CONSERVATISM

Hayek, like Burke, came to the profoundly conservative conclusion that human society is too complex to be modelled by anyone or be well described by any theory: "Hayek initially thought the dividing line between possible and impossible positivism lay in the distinction between natural sciences and social sciences, but by the 1950s he had come to understand that the issue was really one of complexity. A positivist, predictive science is possible only for phenomena, whether human or natural, that are relatively simple- particle physics, for example. One can never fully model and predict complex phenomena such as the spontaneous orders produced by the interactions of simpler agents. These orders include the human brain, whose higher functions cannot possibly be inferred from its physical substratum, as well as ecosystems and, of course, markets, cultures, and other human institutions."

Capitalism makes you happier than socialism does: "Lottery winners, trust-fund babies and others who get their money without working for it do not get as much satisfaction from their cash as those who earn it, a study of the pleasure centre in people's brains suggests. Emory University researchers measured brain activity in the striatum - the part of the brain associated with reward processing and pleasure.... "When you have to do things for your reward, it's clearly more important to the brain," said Greg Berns, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural science."

Job discrimination: "A recent headline about opposition to a new Louisiana state job application presents the perfect basis on which to explain the ridiculousness of the concept of 'employment discrimination,' ... the burdens that such a policy imposes on market participants, the inherently aggressive nature of addressing the issue through public policy, and how anti-discrimination legislation promotes slavery.... Demonizing 'preference,' a key characteristic of all human action, by identifying it as an intrinsic evil and labeling it 'discrimination,' is absurd on numerous grounds..... Such policies indeed violently rob individuals, under a threat of force, of their right to their property and mutually beneficial exchanges of that property."

Vouchers spur public schools to compete: "Competition is, in some circles, a much-derided word. Psychologists worry about the effects competition has on the mental and emotional health of children. Others become concerned when a parent takes competition too far, and fights break out at hockey or soccer games. Yet competition is, as Cicero observed, not about crushing one's opponent."

A true Christian conservative: "I attended the Memorial Service of Rev. Joseph Sheley yesterday. As I listened to speaker after speaker talk about Joe, it was clear that he was one of those who went to be with his Lord owning that most precious of possessions - a good name. Joe was not a flashy man. He was not one to push himself forward or to try to gain attention for himself. And he didn't have much in terms of this world's wealth. But he was a very rich man. He was rich in family who treasured him... Joe's children, grand-children, and great grand-children loved him, and with good reason. He loved them with all his heart, and taught them important life lessons that will stand them in good stead for as long as they walk the earth... He was rich in the esteem in which others held him. That was evident in the faces of the many who came to honor him at his memorial service... He accomplished many things for the Lord about which he could have boasted. I never heard him do so".

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ELSEWHERE

Jeff Jacoby: "This is the week that same-sex marriage comes to Massachusetts, and thus to the United States. The fundamental building block of civilization is about to undergo a radical change -- a change not only unsupported by a clear consensus, but opposed by a majority of American adults.... Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and three of her colleagues ruled in the Goodridge case last November that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples infringes the freedom and equality protected by the Massachusetts Constitution. The job of the judiciary is to interpret the law, but this was no mere interpretation. It was a wholesale rewriting of the law to make it say and mean things it had never said or meant before. In effect, Goodridge was a constitutional amendment dictated from the bench. It was something the Massachusetts Constitution expressly forbids: an exercise by the judiciary of legislative and executive power"

Does Hollywood unfairly "stereotype" Arabs? "Unsurprisingly, screenwriters focus on realities well known to their audience, and there is simply no escaping the fact that the Middle East abounds in terrorist groups. That is why the action in, for example, GI Jane (1997), takes place in Libya, rather than Costa Rica. That is why the terrorists in True Lies are Middle Eastern, rather than Scandinavian."

I have just put up Chris Brand's latests postings here. He notes a recent strong academic finding showing that anti-social behaviour (which generally means criminality) is 70% inherited! It is yet another bit of scientific evidence showing that criminals are born, not made -- which is the exact opposite of what Leftists preach. See also here.

Ally Eskin has revised her template so her blog is a lot easier to read now. And it's worth reading! Dick McDonald continues to post lots of trenchant comments on current events too. I don't comment a lot on day-to-day politics but Dick certainly does. And he generally gets it pretty right in my opinion.

Thanks to some constructive comments from one of my readers, I have just put up a further big upgrade to my article on why elites tend to be Leftist. I don't foresee any further revisions to the article so I have also now put up a copy of it that is viewable in China.

For more postings, see GREENIE WATCH and POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH. Mirror sites here and here

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The Left have always wanted more spent on welfare and made "Fascism" a swear-word. President Bush deposed a brutal Fascist dictator and sponsored a big expansion of welfare. But instead of being admired by the Left, he is hated with a passion. What does that tell you about the Left? It tells you that they have no principles at all: That everything they have ever claimed to stand for is fake.

All politicians seek power but conservatives bring with them some concern for the welfare of their country. Leftists bring only their hate-filled Stalinist hearts and their pretend compassion. Voters, unfortunately, often believe the compassion is genuine

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