Hello all! I finally joined the community and wanted to introduce myself and say hello. Please leave a comment s I can friend some of you. Below is a quick bio and where I've been so far. I was born in Houston, TX but now I call many places home. I am 27 years old. I own and run a music recording studio in Nashville, TN, and I own several other small businesses as well. I do, however, believe intellectual property is about as legitimate as the social contract (which is to say they are illegitimate). Anyway, Self-employment is incredible and I wouldn't ever trade my time for wages on a pre-set schedule like most people do.
Anyway, I first stumbled upon the Austrian school by reading the Real Lincoln by DiLorenzo. My father was also a successful entrepreneur so I was born into wealth which granted me the privilege of attending a private school with a stellar education and many teachers that would change my life. Most in particular, in my sophomore year of high school, when I was 17, I had a humanities teacher that I would find to be the greatest mentor thus far in my life. He turned me from a Neo-conservative into a minarchist, when he turned me onto Locke's Second Treatise on Civil Government. More Specifically, on the first day of his class, my teacher gave an over-view of the topics and thinkers we would be discussing and learning about and proceeded to make an off-handed comment about Lincoln being our worst president. I approached him after class and asked him more. He simply told me to research it for myself. I went home and did a search for "Lincoln worst president" and, coincidentally enough, stumbled onto a DiLorenzo article hosted on the Mises site. I wouldn't actually come back to the site for another year, but I did end up buying the Real lincoln, read it several times, and from my sophomore to senior year of high school, I proceeded to become a quasi-expert on The Civil War and Confederate apologetics, receiving several full rides to many universities based on the papers I wrote on the subject. Many classes in those universities would go on to use my paper in their history and economics classrooms as an opposing view to common teaching on the subject of The American Civil War.
But I digress, starting my Junior year of high school, about a year into my independent research on the subject (literally pouring through private and public libraries for firsthand primary sources), I started to understand how closely inter-related economics was to the study of history. I knew I needed to understand it in the most logical way possible to explain much the historical phenomenon we have witnessed over the ages. I turned first to Milton Friedman because I always liked how simple he could articulate great logical principles, and I appreciated his persuasive and cool-headed debating style. However, I eventually found his opinions on the Federal Reserve to be a case of cognitive dissonance, and sought elsewhere for better economic interpretation.
I again turned to DiLorenzo, remembering that he was an economist before he was a historian. I found him online and saw how much he was featured on Mises.org. The rest is history, having found my intellectual home among the Austrians. I studied austrian economics and praxeology in and out all the way through the rest of high school and did a three year plan to get my bachelors, rushing myself out of college as quickly as I possibly could (a fact I am happy with today, knowing how pointless and over-priced a college education can be [glad I didn't pay for it]).
My first readings originating from the Austrian school were "For a New Liberty" by Rothbard, and "The Obviousness of Anarchy" by Hasnas, a scholar I wish Mises featured more of. From these readings, I was forever convinced of Government's evils and its inability to ever produce any kind of good. I had become a market anarchist forever.
I have been an active reader on the Mises site, using its many resources, for about 8 years now. I have been an active reader of the forums for about 4 years now and have decided to finally join to give my two cents. The two posters I respect most are Autolykos and Clayton (especially his treatises on Common Law). John James is also great. His ability to recall information and point to sources is incredible. I hope to learn from you all. I cant wait to get started. Thanks for having me.
"If men are not angels, then who shall run the state?"
Welcome to the Mises forum! Be sure to check out the newbie thread for forum tips and how-to's.
Also you might consider creating some paragraphs in that post. It would make it easier to read (and thus increase the chances of people reading it.)
You, sir, are a star!
Fantastic! Wonderful to have such a motivated student and innovator among us!
I'd very much love it if you could post your research here OR even submit it as content for the Mises Daily!
In fact, I happen to live close to DiLorenzo, and if you send me your material I suppose I could get it to him (or, you know, email works too).
I also respect Clayton and JJ quite a bit.
My, we'll have so much fun here!
Here is my quick (in the libertarian sense "quick") run-down of libertarianism, with some links to articles I've compiled over the months:
What is libertarianism?
