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The Weakest Generation

“What is wrong with people today?” It’s a question we hear frequently, in many different forms, but all are probing at an increasingly obvious observation. Previous generations entered their thirties with families, houses, and a decade or more of meaningful work experience under their belts. They bought used cars, built small starter homes, worked their …

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Killing the American Meritocracy

The American Dream is under attack like never before—not just the ability to fulfill the dream—but its very concept and history. At the core of the American Dream is the idea of meritocracy. There is no royalty in America, no titles of nobility, no entrenched caste system. You could be born anywhere, to anyone, and …

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Poverty and Success

Perhaps the most unpopular opinion I hold is that—in spite of the myriad obstacles to success instigated by the state—success is still achievable by a significant percentage of the population (>95%) and poverty is a result of one’s own choices in a similar percentage of cases. I am not suggesting that everyone’s idea of success …

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Logically, Consumption SHOULD Require Production

People like to say things such as “there shouldn’t be homeless people” or “no one should ever go hungry.” I actually disagree with these ideas and I know that many people will think I’m a horrible and heartless person, but let’s break down these concepts. Why is it that some people can’t afford things like …

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UBI Proposals Prove Welfare Critics Have Been Right All Along

If there is anything positive to be said about the growing chorus of voices (see here, here, and here) advocating a “Universal Basic Income” or UBI, it’s that the long-term critics of the welfare state have at last been proven correct. The flowery language of “safety nets” and “a hand up, not a handout” has always …

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Poverty versus Prosperity

No amount of government spending will ever “eliminate poverty” because poverty is not actually caused by a lack of money; it’s caused by a lack of ambition and productivity. There are some exceptions, of course, but in the vast majority of cases, poverty is a choice. I’m not discounting the often significant obstacles which can …