Umbridge as Enforcer
Everyone is sick and tired of the COVID lock-downs. Not only were we lied to about their duration ("15 days to flatten the curve!"), and about the severity of the…
Deputizing the Citizenry
My home state of Washington recently implemented a mandatory mask law. As has become customary, the law is passed with an initial insinuation that it would not be enforced: The…
Progressivism, the Rise of Authoritarianism, and the Destruction of the Four Olds in the United States
History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme.Mark Twain If you're anything like me, you have had nothing but an insatiable urge to turn off the news, get off social…
The Mechanics of Black-Bloc
Anyone who says that the protests of the past week have been "mostly peaceful" does not know what they are talking about. That or they are participants. The problem is…
On “Consumerism”
What's so bad about consumption? Everyone needs to eat to survive. In my own experience, everyone seems to like having nice things. Yet it is increasingly accepted as a kind…
On Wearing the Mask
There is one argument against wearing masks that I haven't heard anyone else making: masks are inherently anti-social. Our sixth amendment guarantees us the right to be "confronted with the…
A New Normal?
I have seen multiple signs saying "we're going to get through this!" These signs convey what seems to be a common feeling and attitude: that COVID-19 is a temporary state…
“Post Physique” and the Return of Ethos
I noticed back in 2017 that ethos has been lacking in modern political dialogue: Aristotle held that there were three aspects of rhetoric: Ethos, what is usually translated as personal…
Mongolian Nazis?
Mongolian folk-metal band "The HU" has been rising in popularity, topping American rock charts before even releasing an album, and continuing to grow. Their unique throat singing and traditional instruments…
The Nonsense of Consent as Moral Axiom
A recent conversation exhumed a video that went viral a few years back. Given the prevalence of the concept expressed in the video, I think it's worth diving back into,…