We need to understand that the current lawlessness and the raging, rampaging mobs are a product of their teachers. As author Cynthia Ozick notes: “A vengeful mob is a fearsome thing, but the true monsters are its teachers.” I recommend this brilliant, well-written article, Anti-Semitism and the Intellectuals, because it identifies the source and cause…
Author: Carl Barney
Riots, Looting, Mayhem, and Destruction
“Things fall apart; the center cannot hold. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” W.B. Yeats wrote those lines in the bleak aftermath of World War I—they resonate today. About 140 cities have been subject to riots, looting, and wanton destruction. Many are calling for police forces to be abolished or defunded. What is going…
Announcement: Mailing List Problem
Dear friends, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I’ve had a minor hiccup with my mailing list and anyone who signed up between May 15 and May 22 was not successfully added to the list, despite the confirmation message you may have seen. If you signed up between these dates, please do so again—the problem…
The Greatest Showman
I love The Greatest Showman, a spectacular movie which I watched last night for the fourth time. Everything about it is perfect. I think it is a great work of art. The story, about love and a great entrepreneur, is captivating. The music and songs delight, haunt, and thrill; they are performed flawlessly, as is the acting. Hugh…
Dr. Leonard Peikoff’s Courses and Lectures
When I studied Dr. Peikoff’s courses almost 40 years ago, I was thrilled by the knowledge and delighted with the clarity, certitude, and wit of his delivery. I had taken hundreds of courses during my life, but none that compared to his. It is through them that I became an Objectivist. They changed my life….
Magnificent Painting
Today I hung and lit a magnificent new painting by Bryan Larsen. The painting is especially spectacular under its nightlights. These lights bring it alive and show the diffusion of the light from Prometheus’s torch, which spreads left to the muses until the last two are more subdued. It is an intriguing painting. What is…
Richard Salsman’s (Ayn) Rand Camp
I was delighted to host Richard Salsman and his wife, Lisa, at my home last weekend. Richard is a professor of the Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Department at Duke University. We had lovely meals together, and one evening we were joined by Alex Epstein. I’m happy to announce that Prometheus Foundation will be sponsoring an…
COVID-19: Damage, Destruction, Depression, and Disaster
No, I have not joined the mad media mob that is prophesying the end of the world. I am only evaluating the grossly irresponsible and irrational edicts of politicians such as Governor Newsom in California, President Trump, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer.. They are shutting down the motor of the world. Governments are causing untold…
COVID-19 Update: Keep Calm and Carry On
This message brought some comfort to the English during the height of World War II as England was being bombed by the Nazis every day and night. The Queen, hereby, is granting America the rights to use this message to help Americans deal with the virus. May it bring us, too, some small measure of comfort…
Book Recommendation: Eamonn Butler’s An Introduction to Capitalism
If you would like a clear, coherent, and concise primer on capitalism, read An Introduction to Capitalism. Its author, Dr. Eamonn Butler, is a co-founder of the Adam Smith Institute in London, and the book is a great introduction. It’s written in plain English, assumes no prior knowledge of economics, and contains no academic or…
