What I’m Reading

As an avid fan of both science fiction and fantasy, I am switching between three different authors: Isaac Asimov (the Foundation, Robot, and Galactic Empire series), Frank Herbert (the Dune series), and Terry Brooks (the Shannara series). I have read five books in each series so far. Asimov covers the science fiction, Brooks the fantasy, and Herbert mixes them together into science fantasy. The writing styles of the older generations is something I am not used to. Asimov’s first few novels were short stories later collected into novels, and it certainly has the feel of that as one reads the Foundation series. Hopefully the Robot series and the later Foundation books will be a smoother read. While Dune is without a doubt one of the great classics of speculative fiction, I find the sequels falling short. Here, Herbert has created a science fiction world unlike any other, where space travel and computations are done with human minds using Spice, rather than by robots. Book two skips over an entire war that occurred, which would have been a great chance to showcase these abilities in a Star Wars type of plot. Instead, we are left with books that are basically all intrigue based around overthrowing the Atredis line, which gets pretty old by God Emperor which, quite bluntly, was one of the most painfully boring books I have ever read. On the other hand, Brooks seems to be getting better. His first book was basically a plot point derivative of Lord of the Rings (I think next post I will have a discussion about derivative works). The later novels manage to become a world of their own, around the fascinating idea of a post apocalyptic earth, although the tv show does a much better job of portraying that than the books.

Every two or three cycles (three to six books) I get bored and switch gears for a bit. Lately, I have been into anthology books. I have read one on dieselpunk, mummies, post-apocalyptic civilizations, weird west, and gaslamp fantasy. All anthologies have a mixed quality of stories, but the good stories make up for the bad stories.

Finally, I am looking forward to two new books bein released in the next two months. If you have not yet checked out the Demon Cycle series by Peter V Brett, I strongly recommend you do so. The first book is one of the best books I have ever read, and the second book was a close second. The next two books have a different feel, as the series shifts from dark horror fantasy to an epic fantasy, but they are by no means bad, just different. The Core is the fifth and final installment, due out in October. Secondly is Oathbringer, book three of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson is one of my favorite authors and his other series’ are not to be missed. This is book three in a planned ten book series of doorstoppers, so as far as the overall series goes, it is like only reading the first fifty pages of a novel. However, the individual books themselves are very good, and so thick that

Source: Tyler Leonhardt – What I’m Reading

Lecture: Libertarianism and Reaction

On July 28-30, 2017, the second annual Corax Conference took place in Sliema, Malta. To my great surprise, I was invited and sponsored as a speaker. I decided to seize upon the opportunity to spread part of my message to a live audience, as well as leave the United States for the first time. While there, I gave an early version of the lecture linked below. That version, and all other materials from the conference, may be purchased here: https://cor.ax/coraxconf-remote This is a lecture about libertarianism and its relationship to reactionary thought of several types.  

The post Lecture: Libertarianism and Reaction appeared first on The Zeroth Position.

Source: Reece Liberty.Me – Lecture: Libertarianism and Reaction

The decay of law and order in Sweden

Sweden is an interesting country right now and I have the privilege and misfortune of being a Swede living in Sweden. Everyone has talked about my country recently, from Trump to Molyneux so why not join the chorus? Instead of doing some long-winded summary of the path that led us here, the details of which I don’t know enough about anyway, I will just describe what is happening right now mixed with some personal experiences, I will reuse some of the articles I mentioned in my previous post.

The major issue plaguing Sweden is the breakdown of law and order, violent crimes are on an increasing trajectory and our society is simply not prepared for it. Here is a handful of the more alarming news from the last few weeks (all articles are in Swedish but can be fairly well comprehended if put through google translate).

The police have lost control over certain suburbs and are reduced to begging the local immigrant clan leaders to do something about the violence. The article describes how the police kindly ask the clan leader for help and the leader replies he will “talk to the family”, it is like something straight out of the Godfather. (Aftonbladet)

There are now so many murders and attempted murders that the police has to put aside the ever-increasing number of rape investigations in order to prioritize the murders. Given that child rapists only get a few months prison sentence, perhaps it is best not to bother investigating rape in the first place? (Expressen, Aftonbladet)

A family living in Malmö, the city that is furthest in its decay, are the victims of an attempted home invasion. When the father asks the police officer what he can do to be safe and protect his family the officer replies (powerlessly) that he should move to another city because the increase in crime is beyond their ability to contain. (SvD)

In one part of Sweden, one single police patrol car is available in an area roughly the size of a quarter of Florida. (SVT)

That is in no way a complete coverage of the news, it is just the articles I have reluctantly read to stay on top of what is happening. Sometimes being an ostrich is more comforting.

