: Model relief and compensation to African Americans on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971. While acknowledging that …
Continue reading ““ANCSA” for African Americans—a Proposal for Reparations”
Temporal Framework for Harmonious Prosperity
This framework for our temporal harmony and prosperity is itself framed by the much larger spiritual framework within which it is contained. [See Endnote i] A very low resolution version of that spiritual framework is that all humans have natural intrinsic value worthy of cultivation and nurturing. It is that perspective that guides the following …
Continue reading “Temporal Framework for Harmonious Prosperity”
The Economics of Jesus
This section is titled “The Economics of Jesus” instead of “Christian Economics” as the institutional church and individual Christians of all varieties have gotten so many things wrong. This has often been in the form of substituting worldly ambitions for true faith, and attempting to employ Jesus as a helper in those fleshly ambitions in …
Life is Rigged—We Should Adjust the Rigging
The expression that something is “rigged” has gained increased prominence in public discussion lately. The context is that there is some type of cheating going on, in a game, in an election, in a court case, in hiring, or in any other similar situation where demonstrable fairness is expected to be normative but is believed …
Continue reading “Life is Rigged—We Should Adjust the Rigging”