By Barry Brownstein If you have a rose-colored belief in the certainty of the progress of humanity, The Road to Serfdom is an unsettling read. In it, Friedrich Hayek offers guidance in recognizing and undoing our errors that enable tyranny. To undo our mistakes, we first must be aware of the error-filled road we are traveling. You can’t undo what you are not willing to … [Read more...] about Are We Near the End of the Road to Serfdom? Part 2
Barry Brownstein
Are We Near the End of the Road to Serfdom? Part 1
By Barry Brownstein Recently I was drawn to reread Friedrich Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom. Passages I previously overlooked leaped from the pages as if in bold print, signaling imminent danger to human progress. Hayek’s message never seemed more prescient and timeless: The descent into totalitarianism can happen anywhere. Astonishing progress has been made in the past few … [Read more...] about Are We Near the End of the Road to Serfdom? Part 1
How to Be an Anti-Authoritarian
By Barry Brownstein Freedom is declining in America and around the world. Even more alarming is how few people oppose new authoritarian measures. Glenn Greenwald has sounded the alarm about ongoing attempts to curtail the First Amendment. Recently Greenwald described his experience as he listened to the “tyrannical goal” expressed at a Congressional hearing: “Words cannot … [Read more...] about How to Be an Anti-Authoritarian
Giving Thanks for Our Mutual Dependence
By Barry Brownstein Dr. Michael Osterholm, a member of Joe Biden’s COVID-19 task force, calls for a nationwide 4-6 week lockdown. Another task force member, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, has long favored lockdowns. In some states, store shelves have already been emptied again in anticipation of lockdowns. Yet, there are rays of hope. Dr. Vivek Murthy, a former U.S. surgeon … [Read more...] about Giving Thanks for Our Mutual Dependence
Don’t Scapegoat Business for Mask Mandates
Op-Ed by Barry Brownstein Many days my Facebook feed includes another indignant post from someone who when asked to wear a mask responded by righteously refusing to patronize the business. If it’s about a restaurant, the poster typically includes a tedious recital of a conversation with the manager. The offended customer claims to expose the illogic of being able to sit … [Read more...] about Don’t Scapegoat Business for Mask Mandates
The Tyranny of (Alleged) Experts
By Barry Brownstein Think again if you believe draconian controls recommended by a few (but far from all) medical experts are saving many lives from COVID-19. Facts reported by mathematician Yitzhak Ben Israel of Tel Aviv University don’t support such beliefs. Professor Israel found that no matter how much or little politicians quarantined the population, “coronavirus … [Read more...] about The Tyranny of (Alleged) Experts
I, Coffee: Why You Should Thank 1,000 People for Your Cup of Morning Joe
By Barry Brownstein Your morning cup of coffee, A.J. Jacobs wants you to know, is a miracle of human cooperation. Jacobs writes in his book, Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey, “This marvel I see before me is the result of thousands of human beings collaborating across dozens of countries.” Jacobs continues: It took the combined labor of artists, chemists, politicians, … [Read more...] about I, Coffee: Why You Should Thank 1,000 People for Your Cup of Morning Joe
California Is Trying to Roll Back the Gig Economy but “Natural Liberty” Will Prevail
By Barry Brownstein More than 20 years ago, Dan Pink, former chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore, foresaw the gig economy. In a 1997 essay, “Free Agent Nation,” for the then-fledgling magazine Fast Company, Pink estimated “more than 16% of the American workforce” were free agents—"people who move from project to project and who work on their own, sometimes for … [Read more...] about California Is Trying to Roll Back the Gig Economy but “Natural Liberty” Will Prevail