In the first article, a police officer clearly states.

One has to realize that in these neighborhoods the police does not have a monopoly on violence. People that fail to understand this has blinds over their eyes. We have to adapt to reality and work according to it. People that don’t understand this lives in a political dream world. Says Walter Holm.

The authorities have given up and individual police officers are trying to sound the alarm, it might seem odd to cry about that on an anarchist site but we are in the unfortunate situation where self-defense, or acting to defend others, is punished severely at the same time as the state no longer even keeps up the appearance of maintaining order. Just look at these cases.

Man sentenced for manslaughter after shooting in self-defense (Aftonbladet)

Man sentenced to one year in prison after interrupting an attack (Aftonbladet)

Man hit a burglar with one blow too much, sentenced to five years in prison (Dagens Juridik)

In Sweden, if you need to defend yourself you have to stay utterly calm and not use one iota more violence than what is “necessary”. If you do use “too much” violence your sentence will often be harsher than the sentence given to the person who attacked you. Despite our stringent weapon laws, even pepper spray is illegal, it is technically allowed to own a gun for self-defense, or hunting and sports. However the cops are responsible for granting gun licenses and they are open about the fact that they don’t care about the law, they will do whatever they can to prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising their legal right to own firearms. (Cornucopia)

So how do we Swedes react to this? By and large not at all as far as I can tell. Even with articles like the ones I link to above, where the police openly admit to the biggest newspaper in Sweden that they lost control, we still act like nothing is wrong. It is happening too quickly to really grasp. I hear no talk about it at work, no serious debate among friends, no heated discussion in the cafeterias. Up until very recently this development was hidden away and only written about in “alternative media”, back then it was easy for everyone to say that it is just racist delusions and conspiracy theories. The racist accusations are of course still thrown around on anyone that wants to discuss the situation soberly, but the accusations are getting more and more hollow. Everyone is still cautious about being branded as a racist though and most just keep quiet. Since the middle class isn’t for the most part personally affected yet it is still easy to believe it isn’t so bad after all.

Some people, like Tino Sanandaji, are relentlessly pushing out the news and the statistics, making it impossible for those of us that follow him to stick our head in the sand. He shows that rape, murder, shootings, robbery, pretty much all violent crimes are on an exponential trajectory and no one can dismiss his numbers. My own personal experience with any crime is limited, just petty crimes like bike thefts and break-ins and vandalism in a cottage I own, so despite reading the statistics, I can still believe it isn’t so bad.

I do have some limited experience with a no-go zone. Someone in my family used to live close to one of the worst ghettos in Gothenburg, I lived there as well for a year in 2003. Back then it was not exactly the most pleasant place in the world, but neither was I afraid to walk around at night. After I moved away from the area a kiosk next to the tram stop got robbed multiple times, in one of those robberies the owner got murdered. When I visited Gothenburg this summer I could read in the news that cars on the parking next to where I used lived was set on fire. That area certainly got worse and I am very relieved that no one I know lives there anymore.

I would lie if I didn’t say the trends here isn’t seriously making me consider leaving the country. Perhaps the issues will mostly be contained to the no-go zones, or perhaps they won’t. I wouldn’t know where to move though, I love Sweden. I love the nature, I love the endless forests, the million tiny lakes and the peaceful and majestic mountains. Most of all I love to live in a society where people trust each other on a very fundamental, perhaps naive, level. Swedes have always managed with few cops and a subpar legal system, to say the least, while maintaining a low crime rate because we form a high trust society. How long can that trust survive in the present conditions though? If we lose that trust how long will it take to rebuild? Will it ever be rebuilt?

The people that believe Sweden is rich and prosperous due to social democracy have no clue, Sweden is prosperous because Swedes are the way we are, as Nima Sanadaji nicely explores in his book Debunking Utopia: Exposing the Myth of Nordic Socialism. If the trust culture breaks how long does it take until society as a whole suffers from it? It is easier to tear down something than it is to rebuild it and I don’t see how to make Swedens future bright.

This isn’t a post about solutions or a deep analysis of the problem, just a snapshot of the current situation from my view. Iceland feels like an ever more appealing country to move to.

 

 

Source: In the Madhou.se – The decay of law and order in Sweden

If anyone should be taking a knee, it should be …

… people like me. And not for the social-justice reasons that black supremacists and their “woke” owners in the NFL, virtue-signaling scientists, or Hollywood liberals do.