I'm sure JJ will post the mandatory "here is the newbie thread" reply to welcome you :)
Dammit, JJ! My prophecy was fulfilled before I could even post it!
Wow! What a resume! Welcome!
If I had a cake and ate it, it can be concluded that I do not have it anymore. HHH
The Texas Trigger:Hello all! I finally joined the community and wanted to introduce myself and say hello. [...]
That really is a great story. I guess since you've been lurking long enough, I don't have to let you know about the threads with everyone else's story, but another new member created a thread to introduce himself as well and the links are in there, so just to make sure:
The Story of My Conversion to Liberalism
I would also love to see these papers. I know the Institute is always on the lookout for writers...I'm sure they'd love to publish your work...
I'm also curious if you caught DiLorenzo's later work on the President, Lincoln Unmasked.
Wheylous:Dammit, JJ! My prophecy was fulfilled before I could even post it!
Hey they gotta get the info somehow
I am embarrassed JJ had to correct my writing style on my first post (especially since I am a writer. I think I was just giddy and rushed. My apologies! Anyway, I have been blogging for awhile so I am pretty familiar with the thread mechanisms and layouts used here. Thanks. As for my writing, I would prefer to stay anonymous on this forum. It is not that I am a famous writer...far, far, far, from it, however, sometimes I still have to ask economics questions I feel embarrassed to be asking, and any work I could post could easily be googled with my name in plain view. So it is for reputational purposes that I prefer to stay anonymous. I would, however, like to have DiLorenzo read my work, as he is one of my heroes. That said, is there anyway you could direct me on how to have this achieved? One place I live in is Nashville, which I know Bob Murphy lives in as well. I have tried, on several occasions, to reach out to him via email. Unfortunately, he has never replied back. He and Tom Woods are some of the best verbal apologists the austrians have, and I would love to meet them and learn their speaking style. They are so funny.
Speaking of which, one thing I want to gain from being a member of this forum is to gain better skill at verbal debate. I suck at it. Recalling specific information from the top of my head, especially during the heat of a debate, is a weak point for me. Perhaps this is why I excel at written communication; I need to make up for my lack of verbal skill. I feel DiLorenzo has a similar problem. Not that he can't recall information, but the he (and Doug French) are very boring speakers to listen to, in my opinion. But, even they can still debate in an ad lib'ed manner. It seems to me that great oral debaters have both a vast knowledge of the topic, as well as the ability to quickly access and organize that knowledge into not only coherent thoughts, but also strong rebuttals. I can do neither well. I feel written debate is easy if you command the pen well, and have the patience to go out and do thorough research. You have time on your side. When I don't have that time, I choke and can't remember info, or my thoughts don't come out of my mouth the way they went through my head. So, does anyone have any links to resources that helps one to sharpen these skills?
The Texas Trigger: So, does anyone have any links to resources that helps one to sharpen these skills?
debate videos
I still have to ask economics questions I feel embarrassed to be asking, and any work I could post could easily be googled with my name in plain view.
You could theoretically post those under a throwaway account.
is there anyway you could direct me on how to have this achieved?
http://www.loyola.edu/webtrans/aca/sellingertest/profile.html?profile=2009053&directory=1487196
Recalling specific information from the top of my head, especially during the heat of a debate, is a weak point for me
That's why you should read a lot. Starting with What is libertarianism?
The Texas Trigger:I am embarrassed JJ had to correct my writing style on my first post (especially since I am a writer. I think I was just giddy and rushed. My apologies!
Totally understandable.
Anyway, I have been blogging for awhile so I am pretty familiar with the thread mechanisms and layouts used here. Thanks.
You have a blog hosted here? Which one??
As for my writing, I would prefer to stay anonymous on this forum. It is not that I am a famous writer...far, far, far, from it, however, sometimes I still have to ask economics questions I feel embarrassed to be asking, and any work I could post could easily be googled with my name in plain view. So it is for reputational purposes that I prefer to stay anonymous.
