Indeed: “Many a person remains in the same town, street, or house from January to December, without a wish or thought tending towards removal, who, if confined to that same place by the mandate of authority, would find the imprisonment absolutely intolerable.” Source: Principles of Political Economy. Robson, J. M., ed. Books I-II. Indianapolis: Liberty […]
John Stuart Mill on the lock-downs Read More »
Jennifer Grossman invited contemporary artist Michael Newberry and me to talk about great art. Topics: * Rembrandt’s mesmerizing of the young Newberry. * The sublime in Burke and Kant. * Aristotle’s grounding of art and Rand’s updating. * Icarus Landing (2001). * Envy and destruction in some strains of modern and postmodern art. * The
Suppose Congress has passed and the President signed the Retail Redistribution Ruling (RRR). The RRR’s terms are that all WalMart stores are now nationalized, and for one day every WalMart store will be open to the public for citizens to take something they want. You receive in the mail a ticket entitling you to enter
On looting WalMart as moral under the RRR Read More »
A number of free-society individuals and organizations I’m involved with have been arguing about whether it’s appropriate to participate in the US government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), devised in response to the Covid-19 disruptions, shut-downs, and lockdowns. That particular program’s issues raise also more general issues of government funds. So: my thoughts. (Speaking only for
On accepting government grants, paybacks, subsidies (and the PPP in particular) Read More »
Twitter’s suppression of Open College reminds me of the good old days when the Breitbart site attacked me for being a Marxist professor indoctrinating students into bomb-throwing revolution. “Professor Stephen Hicks of Rockford College is a Marxist devoted to educating cadres of revolutionaries.” (The Twitter ban’s being investigated; more information soon.)
Breitbart and/or Twitter versions of me? Read More »
While in Argentina I gave a lecture on how deeply philosophical 20th-century art was and did some interviews on the Enlightenment, philosophy, postmodernism, and socialism. The interviews are forthcoming. The video of the lecture at ESEADE University is below and at YouTube. Professor Ivan Carrino’s introduction is in Spanish and my talk is in English.
Why Art Became Ugly — Buenos Aires video Read More »
I’m giving a talk next week in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In English, but with Spanish subtitles for the art slides. Hosted at ESEADE University and organized by ARCLA. I understand that admission is free, but an RSVP at Eventbrite is necessary.
Talk in Buenos Aires: Why Art became Ugly Read More »
Artist Michael Newberry and I did a joint session at the Atlas Retreat in Malibu. Our topic was Postmodernism versus Evolutionary Art. In this article, Newberry writes up our themes with accompanying pictures. “The BBC took a poll of 500 people in the art world and the result was that The Fountain, the urinal pictured above,
Newberry reports: postmodern vs. evolutionary art Read More »
Artist Michael Newberry on seven Greek works and their significance for art history. About one-minute each: Geometric Warrior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R7Xc3rjdcg Hera of Samos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R99mNjjRXzE Kroisos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2SISPsZqws Doryphoros: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqG0vE9UV20 Aphrodite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gThbMBcnSOI Three Goddesses: http://youtu.be/374rE1Jg-A4 Battle of Alexander: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9blM7if1-KY
Michael Newberry on seven key works in Greek art Read More »
I want to start a “Thanks to the X …” series. A classic example: “We’ve all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.” (Robert Silensky) And: “We’ve been taught that all men are
Starting a “Thanks to the X …” humor series Read More »