Or leftist faculty in America’s law schools, brainwashed high-school students, or any other groups claiming to be for “equality” and against “racial injustice” do. Not even for the condescending and spiritually void reasons of allegedly resisting “supremacy” and “unapologetic [white] racism” that evangeleftists do.

No, it should be people like me, who understand that what this #TakeAKnee movement really represents is special rights for aggrieved minorities, second-class citizenship for non-leftists, and buttressing the conspiracy theory of white privilege. It’s an emotional ploy void of careful study aimed at promoting radical egalitarianism, racial parity, and Marxism through the cultural norms and force of law.

It should be intellectually curious people like me, who understand that “The National Anthem” was written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 when the sovereigns comprising “These United States of America” unified in order to fight a common enemy.

Amateur historians like me, who get that the flag hasn’t represented freedom since 1861, when central authority became status quo. (Even Key’s grandson understood that the stars and stripes came to represent oppression during the War of Northern Aggression.)

Southerners like me, who are resistors to the federal government’s continued siege on Dixie, from invasion during the “civil war,” to the ongoing cultural genocide and colonization of our home, to the post-modern assault on our history and symbols.

States’ righters like me, who resent the constant usurpation of smaller, more localized government by the oligarchs and Deep State in Washington, and the fact that we’re then castigated as the bad guys in this battle for self-determination.

Secessionists like me, who abhor the one-size-fits-all “indivisibility” that has been foisted upon and accepted by the masses as the norm, and who yearn for a “nation” that allows the unique Southern people to exist in a world without the constant assault of puritanical progressivism.

unReconstructed folks like me, who are still Jeffersonian and Confederate and proud of it, yet are classified as “domestic terrorists” by our homeland security overlords and as “Nazis” by the profiteers of perjury in the mainstream media.

Unaffiliated voters like me, who grasp that the Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the bureaucratic shadow government are a league of selfish and power-hungry tyrants, not “public servants.”

Americans like me, who know that professional sports have long been used by the military-industrial complex as a tool of increasing nationalist fervor and that these “paid patriotism” ceremonies are meant to promote America’s never-ending thirst for foreign adventurism and the people’s support of it. 

Intellectually consistent gals like me, who hate the double standard of political, cultural, and media fawning over #TakeAKnee as being morally right and just, but disallowing other “solidarity” displays at the NFL, and even calling those who choose to stand supporters of “white supremacy.”

Voters like me, who see the hypocrisy of Congress passing a resolution condemning “white supremacy,” yet not offering a peep about BLM supporters depicting the lynching of a white boy.

Media literate chicks like me, who are sick of the lying press constantly whipping up a frenzied “Nazi” narrative, painting violent thugs as victims, and offering no Dylann-Roof-level outrage but only utter silence when churches are shot up by radicalized “people of color.”

GenXers like me, who are expected to pay for Millennial’s useless college degrees and their subsequent indoctrination, as well as the Baby Boomers’ overpriced Medicare, while we struggle to stay out of debt in this hyper-inflated world built upon a fiat-currency house of cards.

Anarcho-capitalists like me, who know that central banking and the progressive tax system are both tools used to perpetuate the federal leviathan and keep the people in the vulnerable position of “subject,” not “citizen.”

Good stewards like me, who are enraged that the EPA cracks down on people catching rainwater, creates a fictional global-warming crisis, and uses crony capitalism to fund expensive and inefficient “green” energies that aren’t as capable as coal or natural gas.

Healthy eaters like me, who know the FDA and USDA make natural food more expensive and less accessible in order to bolster the mega corporate farms that do their bidding.

Concerned parents like me, who aren’t necessarily anti-vaxxers, but know that hardcore rounds of shots the CDC recommends to very young and developing children probably isn’t the best course of action and that parents have the right to research, refuse, or reschedule the concerning regiment.

Law-abiding folks like me, who are worried by the militarization of local law enforcement, the federal government’s buying up stockpiles of ammunition, arming non-law-enforcement agencies, and creating a tyranny of law with more than 4,000 federal statutes on the books.

Gun owners like me, who constantly see the 2nd Amendment trampled upon by illogical and expensive regulations aimed at disarming citizens and preventing a peaceful populace from utilizing arms in self-defense.

Private citizens like me, who abhor the increasing police state, the very existence of the TSA, and the NSA’s spying and data-gathering used not to increase the safety of citizens and diminish threats against the “homeland,” but rather to keep on eye on dissenters to the statist narrative.

