Jul 4, 2022·edited Jul 4, 2022Liked by el gato malo
Thank you for this thoughtful and thought-provoking article.
At the risk of seeming to quibble and thus detract from your fine work, I will say that I occasionally find myself wondering if “electing our leaders” is really the correct framing. I will be the first to admit to having endured a second-rate education, and that may be at the heart of my misapprehension, but I have always regarded elected officials as administrators of state function, not as leaders.
In my experience, leaders arise naturally and organically and have no need of being elected; their role in the community is in no need of official sanction. Occasionally a leader may be elected to high office, but frequently we must choose the least bad from among a crop of mediocre and pedestrian self-seekers who would be largely incapable of delivering on their promises even if they intended to.
It was never completely clear to me how the process of being elected, as contaminated as it is with the grubby business of currying favor among competing special interests and with the establishment, automatically conferred some kind of moral virtue that I necessarily would want to follow in the sense that one follows a leader.
Is it possible that much present difficulty might be ascribed to venerating as leaders ordinary people who should be elected as invisible servants?
Was I misled when I was taught that “a bad king is one the subjects hate, a better king is one the subjects love, but the best king is one that the subjects don’t even know they have?”
Wouldn’t efficient and minimally-intrusive administration of the routine affairs of a town, a county, a state and a county be better than elected officials arrogating to themselves “leadership”?
Leaders are best left to arise in an environment where elected officials don’t see them as competition.
There’s more to this than I have room for here, but I hope I have managed to convey the gist without undermining your inspiring work.
El Gato Malo thank you as always for being intellectually courageous. And for keeping the comment sections a place for discourse!
Independence is needed once again, from the corruption that has happened to the systems that govern over our lives. What can we do to gain that independence back?
This Independence Day we must shift focus from fighting each other to fixing the corrupted systems that govern over all of our lives. This is something we should all agree on, and being the number one problem we face in America today, there is nothing more important:
Here's a parable about the seen and unseen of the greater good fallacy:
The parable of the broken window was introduced by French economist Frédéric Bastiat in his 1850 essay "That Which We See and That Which We Do Not See"
("Ce qu'on voit et ce qu'on ne voit pas")
The Parable
Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James B., when his careless son happened to break a square of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?"
Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.
Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.
But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."
It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.
And here's the dreadful reality of our time: people such as you, who are the very highest ideals of our nation in living action, must do their work under cover of anonymity.
I always thought one of the great ironies of our national history was how all those little crazy dissident rebellious nonconformist fringe sects who endured every degree of extreme persecution, and never abandoned their struggle for *their* freedom of thought and action, were enthusiastic persecutors of everyone who, you know, thought differently.
In action we are self-parody but we've got those ideals of the Founders to haul us back to some place of reason and commonality.
Back when I was still a garden-variety office indentured servant, 35 years ago or so, I used to read my boss's copy of the WSJ every day and wondered who that moron Max Boot was, spewing all that orthodox Republican garbage, and lo, here we are, and Max Boot is now spewing all this leftist "throw out the Constitution" garbage.
We need an awfully big broom to sweep out these stables.
Love the George Washington quote! But yes, good write up. Despite all the issues we deal with presently we must turn it all around. Start small, start local. The philosophies and reasons why our ancestors tried this great experiment remain valid. We have made many errors - let's correct them as we go - but move forward. No fear.
"These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." Happy July the 4th to all Americans! And also a Happy 4th to the growing number of people of the world that are freeing their minds from the yokes of fear and blind obedience to authority.
Most politicians and even many freedom oriented people forget that politicians aren’t supposed to govern or rule or run the country…and especially not in regard to me.
A politician is supposed to run the government. That’s pretty much it. I certainly don’t need—or want—any politician to rule/run/or govern ME.
And we still have people like David Rubin who just said that the Constitution “gives” us our rights.
I love history and have read lots of early American history. What you’ve written here is a condensed version of their thoughts on federalism, and factions. I often tell my friends that the only solution is that we, the citizens, take back our responsibility as the sovereign and that all this is our fault as we’ve become drunk with a life of plenty. Anyway...great work...especially for such a wee kitten.
"free people do not follow focus group tested soundbites. they follow leaders."
No way!
That alpha dog thinking is what got us in this mess in the first place.
The reason that separation of powers is Article 1 of the Constitution is that it's that crucial to limit the power of leaders. Executive branch wannabe tyrants must be reined in by legislature. Both must be checked in the limits of their powers by judiciary. From Montesquieu to John Locke to our founders, this was make-or-break to ensure liberty.
gato, you have outdone yourself, again! I was really looking forward to today's post because I knew you would bring us learned words of eloquence and inspiration. I've been thinking of ways to bring these ideas forward in my own community, all based around your statement: "1. Liberty is for everyone." I don't yet know if it will be a community forum, a book club or a radio show...but you've definitely inspired me to do more than just agree with the foundation of this incredible organization of a free society, but to now engage in a more public way. Thank you for your inspirational leadership! Liberty is for everyone! Happy Independence day everyone!
Nobody for Leader.
Start leading yourself.
Thank you for this thoughtful and thought-provoking article.
At the risk of seeming to quibble and thus detract from your fine work, I will say that I occasionally find myself wondering if “electing our leaders” is really the correct framing. I will be the first to admit to having endured a second-rate education, and that may be at the heart of my misapprehension, but I have always regarded elected officials as administrators of state function, not as leaders.
