Many have suggested the use of local or even competing currencies as a solution to the present economic crisis. Such currencies would provide flexibility and aid local economies. While historically local currencies have benefited some localities, they do not always work. The problem is not always economic but rather in the manner in which they … Read more
Amid all the talk about economic inequality, I unabashedly take the side of the one percent. I know it may not be a popular position but I nevertheless feel an obligation to make it known. Mind you, my defense of the one percent is balanced. I do not necessarily think they should be paid more … Read more
To the individualist, the world is a mere vehicle used for the pursuit of personal happiness. Life has no greater or transcendent meaning. It is all about personal gratification. In the words of Alasdair Macintryre, this world is nothing but “a meeting place for individual wills, each with its own set of attitudes and preferences … Read more
There are many who judge the health of the economy on the basis of the stock market. With markets reaching record highs, some see this as a sign of an ever-illusive “economic recovery.” However, such criteria can be deceptive. There are a host of other indicators that reveal that things are getting worse – and … Read more
In the ever-increasing frenzy to increase purchases, Amazon.com has announced that it now wants to ship packages before they are ordered. The Seattle retail giant is developing a patented process known as “anticipatory shipping,” which aims to start the delivery of packages based on previous orders, product searches, shopping-cart choices, wish lists and even how … Read more
Historically, the Industrial Revolution is said to have started in England from 1760 to 1840. However, many historians recognize that the real origins go back much further to medieval times. The medieval spirit of technological innovation was highly developed and set in motion processes that later gave rise to the changes that are associated with … Read more
Chivalry was born when men found an ideal which could be imitated. Thus the knight could draw inspiration from the ideal knight and seek to imitate him. It is not surprising that knights would look to the first knight as their model who was Saint Michael, the Archangel. Johan Huizinga explains that “The primordial feat … Read more
We are taught to marvel at the choices open to the consumer in modern society. However, the system is set up to make it difficult for us to not be consumers. Sociologist Richard Stivers comments that “There is nothing voluntary about consumption in modern societies. Advertising provides the commands to consume under the guise of … Read more
Before entering into the Obamacare debate, I should probably mention that I am among those who suffer from a major pre-existing medical condition. It is not pretty but I have to deal with it. This condition has no cure. I know it can strike me at any time and leaves behind enormous hospital bills. There … Read more
In dealing with the subject of money, medieval philosophers concluded that money cannot satisfy man since it is a mere means not an end. Money when considered as a end represents artificial riches that are removed from our desires. Thus, Odd Langholm notes: “As such they [these artificial riches] do not represent true felicity, for … Read more