Free thinkers like me, who understand that freedom of conscience is under assault with “speech codes” on America’s government-subsidized college campuses, that censorship of non-leftist expression is condoned as in places like Berkeley, Boston, and Charlottesville, and that the increasing media and political support for “hate speech” rules are never applied to Marxists like Antifa or BLM.

Concerned citizens like me, who don’t see equal justice under the law being carried out when “hate crime” designations are only applied when white folks commit a crime against black folks, or straight people against LGBT people, or Christians against Muslims.

Liberty lovers like me, who are funding the importation of illegal immigrants from socialist and theocratic Muslim countries while being told that these folks come to America for freedom, not welfare benefits and not to fundamentally change the culture and voting tendencies of the republic through the demographic scam that is “multi-culturalism.”

Libertarians like me, who believe in the nonaggression principle, yet are forced to subsidize America’s warfare state and the empire’s ceaseless meddling, killing, and foreign adventurism.

Peace advocates like me, who are incensed that the lion’s share of the armed forces are comprised of Southern soldiers who are loathed and scorned by the federal government for which they fight, and that the National Guard is deployed across the world to fight for other nations.

Christians like me, who believe the Bible’s 10 Commandments are the inerrant Word of God, yet we’re compelled to prop up a government that steals, fosters a culture of covetousness, and kills indiscriminately.

Jesus followers like me, who see the hypocrisy of Christians that don’t “Bake the cake” being found guilty of discrimination and losing their businesses due to lofty court fees vs. leftist businesses never being held to the same legal standard.

Pro-lifers like me, whose federal taxes keep open the doors to Planned Parenthood, and allows federal courts to abuse power by creating “rights,” taking sovereignty away from the states, and calling murder “choice.”

Home educators like me, who are hassled by government in order to show we uppity parents (who think we can educate our kids better than the conformist and activist bureaucrats the teachers’ colleges churn out) that homeschooling is a temporary gift that our statist overlords have granted, so we’d better not rock the boat.

Moms like me, whose taxes pay for K-12 “education” which grooms little kids for homosexuality, transsexuality, and intersectionality, teaches little boys that being masculine is “toxic” and little girls that being a slut is about freedom and autonomy, and pushes Marxism as mainstream.

Lifelong learners like me, who subsidize higher “education” but know that universities are nothing more than progressive indoctrination centers which teach “race, class, and gender” as the crux of every woe in life, and brainwash young adults into the cults of libertinism and victimhood.

Wives of hard workers like me, whose husband’s are the backbone producers at crony-capitalist corporations, yet are treated as dispensable entities that must train their H-1B replacements.

Traditionalists like me, who believe in meritocracy, yet live in a nation-state ruled by affirmative action, gender quotas, mandated diversity and sensitivity training, and leftists pushing work ethic as a “whiteness ideology.”

Consumers like me, who fund through taxes leftist programming at NPR and PBS, and can’t escape the nihilistic “entertainment” that Hollywood churns out in their ceaseless campaign for socialism.

Homeowners like me, who see the statist Smart Growth and New Urbanism schemes not as environmental necessities or HUD do-gooderism, but as attacks on private property and consumer choice.

Average Joes like me, who don’t have the influence of the NFL and their lackeys in the media, or the power of leftists pervading every level of government, or the money statists use to shove Marxism down our throats in all aspects of our lives.

Realists like me, who see the government stats for crime and are maddened that by virtue of discussing this data, you’re pegged a racist, and that #TakeAKnee never considers these facts, and instead just blames “systemic racism” or “white supremacy” for every struggle.

Normal folks like me, who are just done with “racial justice” being used as excuse to foist Marxism on the masses.

But gals like me are also mannerly and civilized and know that honest dialog free from emotion – not bratty behavior, social-justice showmanship, horrible name calling, and bullying – is the way to create positive change and a happier citizenry. So, no, I won’t be doing the fashionable thing and taking a knee, but I sure have more than enough reasons to do so.

Source: Dissident Mama – If anyone should be taking a knee, it should be …

FPF #99 – Catalonia, Kurdistan, and Afghanistan

On FPF #99, I provide quick updates on several big current events. In Catalonia, the Spanish government is trying to censor the independence movement. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Iraqi government has shut down airspace as a punishment for voting for independence. In Afghanistan, Mattis made a visit and had to be rushed to safety.

 

This is a short show because I am not feeling well. 

Source: Foreign Policy Focus – FPF #99 – Catalonia, Kurdistan, and Afghanistan

Anarchy in Action – You Boys Like Mexico? – The Merch Mom

The Merch Mom joins us for a conversation about striking out in the entrepreneurial spirit both in career and location.

You Boys Like Mexico?

