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John James' "greatest hits"

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John James Posted: Sun, Aug 19 2012 6:55 PM

Due to the request in this thread and this post I figured I might put something together.

I would generally consider The Ultimate Beginner meta-thread the best collection of good resources, and a number of the links below are included there.

 

Three questions from a clueless high school student

I feel like this one makes for a really great intro piece because it addresses a couple of common questions (which are the result of a couple of the most common economic fallacies held).  But it also does this by starting at the beginning and addressing the basic concept of economic activity, namely wealth, and what it is and where it comes from.  Later on in the thread Wheylous asks a number of questions in response to it, which leads to another post which I think is worth linking, here.

 

What exactly is capitalism? (thread: Online debate with schoolmate in Govt. class)

Here's one which addresses the common misconception that capitalism is a political ideology, or some written-down, defined system of economic governance, similar to Marxism, or Maoism, or any other sort of -ism.  This mistake is probably due almost entirely to the word containing that suffix.  But this post offers a small bit of explanation and video to set it straight.

 

Thoughts on Capitalism

Further discussion of capitalism, and an illustration of what happens when you don't think things all the way through.

 

What is the response to this? [Huffington Post nonsense]

This post (and the one that follows second after it) discuss taxes, and debunk a Huffington Post piece titled "Bush-Era Tax Cuts Projected As Largest Contributor To Public Debt".  The discussion in the thread that ensues tackles the idea of taxation itself, and apparently helped Wheylous evolve his views toward the subject.

 

To Any Who Were Once Apathetic: What Brought You In?

Here I attempt to explain why people can be apathetic about things that others are quite effected by, and offer some suggestions as to what helps people become more aware and more engaged.

 

Why people like Michael Bay films (thread: 3 ways Obama could bypass Congress)

This is a short one in which I put forth a simple explanation for the appeal of so-called "trash" television and the like. (Also the rest of the thread might provide some entertainment, as some back and forth ensues, and a lesson in logical fallacy comes about.)

 

Public vs. Private sector: education, health, defense

This is a response to a request for thoughts on an article that claims the "public sector" is better at providing these things.

 

"Alternative Sites"

This thread features a pretty long conversation between myself and Neodoxy covering a decent range of discussion, mostly centered around political philosophy.  It may provide some entertainment and possibly some insight for anyone looking for a longer read.

 

Interest

This is quite possibly the best thread on the forum.  There's at least three or four of my own posts that I would feel are good enough to include in this kind of "best of" collection, but this particular thread also includes significant contribution from Clayton.

 

Market regulation and freedom (comments section of Mises Blog)

This links to the beginning of a pretty long conversation I had with a typical statist in the comments of a Mises Blog post.  It's long, but hits on all the good stuff, and was a lot of fun to write.  If you need something long to read, this might prove entertaining, and for newbies, it might turn on a few light bulbs.

 

The 2008 crisis (thread: The unregulated market caused the recession)

This is a pretty concise breakdown of the crisis and it's causes, complete with links to further resources.  For anyone who needs an article-length, easy-to-digest explaination of what exactly happened, this is it.

 

Why Ron Paul is so effective

An explanation of Ron Paul's strategy.

 

Recommendations on policy when dealing with newbs/statists. (thread: Arguing With Statists)

Details on best practices

These are two posts in the same thread which offer advice and info on debate.

 

A Lesson in Debate and Convincing People

This one started off as just a thread to share a video and get some basic reactions, but we got some good discussion too.  My post linked here offers my own thoughts on it.

 

What's your beef with Roderick Long and "left-libertarianism"?

My beef with Roderick Long and "left-libertarianism".

 

Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan, has an Austrian economist adressed it yet?

In this one we talk about taxes and Cain's plan.  The link here leads to the particular post right before we get to a series of updates regarding the back and forth between Bob Wenzel of EconomicPolicyJournal.com, and Peter Schiff.