In my experience, leaders arise naturally and organically and have no need of being elected; their role in the community is in no need of official sanction. Occasionally a leader may be elected to high office, but frequently we must choose the least bad from among a crop of mediocre and pedestrian self-seekers who would be largely incapable of delivering on their promises even if they intended to.
It was never completely clear to me how the process of being elected, as contaminated as it is with the grubby business of currying favor among competing special interests and with the establishment, automatically conferred some kind of moral virtue that I necessarily would want to follow in the sense that one follows a leader.
Is it possible that much present difficulty might be ascribed to venerating as leaders ordinary people who should be elected as invisible servants?
Was I misled when I was taught that “a bad king is one the subjects hate, a better king is one the subjects love, but the best king is one that the subjects don’t even know they have?”
Wouldn’t efficient and minimally-intrusive administration of the routine affairs of a town, a county, a state and a county be better than elected officials arrogating to themselves “leadership”?
Leaders are best left to arise in an environment where elected officials don’t see them as competition.
There’s more to this than I have room for here, but I hope I have managed to convey the gist without undermining your inspiring work.
Happy 4th to my American brothers and sisters! May you not get arrested!
(Some Canadians did in the Police state that was downtown Ottawa Friday Canada Day)
Happy Independence Day!
El Gato Malo thank you as always for being intellectually courageous. And for keeping the comment sections a place for discourse!
Independence is needed once again, from the corruption that has happened to the systems that govern over our lives. What can we do to gain that independence back?
This Independence Day we must shift focus from fighting each other to fixing the corrupted systems that govern over all of our lives. This is something we should all agree on, and being the number one problem we face in America today, there is nothing more important:
Article: https://joshketry.substack.com/p/happy-independence-day?r=7oa9d&utm_medium=ios
Video/Audio:
https://youtu.be/m_biuzQRtGU
Here's a parable about the seen and unseen of the greater good fallacy:
The parable of the broken window was introduced by French economist Frédéric Bastiat in his 1850 essay "That Which We See and That Which We Do Not See"
("Ce qu'on voit et ce qu'on ne voit pas")
The Parable
Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James B., when his careless son happened to break a square of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?"
Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.
Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.
But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."
It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.
And here's the dreadful reality of our time: people such as you, who are the very highest ideals of our nation in living action, must do their work under cover of anonymity.
I always thought one of the great ironies of our national history was how all those little crazy dissident rebellious nonconformist fringe sects who endured every degree of extreme persecution, and never abandoned their struggle for *their* freedom of thought and action, were enthusiastic persecutors of everyone who, you know, thought differently.
In action we are self-parody but we've got those ideals of the Founders to haul us back to some place of reason and commonality.
Back when I was still a garden-variety office indentured servant, 35 years ago or so, I used to read my boss's copy of the WSJ every day and wondered who that moron Max Boot was, spewing all that orthodox Republican garbage, and lo, here we are, and Max Boot is now spewing all this leftist "throw out the Constitution" garbage.
We need an awfully big broom to sweep out these stables.
Love the George Washington quote! But yes, good write up. Despite all the issues we deal with presently we must turn it all around. Start small, start local. The philosophies and reasons why our ancestors tried this great experiment remain valid. We have made many errors - let's correct them as we go - but move forward. No fear.
"These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." Happy July the 4th to all Americans! And also a Happy 4th to the growing number of people of the world that are freeing their minds from the yokes of fear and blind obedience to authority.
Most politicians and even many freedom oriented people forget that politicians aren’t supposed to govern or rule or run the country…and especially not in regard to me.
A politician is supposed to run the government. That’s pretty much it. I certainly don’t need—or want—any politician to rule/run/or govern ME.
And we still have people like David Rubin who just said that the Constitution “gives” us our rights.
*sigh*
I’ve always found it telling that, after “mama” and “dada,” the first word most of us learn (and use liberally and gleefully) as tots is “no.”
I love history and have read lots of early American history. What you’ve written here is a condensed version of their thoughts on federalism, and factions. I often tell my friends that the only solution is that we, the citizens, take back our responsibility as the sovereign and that all this is our fault as we’ve become drunk with a life of plenty. Anyway...great work...especially for such a wee kitten.
You write:
"free people do not follow focus group tested soundbites. they follow leaders."
No way!
That alpha dog thinking is what got us in this mess in the first place.
The reason that separation of powers is Article 1 of the Constitution is that it's that crucial to limit the power of leaders. Executive branch wannabe tyrants must be reined in by legislature. Both must be checked in the limits of their powers by judiciary. From Montesquieu to John Locke to our founders, this was make-or-break to ensure liberty.
This is probably the most moving thing I've read in recent memory. You've given me a good deal to think about today. Thank you!
Happy Independence Day, El Gato Malo!
We're done sacrificing for a nebulous "greater good".
The real enemy is the beauracratic state who will make weapons out of process and punishment out of procedure.
Great post. Their "Great Reset" is also a wonderful opportunity for one of our own.
gato, you have outdone yourself, again! I was really looking forward to today's post because I knew you would bring us learned words of eloquence and inspiration. I've been thinking of ways to bring these ideas forward in my own community, all based around your statement: "1. Liberty is for everyone." I don't yet know if it will be a community forum, a book club or a radio show...but you've definitely inspired me to do more than just agree with the foundation of this incredible organization of a free society, but to now engage in a more public way. Thank you for your inspirational leadership! Liberty is for everyone! Happy Independence day everyone!