Definitely understandable. However, you may still reach out to the institute about getting some stuff published. There's no reason anything put out on the Mises Daily or elsewhere would have to be linked to your forum handle here. This stuff got you full scholarships, and is being used as revisionist argumentation in universities? Why deprive us!
I would, however, like to have DiLorenzo read my work, as he is one of my heroes. That said, is there anyway you could direct me on how to have this achieved? One place I live in is Nashville, which I know Bob Murphy lives in as well. I have tried, on several occasions, to reach out to him via email. Unfortunately, he has never replied back. He and Tom Woods are some of the best verbal apologists the austrians have, and I would love to meet them and learn their speaking style. They are so funny.
If you can ever make it out to a Mises event, they usually are available for chatting. Murphy in fact always tries to gather as many people as possible to get out to a local karaoke.
It's funny you should bring them up, because all three of those guys were present at the Mises Circle in your home town a few months ago.
It's weird that Murphy hasn't replied to you. He's pretty reliable in that department. I don't think I've ever not gotten a response from him. Are you sure you've got the right email address?
Speaking of which, one thing I want to gain from being a member of this forum is to gain better skill at verbal debate.
Hehe. Not quite sure how you plan to do that, but we're here for ya
I feel DiLorenzo has a similar problem. Not that he can't recall information, but the he (and Doug French) are very boring speakers to listen to, in my opinion.
Hehehehe. Same here. I know exactly what you mean. Public speaking just ain't their thing. There was actually a thread about who are the best rhetoricians a while back.
It seems to me that great oral debaters have both a vast knowledge of the topic, as well as the ability to quickly access and organize that knowledge into not only coherent thoughts, but also strong rebuttals. I can do neither well. I feel written debate is easy if you command the pen well, and have the patience to go out and do thorough research. You have time on your side. When I don't have that time, I choke and can't remember info, or my thoughts don't come out of my mouth the way they went through my head. So, does anyone have any links to resources that helps one to sharpen these skills?
Peter Schiff is one of the best I've seen at this. Here's a collection of news segments (full segments, not the remixes). He's spoken multiple times about how he doesn't use notes during speeches and debates because he just doesn't need them. The arguments come naturally. (Jeff Tucker describes what it's like being in his audience.) Schiff says he's able to do this because he's been doing it basically his whole life. Even in elementary school he found himself arguing with teachers at times. So of course when he attended UC Berkeley, he spent a great deal of time debating leftist students and professors alike.
I think this is one skill you can only "learn" so much about. It really requires practice. You just have to get in there. Put yourself in some conversations with people...surround yourself with individuals who are interested in talking about this kind of stuff and just do it. It's just like your writing. It improves because you spend enough time doing it.
That's really the best advice I think.
You might see if there's any sort of debate club, or some amateur debate league or something like that that you could join if you're really that interested. It could be quite useful to have a scheduled time for meeting and arguing on a regular basis. It would also help because it would offer the opportunity to see how arguments are formulated and you can break down topics and learn to organize your points in an effecive way...which could then be developed into a habit that would translate to your normal conversations.
Along the lines of "reading a lot" as Wheylous mentions, John James has posted this just today: Guides and Knowledge for your Intellectual Journey
Wheylous:Here is my quick (in the libertarian sense "quick") run-down of libertarianism, with some links to articles I've compiled over the months: What is libertarianism?
Wheylous:That's why you should read a lot. Starting with What is libertarianism?
ThatOldGuy:Along the lines of "reading a lot" as Wheylous mentions, John James has posted this just today: Guides and Knowledge for your Intellectual Journey
I get the impression he's pretty far past this point, fellas.
John James, don't be so modest! There are a lot of resources listed on that post that I've just now seen for the first time and are invaluable. Regarding debate, the argumentation link is excellent (again, I've never before seen this). Maybe its just me, but that whole post made me throw up a rainbow.
Did I forget to mention What is Libertarianism?
Wheylous: Did I forget to mention What is Libertarianism?
Nice graphic!
(Oh, hey. Did I inadvertently re-post the link?)
To paraphrase Marc Faber: We're all doomed, but that doesn't mean that we can't make money in the process. Rabbi Lapin: "Let's make bricks!" Stephan Kinsella: "Say you and I both want to make a German chocolate cake."