She moved her family down to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico seeking more freedom and a more comfortable lifestyle. She also has a burgeoning online business via Amazon Merch that allows her to take her income with her wherever she goes.

I recommend that you listen at 1.5x or 2x speed….makes it flow better because with all of our rambling regular speed feels like it drags….hahah

Follow her on her recently launched new podcast chronicling her journeys that you can find at www.theMerchMom.com.  It’s about parenting while working from home, productivity etc.

Check out her T-Shirt designs on Amazon here.

Continue reading “Anarchy in Action – You Boys Like Mexico? – The Merch Mom”

Ep. 11 – What's The Libertarian Stance On…?

itunes pic
Recorded on 9/20/17 – Anthony, aka Tony Rockamora, is one of the guests on the Wizardly Wisdom podcast hosted by Kenny the Wizard.

Kenny, Drake, and Tony have a conversation on the oft heard question in the liberty community, “What’s the libertarian stance on…?”

We tackle several subjects, from “Cats vs. Dogs” to “Genetic Engineering.

Enjoy!

Find show notes at http://DontWasteYourHate.com/11

Drake’s Website, A Guide To Libertarianism, is currently in the process of being built. It will ultimately be a comprehensive guide to all libertarian podcasts and shows: http://guidetolibertarianism.com

Kenny the Wizard’s other great conversations and interviews can be found at http://libertariannerds.com and http://wizardlywisdom.libsyn.com
Source: Don’t Waste Your Hate Podcast – Ep. 11 – What's The Libertarian Stance On…?

Are Politics Exclusively Downstream From Culture? Ep. 33

To our knowledge, Andrew Breitbart was the first to coin the adage: “politics are downstream from culture.” Though we recognize the truth in this observation, we wanted to tease this statement apart and pose a few questions. In doing so, we add some nuance to this statement.

Episode 33 is brought to you by:

Our new Murray Rothbard “Enemy of the State” polygon line of merchandise! 15% OFF w/ Promo code: ROTHBARD

Our Liberty Classroom Affiliate Link

The Liberty Weekly Patreon Page: help support the show and gain access to tons of bonus content! Become a patron today!

Become a Patron!

Show Notes:

Intro Audio Sample: Andrew Breitbart Explains Cultural Marxism

Breitbart.com Op Ed: “Politics Really is Downstream from Culture” By: Lawrence Meyers

The Frankfurt School

Adam Kokesh for Not-President

Pension Crisis-Zerohedge Search

 

The post Are Politics Exclusively Downstream From Culture? Ep. 33 appeared first on Liberty Weekly.

Source: Liberty Weekly – Are Politics Exclusively Downstream From Culture? Ep. 33

NFL and PCP – ABS025

  We discuss the recent controversy surrounding the NFL protests. We recorded a Patreon episode as well, It isn’t posted yet but we promise to get it out soon. Scott recently celebrated his 28th birthday. Adam and Scott share a moment of silence for the sake of intentionally bad podcasting. Also discussed in this episode:    The new “IT” movie. Recap about Colin Kaepernick. NFL player protests, and protests against the NFL. Donald Trump’s recent attendance of a Luther Strange rally in Downtown Huntsville.   In our “How to do drugs with Scott and Adam” segment, we discuss PCP. SPOILER ALERT, we don’t recommend it, we do however have a cool story about it involving cops and poop (and sausage). There’s a new podcast in town, Pax Libertas welcomes “Essential Libertarianism, selected readings from voluntaryist.com.”    Don’t forget to check us out on social media, and send money to our Patreon. WORMS ya’ll!
Source: The AnCap Barbershop – NFL and PCP – ABS025

What is Libertarian Nationalism? We Discuss with a Proponent. (Episode 55)

what is libertarian nationalism?

Libertarian nationalism… In a nutshell, it’s the idea that a libertarian society should be built with a nationalist focus. Seems contradictory with libertarian values, so we decided to discuss with Aaron Fountaine, who happens to be a high school friend of Pat and is a proponent of this idea. The discussion was originally meant to be a debate, but turned into more of a roundtable talk.

Is libertarian nationalism a viable option for people of our way of thinking? Take a listen and decide for yourselves (we weren’t exactly convinced).

What Is Libertarian Nationalism? We Discuss with a Proponent.

OR, ==> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE. 

– Pat and Jon

The post What is Libertarian Nationalism? We Discuss with a Proponent. (Episode 55) appeared first on Libertarianism for Normal People.

Source: Libertarianism for Normal People – What is Libertarian Nationalism? We Discuss with a Proponent. (Episode 55)