The Fearless Path

One of the sharpest social critics of 19th century European industrial capitalism was…Charles Dickens. Those who have read Karl Marx’s writings see the world that he is attacking; those who have read Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Bleak House, or A Christmas Carol will see that same world. However, we find the world described by Dickens, [...]

Raging,
I detect a form in the moonlight.
Is it my friend or foe?
It appears, in the obscurity,
to be of the opposing throng.
I fear
and thrust my sword deep and hard.
My bloodied brother, eyes clouding, looks up.
His face, illuminated by the neutral luna,
wears confusion and sadness
from the injury I inflicted.
Why do I fight and injure and kill
when my [...]

This op-ed in the New York Times has me worried. I am worried because I know a lot of people who are so convinced that government is the cause of all the problems in their lives, they tread into the ground that the editorialist describes. I am worried because, to a degree, I share some [...]

A recent discussion in a class at George Wythe University was revolving around what can be done if the economy becomes very terrible, if unemployment hits 40%, if hunger and pain surround us for a time. Ideas like getting out of debt and storing up commodities were brought up as preparation. However, the idea that [...]

This was originally posted by the author at The Idealist.

Leo Tolstoy is perhaps the ultimate example of the late-in-life nihilist-turned-idealist. He is best known for his mid-life fiction, most notably War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He was early on somewhat of a determinist and nihilist but late in life began a study of the [...]

I’ve always loved the words to this song, but mostly the verses we don’t seem to sing, or take to heart. They are hopeful verses, filled with introspection and personal responsibility:

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with [...]

My favorite singer/songwriter is Bruce Springsteen. His lyrics capture feelings and ideas and tell stories of regular human beings better than anyone I’ve heard (and I’ll argue ’til blue in the face on this point). One of my absolute favorites is the following entitled “Devils and Dust“.

Originally published as The Sentinel newsletter by The Cause of Liberty
Our modern world is infatuated with the ends we have in our sight, the goals we want to accomplish, and the changes we want to see. Most people have the same needs and desires: liberty, happiness, security, prosperity, and peace. Why do we consistently find [...]

“This war against terrorism will succeed only if we fight it from a higher platform of morality,” he said in a speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Asked later to clarify, Karzai said, “We must be conducting this war as better human beings,” and recognize that “force won’t buy you obedience.”
The above is from [...]

The critical nature of virtue, both public and private, for the preservation of freedom is fundamental for conservatives and those who venerate the founders and read their writings. I would like to ask the inverse question: Is it Freedom that is essential for attaining Virtue?