ThatOldGuy:John James, don't be so modest! There are a lot of resources listed on that post that I've just now seen for the first time and are invaluable. Regarding debate, the argumentation link is excellent (again, I've never before seen this).
I was hopin at least someone would get something out of it. That argumentation link was so buried...that's crazy how you found it already.
Maybe its just me, but that whole post made me throw up a rainbow.
John James: Maybe its just me, but that whole post made me throw up a rainbow.
Daniel Muffinburg:Nice graphic! (Oh, hey. Did I inadvertently re-post the link?)
Muff you're such a jackass.
John James:You have a blog hosted here? Which one??
Haha, no. I should clarify: I have posted on a lot of forums that work just like this one so I am familiar with all of the functions. However, I am a little uncertain as to why there are two text boxes to respond in. What does each one do. I understand that to quote I highlight the words then hit quote and the text appears in the second box. Is that all it's for? If so, its kind of inconvenient because I have to copy and paste it in the top box and when I want to quote something else I have to do it again by scrolling up, find it, highlight it, scroll down, hit quote, scroll to second box, highlight, copy, paste above, rinse, repeat. What am I missing?
John James:There's no reason anything put out on the Mises Daily or elsewhere would have to be linked to your forum handle here. This stuff got you full scholarships, and is being used as revisionist argumentation in universities? Why deprive us!
That is true. I could do that. I didn't know they took work from anyone who wasn't a fellow or at least a well established scholar in the field of economics. Good to know they do. This will be something to think about. I just may do it. I appreciate the eager attitudes toward my work. Usually the responses from the students in the classes that read my work were gasps at my traitorous prose, and looks of utter disgust that anyone would be so audacious as to chip away at the legacy of Lord Lincoln. If I can find a way t post it anonymously, I will. I don't know how that can be done. Please let me know if there is a way other than Mises' publishing it officially, since that seems a bit up in the air.
John James: If you can ever make it out to a Mises event, they usually are available for chatting. Murphy in fact always tries to gather as many people as possible to get out to a local karaoke. It's funny you should bring them up, because all three of those guys were present at the Mises Circle in your home town a few months ago. It's weird that Murphy hasn't replied to you. He's pretty reliable in that department. I don't think I've ever not gotten a response from him. Are you sure you've got the right email address?
You know, I have always tried to make it to those events but I always have to be out of town for one reason or another when they have them. I have a place in Austin as well and I tried to make it the Mises circle in Houston but I ended up having to make a last minute trip back to Nashville because my recording studio got ransacked. My studio is kind of out in the boonies because It was originally this old 1920's school house that I turned into a place for musicians to get out of the city and into the woods as kind of an artist's retreat that also doubles as a bed and breakfast. So they pay me for recording time as well as a place to stay, eat, and write. However, sometimes there are no artists booked to stay at the house. They are just local musicians looking to record. To cut costs, I don't keep a full time cook and maid staff there because they would be just sitting around doing nothing. This means there is no one there to look out for the place. Long story-short I had the whole studio robbed. They ran through the barbed wire gate with a huge truck and trailer and cut the locks to the main doors. My alarm went off and the police showed up, but because it is so far out there, it took them over an hour to respond (it is a de facto dry county so of course they have to spend lots of time trying to catch these evil drinkers who get drunk in the county over then come back). By the time they arrived, all of the robbers were gone along with about 100G's of recording gear, not to mention some irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind instruments my partner had restored. Gotta love that tax-funded protection provided by our friendly local government, huh?
Anyway, I've been trying to make those circles for awhile, but, alas, I fear fate may never allow it. There is always something in the way. You know they say being your own boss allows you to pick your own hours...Bullshit...the hours pick you. Entrepreneurs exploit the labor? Pshhh, poppy cock. Time exploits us. But I still wouldn't trade it for anything.
And I would love to go sing karaoke with murphy. I know all the best places t do it in nashville, of course he probably does also. As for his email address, I dont remember which one I used. It was on one of his websites/blogs. It's been awhile. I'll have to try it again.
