This is such an important point. I was happy that we dodged the Kamala bullet because the left has shown how authoritarian and insane their rule is, but I had my fears about Trump and whether he would do more harm than good. The first couple of weeks of Trumps's administration were promising in the "promises made, promises kept" campaign. He did some very good things, but even then there were hints of his authoritarianism. If I pointed out how harmful tariffs are to the side imposing them, people said I just didn't understand his strategy because he was so skillful at the art of the deal. It was like, how dare I question his actions when he is risking his life to save us from the evils of the progressive left. Then the other day, I heard that he posted something on Truth Social about how Walmart should "eat the tariffs" rather than raise their prices. That revealed such a profound ignorance of the basic laws of economics I was shocked. There might be cases where there is an arguable trade-off that mitigates the harms of tariffs, although I don't see it. However, there is no excuse for not knowing that when you forcibly raise the costs of inputs with taxes, businesses have to raise the prices of their products or cut quality or go out of business. In any of those cases, it is the customer who ends up "eating the tariffs." Yet Trump is supremely confident that whatever he decides is right for everyone. Matt Walsh seems to have the same hubris.
"You aren’t the God you worship, folks. It is not your place to force other people to “live right”. If you try, you aren’t virtuous, you’re tyrannical. Lead by example, not by fiat."
The reason these dystopias seem inevitable is that the most prominent voices are telling you they are inevitable—or are shrieking that only their path will avoid the dystopian outcome of “the other side.”
Recognize that all of these voices—Tucker Carlson, Matt Walsh, Oren Cass, are all only interested in advancing their own power and influence.
In Social Media, influence is power and becomes money.
Lefties shriek that Trump is going to usher in “The Handmaid’s Tale” in a bid for power.
Matt Walsh shrieks that lefties are going to be the end of civilization in a bid for power.
Tucker Carlson amplifies whichever contrarian voice is most notorious in the moment in a bid for power.
Stop worrying about the names. Focus on what is actually happening.
What are politicians actually saying—what are their words?
What are politicians actually doing—what does the legislation they want to pass actually say and what will it actually do?
What do the economic numbers actually say?
Are the numbers of unemployed rising or falling or holding steady?
Is the ratio of people with jobs to the total population rising or falling or holding steady?
Is the number of people not counted as being in the labor force rising or falling or holding steady?
Are average prices in your area for key staple foods and consumer items rising or falling or holding steady?
Are average wages in your area rising or falling or holding steady?
These are the things that will bring on “dystopia” or bring us to prosperity. Not Matt Walsh and not Tucker Carlson.
Do not focus on the voices. Focus on the facts. Build your understanding on the facts.
Unless we abolish monopoly government power, of course. Let the owners of private property make these sorts of decisions, as owners should.
That scales.
Otherwise, time to knuckle up and fight. And be careful of the guy fighting alongside you. He might try to take you out next. Or you him. Truly a war of all against all.
I don’t think it’ll end up scaling for them either. Nobody “eats their own” like the left does.
This notion that you get to impose your views on others by force ends in societal collapse - low trust, high time preference, poverty, death, and despair.
This is such an important point. I was happy that we dodged the Kamala bullet because the left has shown how authoritarian and insane their rule is, but I had my fears about Trump and whether he would do more harm than good. The first couple of weeks of Trumps's administration were promising in the "promises made, promises kept" campaign. He did some very good things, but even then there were hints of his authoritarianism. If I pointed out how harmful tariffs are to the side imposing them, people said I just didn't understand his strategy because he was so skillful at the art of the deal. It was like, how dare I question his actions when he is risking his life to save us from the evils of the progressive left. Then the other day, I heard that he posted something on Truth Social about how Walmart should "eat the tariffs" rather than raise their prices. That revealed such a profound ignorance of the basic laws of economics I was shocked. There might be cases where there is an arguable trade-off that mitigates the harms of tariffs, although I don't see it. However, there is no excuse for not knowing that when you forcibly raise the costs of inputs with taxes, businesses have to raise the prices of their products or cut quality or go out of business. In any of those cases, it is the customer who ends up "eating the tariffs." Yet Trump is supremely confident that whatever he decides is right for everyone. Matt Walsh seems to have the same hubris.
I’m done with having a “camp”. Everyone disappoints. Matt Walsh is decent on some things. Atrocious on others.
Totally. Nobody (and certainly no “camp”) is right on everything. Listen. Think. Take what makes sense and leave the rest.
"You aren’t the God you worship, folks. It is not your place to force other people to “live right”. If you try, you aren’t virtuous, you’re tyrannical. Lead by example, not by fiat."
The reason these dystopias seem inevitable is that the most prominent voices are telling you they are inevitable—or are shrieking that only their path will avoid the dystopian outcome of “the other side.”
Recognize that all of these voices—Tucker Carlson, Matt Walsh, Oren Cass, are all only interested in advancing their own power and influence.
In Social Media, influence is power and becomes money.
Lefties shriek that Trump is going to usher in “The Handmaid’s Tale” in a bid for power.
Matt Walsh shrieks that lefties are going to be the end of civilization in a bid for power.
Tucker Carlson amplifies whichever contrarian voice is most notorious in the moment in a bid for power.
Stop worrying about the names. Focus on what is actually happening.
What are politicians actually saying—what are their words?
What are politicians actually doing—what does the legislation they want to pass actually say and what will it actually do?
What do the economic numbers actually say?
Are the numbers of unemployed rising or falling or holding steady?
Is the ratio of people with jobs to the total population rising or falling or holding steady?
Is the number of people not counted as being in the labor force rising or falling or holding steady?
Are average prices in your area for key staple foods and consumer items rising or falling or holding steady?
Are average wages in your area rising or falling or holding steady?
These are the things that will bring on “dystopia” or bring us to prosperity. Not Matt Walsh and not Tucker Carlson.
Do not focus on the voices. Focus on the facts. Build your understanding on the facts.
Matt Walsh is a Peeping Tom for the government, clutching his pearls with one hand.
If my guys are in power, that’s good. If their guys are in power, that’s bad. This is the only calculation that matters.
Everything else is just noise.
That being said, I want Matt Walsh far away from any levers of power.
I get this impulse, but it doesn't scale well.
Unless we abolish monopoly government power, of course. Let the owners of private property make these sorts of decisions, as owners should.
That scales.
Otherwise, time to knuckle up and fight. And be careful of the guy fighting alongside you. He might try to take you out next. Or you him. Truly a war of all against all.
Scales quite well. This has been the strategy of the left for well over 200 years. It is now in control of all the institutions.
I don’t think it’ll end up scaling for them either. Nobody “eats their own” like the left does.
This notion that you get to impose your views on others by force ends in societal collapse - low trust, high time preference, poverty, death, and despair.
I don’t want to play this game.
Mad Max only looks cool on the movie screen.
Eh...
Lol. One of the many things I appreciate about you is that you took the time to type that out.
🤔🤣🫡
What do you think of James Lindsay's current media battles over what he calls "woke" on the Right?
I think he’s looking in a mirror.
He has become so much less impressive as time has gone on.
Wrong.