Category Archives: Freedom

What ground is ‘left’ when it comes to land, assets – and nationalism?

Posted on 29th Feb, 2012 by Puddleglum

It’s the issue that won’t go away [and here], so it’s probably a good time to ask “Where should the left stand on the land (and ‘our’ assets)?” “Stand in the place where you live” – so sang REM in what … Continue reading →

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Out of control

Posted on 2nd Feb, 2012 by Puddleglum

Sometimes, you just can’t keep things under control in politics. You know how it goes –  somehow Treasury documents get accidentally posted on websites; somehow the government’s majority ‘control’ over partially privatised state assets just isn’t what you thought it … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Free Market, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Working hard for the ‘unearned increment’

Posted on 8th Jun, 2011 by Puddleglum

In the spirit of How Many Elephants in a Blue Whale?, I thought I’d do a quick calculation of how much hard work was in Bill Gates (variously estimated) fortune. At one point, Bill Gates was said to be worth … Continue reading →

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The Right’s Dependence on Welfare

Posted on 15th May, 2011 by Puddleglum

A recent comment by Don Brash [about 7mins45secs into the video] gave me the clue as to why the right are so dependent on the ‘welfare’ argument. They are, to put it bluntly, dependent on ‘welfare’ as the explanation for all … Continue reading →

Posted in Free Market, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing, Labour, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

ANZAC Day and Nationalism

Posted on 26th Apr, 2011 by Puddleglum

I’ve never been to an ANZAC Day dawn service. I’ve often tried to work out why. I think I now know.

Posted in Fascism, Freedom, Military, National Identity, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Earthquake Reflections and Connections

Posted on 7th Apr, 2011 by Puddleglum

We care most about things that happen to us and affect our interests directly. Try as we might, it’s harder to care about things that happen to others, at a distance, and which have little impact on our interests (which, … Continue reading →

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The limits of human nature – and books I have read Part II

Posted on 16th Feb, 2011 by Puddleglum

This is a post about the Amish, diversity and Thomas Sowell’s visions. I’ll try to keep it brief. Just to remind anyone who’s interested, this is part of my response to the post directed at me over at ‘A Life … Continue reading →

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The limits of human nature – and books I have read: Part I

Posted on 12th Feb, 2011 by Puddleglum

This is getting interesting. Lisek has posted again on my post – which is very welcome, as I genuinely do welcome debate and discussion. It’s not quite as welcome to find an accusation in the title of the post to … Continue reading →

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Ten Degrees of Difference: Is it all just a tragic misunderstanding?

Posted on 28th Jan, 2011 by Puddleglum

I’d like to thank Walenty Lisek at The Life of the Mind blog for the detailed response to my post on the Tragic Vision. I’ll try to reciprocate as best I can with ten points in response. I should start, however, … Continue reading →

Posted in Free Market, Freedom, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing, International Politics, Military | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

It’s ‘Tragic’ but it’s not ‘Right’

Posted on 16th Jan, 2011 by Puddleglum

This post on the blog “A Life of the Mind” picks up on Steven Pinker’s comparison in his book The Blank Slate, of the Utopian and Tragic Visions, that, some argue, underpin ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ impulses. These ‘visions’ come from … Continue reading →

Posted in Free Market, Freedom, Human Nature | Tagged , | 3 Comments