John James:You might see if there's any sort of debate club, or some amateur debate league or something like that that you could join if you're really that interested. It could be quite useful to have a scheduled time for meeting and arguing on a regular basis. It would also help because it would offer the opportunity to see how arguments are formulated and you can break down topics and learn to organize your points in an effecive way...which could then be developed into a habit that would translate to your normal conversations.
I did do debate all through high school and college. I was even pretty good at it. I guess I am more talking about casual day to day unplanned debate you have with peers, co-workers, etc.... Even in formal debate, like the Lincoln-Douglas style, you know pretty specifically what the topic is, like say healthcare reform. Time is on your side because you can research, have notes and sources in front of you, and research your opponent and his style. In day to day debate, yeah, you may be debating politics, but you never know what will lead into that conversation. It MIGHT be healthcare, but it could be environmental policy, foreign policy, etc. Because your topic range is so much broader, you need to know a lot of information. I tend to forget really specific info, such as a single statistic, a few weeks after I've written it in my papers. That might make me a bad scholar, I don't know. I'm glad I dont make my living from it, or I'd probably be doomed once the interviews and debates came. In day to day debate you also might not know your opponent, although you might know him really well also, I suppose.
The Texas Trigger:Haha, no. I should clarify: I have posted on a lot of forums that work just like this one so I am familiar with all of the functions. However, I am a little uncertain as to why there are two text boxes to respond in. What does each one do. I understand that to quote I highlight the words then hit quote and the text appears in the second box. Is that all it's for? If so, its kind of inconvenient because I have to copy and paste it in the top box and when I want to quote something else I have to do it again by scrolling up, find it, highlight it, scroll down, hit quote, scroll to second box, highlight, copy, paste above, rinse, repeat. What am I missing?
I'm not sure you are missing anything. That's probably the least confusing thing about this forum. That's why I made the newbie thread. You might at least just take a look at it.
Please let me know if there is a way other than Mises' publishing it officially, since that seems a bit up in the air.
Scribd.com?
my recording studio got ransacked. My studio is kind of out in the boonies because It was originally this old 1920's school house that I turned into a place for musicians to get out of the city and into the woods as kind of an artist's retreat that also doubles as a bed and breakfast. So they pay me for recording time as well as a place to stay, eat, and write. However, sometimes there are no artists booked to stay at the house. They are just local musicians looking to record. To cut costs, I don't keep a full time cook and maid staff there because they would be just sitting around doing nothing. This means there is no one there to look out for the place. Long story-short I had the whole studio robbed. They ran through the barbed wire gate with a huge truck and trailer and cut the locks to the main doors. My alarm went off and the police showed up, but because it is so far out there, it took them over an hour to respond (it is a de facto dry county so of course they have to spend lots of time trying to catch these evil drinkers who get drunk in the county over then come back). By the time they arrived, all of the robbers were gone along with about 100G's of recording gear, not to mention some irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind instruments my partner had restored. Gotta love that tax-funded protection provided by our friendly local government, huh?
Um. Holy shit. Please tell me you had insurance.
Maybe just try the contact form on his blog (and of course save a copy of your message for yourself).
Yeah you'll notice Schiff doesn't bother with a lot of data, but then again he rarely ventures deeply into politics either. Facts he usually uses are recent economic or market data, but he's looking at that stuff all the time for his work, so I imagine it's not that hard for him to always have some of that stuff on tap at any given time. But you can hear on his radio show that he's obviously pretty knowledgeable. He will pull out historical knowledge every now and then that I wouldn't necessarily expect him to have. Again I think it just comes from practice. Sure you have to acquire the knowledge at some point, but I think the largest part about the recall is just having had those conversations often enough that eventually almost no conversation is "new"...most of the time you're combating the same tired, flawed statist positions, which you can debunk again and again using the same information and arguments.
@TripleT:
You were mentioning wanting to meet various scholars of the Institute...I was just reminded Art Carden lives in Memphis. I realize that's not exactly close to Nashville, but I thought with your music biz you might go through there at some point. He's a friendly guy.