 

Monopoly & Predatory pricing

These two posts are kind of related, but they came in different threads, at different times.  But I think they both deserve links here.

 

Tax Cuts Create Jobs??

A more recent one on taxes and job creation in which Clayton and I take on one Nick Hanauer, and his total economic ignorance.

 

"Inside Job"

My response to the Oscar winning film.

 

Broke, The Movie

My review of Broke: The New American Dream.

 

Jared Diamond, Guns Germs and Steel/Collapse

My review of Diamond and his theories.

 

Libertarian/anarcho punks (thread: What you can do to help Ron Paul spread the message of liberty)

This is a relatively short post (although I include a couple links for further support) in which I address a significantly pervasive personality type among the libertarian crowd (which, since then I've discovered is largely personified in some douchebag who I'm told goes by the name "fringeelements".  You can find a thread featured around his handywork here.)

 

Webster Tarpley is an idiot.  (thread: Theories on the Ron Paul Campaign)

Here I dismantle a 40 minute drivel-fest of a tubby bald economic illiterate.

 

Stefan Molyneux is a narcissist.  (thread: low content August 2011)

My review of a video critique of Molyneux critiquing a Walter Block analysis of "self-hating ‘libertarians’"

 

Taxes, subsidies, libertarianism, and Walter Block  (thread: Against Taxes)

This is a good thread which, when it hit its hiatus, was somewhat sidetracked into a discussion between Graham Wright and myself on the ethics of libertarians seeking out government subsidies, with special attention paid to Walter Block's arguments on the issue.

 

Can anyone help me deconstruct this Statist nonsense?

This one isn't particularly enlightening, but it was just fun writing it and it will probably offer some entertainment value if you enjoy a logical spanking.

 

Depression, Fed, inflation, economic history  (thread:Fierce debate with friend pt. 2)

Here you'll find a pretty ecclectic post with a bunch of resources that was a piece by piece response to an article which made a lot of misleading and fallacious claims regarding economics and economic history.

 

Inflation, Austrian economics, savings and investment

A bullet point response to a series of questions, which includes and explanation of what gold actually is, and the difference between savings and investment.

 

Fraud in Libertarianism

This is another one that is more just for entertainment and possibly demonstrational purposes.  It's not any one post in particular, but this thread provides an interesting discussion that nails a few common myths, and also provides an illustration of really good trolling.

 

Doesn't Capitalism Do More Harm Than Good?

A very recent one that addresses a good number of what would be pretty common questions regarding currency and market regulation.  Quite a few resources included here.

 

Job Creation

This one addresses the Broken Widow Fallacy and offers an explanation of job creation.

 

Major inventions

This was a fun thread addressing the notion of the necessity of government for scientific innovation and technological advancement.  Multiple good posts in here.

 

Keynesian economics

A really short thread with a few good posts discussing prices and inflation.

 

A lesson in reductio  (thread: Property Rights)

You might have to read some posts before this one in the thread to gather some context, but this offers an explanation of the difference between reductio and "that's like saying".

 

Is this really the average critique of AE?  aka: ignorance leads to emotion and irrationality

A basic smackdown of an especially hilarious "critique" of the Austrian School, followed by a little psychoanalysis of the type who offered it.

 

Silver/precious metal info & smackdown of an insurance salesman  (thread:Help in buying silver coins)

So this is a fun one.  It starts off like a typical "help" thread, the OP asks for info regarding silver coins, and he gets it.  A few responses, quite a few resources.  Then we find out he's not here to get info on buying silver...he's here to sell us insurance.  (Also some possibly useful IRA / 401k info.)

 

Recommendations in considering "higher ed"  (thread: Son has questions about college economics departments)

Here I offer my two cents in things to consider when thinking about higher education.

 

As you can see TheBomb19 provided quite a few OPs that led to some good responses.  But I think FlyingAxe holds the record in most compelling OPs that lead to good threads.  A disproportionate number of threads he starts end up with a significant amount of responses, and good discussion.

 

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