consumer society

Return to Order at the Gun Show

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Return to Order Return to Order at the Gun Show 2

Written by Francis Slobodnik About the last thing most people would expect among the thousand vender tables at the Kansas City Gun Show was a table with the book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here and Where We Need to Go. However, the … Read more

Big Government Doesn’t Just Happen

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Return to Order Big Government Doesn’t Just Happen 1

There are many who complain that big government is the root of all our problems. If we could but rid ourselves of its intrusive presence in our lives, things would be much better. Everyone complains about the effects of big government but few look at its cause.   Free Book: Return to Order: From a … Read more

Repaying a Debt to the Library

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Return to Order Repaying a Debt to the Library 2

I make frequently use of the local library when working on the book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here and Where We Need to Go.   During the course of my research, I had to find books that had long been unpublished. These … Read more

When Rats Jump on to Sinking Ships

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Return to Order “Don’t Abandon the Ship in a Storm…” 1

It is said that when a ship starts sinking, rats onboard have a sixth sense about what is going to happen and are the first to jump on to the nearest flotsam to save their lives. The analogy has often been used to describe the cowardly antics of those who flee lost causes. We are … Read more

Declining Fertility Rates and Robot Babies

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Return to Order Declining Fertility Rates and Robot Babies 2

By Gary Isbell* With the world population growth slowing, some countries are staring at the grim prospects of the unbalanced demographics in the workforce and the dire economic consequences this will cause. As a result, some curious efforts to bolster diminishing birth rates have surfaced, not least of which is the invention and promotion of … Read more

The Paradox of Being Alone Together

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One of the justifications for overuse of communication technology is that it saves time and increases contacts with others. Ever faster and efficient machines supposedly produce more possibilities to connect in less time, thus leaving more time for leisure. However, this rationale does not always ring true. New phones and gadgets only encourage greater speed … Read more

The Paradox of Choice

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Some people celebrate the “unlimited” choices open to them at a Wal-Mart, for example, despite the evident impossibility of exercising even a fraction of these options. The questions this week: Does such “unlimited” choice maximize satisfaction? What is the true criteria for product satisfaction? Do you often find yourselves unsatisfied with today’s “unlimited” choices?” Can … Read more

The Rent-a-Stock Rage

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Return to Order The Rent-a-Stock Rage

Bogle claims such practices may help Wall Street brokers but clearly hurt investors who would be better off to hold stocks for the long term and avoid transfer fees. Now, the tendency is to flit from one stock to another in the hope of hitting the jackpot. This “rent-a-stock” mentality can be seen in the … Read more

While Supplies Last

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Return to Order While Supplies Last 1

By Norman Fulkerson * The biggest shopping day of the year, known as “Black Friday,” has now invaded the most family-centered holiday. The electrifying shop-till-you-drop excursion formerly began in the wee hours of the morning after Thanksgiving. It eventually crept up to midnight of the same day and this year stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, … Read more

High-Frequency Trading: Markets on Steroids

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Return to Order High-Frequency Trading: Markets on Steroids 2

The purpose of the stock market is to provide liquidity to investors who know with certainty that they can buy and sell their shares at any time. In this way, the market serves as a constant encouragement to invest capital in sectors of the economy while limiting risks. Thus, the market fulfills a need in society and can contribute to economic prosperity.

However, it is no secret that the stock market has often favored reckless activities and speculation that depart from this purpose. It has given rise to crashes, manias and panics that turns this instrument of sound investment into a financial casino where everyone plays the market in hopes of cashing in at the right moment. Stockbrokers are always coming up with new ways to beat the market. Such practices are perfect examples of what has been called frenetic intemperance – a reckless and restless spirit inside modern economy that seeks to throw off all restraint.

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