200 Years That Changed the World

200 Years That Changed the World

In this video Hans Rosling demonstrates two hundred years of dramatic world change. This isn’t something to sneeze at but if you want to ask “So What?” then the answers to the “so what” question are manifold. Here is but one:

The world in general trends towards the good – throwing conventional politics and philosophy aside for the moment (colonialism vs industrialization vs education vs capitalism vs. communism etc.) a key thing that occurred to spur the tremendous growth in economies everywhere was the tapping of abundant cheap energy through technology. Given plentiful energy then prodigious leaps were bound to occur, so it’s thoroughly wrong-headed to think of energy itself as being an evil.  Instead view it as a neutral: it’s something we can use well or abuse.

So while everyone is crying doom and gloom right now, I like to view the long term. Every setback in human history has been far outdone by amazing progress through our collective and individual wills toward the good.

I’m not non-plussed or threatened that China is booming, it doesn’t worry me that India is making wondrous progress – neighbors who have wealth are much less of a threat, and much more of a contributor to overall worldwide good than those who are poor.

Watch the video, and pay attention to the countries where Freedom came, and where energy is in abundant use. Conventional wisdom is that we use abundant energy because we are a rich country – I don’t believe conventional wisdom because history proves that wrong. Instead we are rich because we use high energy – we must continue that if we want the world to continue to progress.

The other thing to notice is the pace of change – as energy and eduction increase together, we accelerate that pace. We are on an ever faster trajectory towards a better life for all, but… we have to continue to increase rather than decrease energy use across the planet, and we have to increase the pace of education.

Milton Friedman on Greed

At times like this when the “best and the brightest” have made huge mistakes, and government controls and intervention are shown to be useless, it’s good to remember the prime things that drive economies: key among them is self interest, or as some would have it, Greed.

You Say Greed, I say Self Interest

Who can you trust in a society full of greed? Look in the mirror, look to your family and friends, but be careful even with the latter…

At times like this when the “best and the brightest” have made huge mistakes, and government controls and intervention are shown to be useless, it’s good to remember the prime things that drive economies: key among them is self interest, or as some would have it, Greed. We’ve had hundreds of years of great growth, innovation, and unprecedented success in the US primarily due to our affection for capitalism and innovation. We’ve hit a stall, but it won’t last forever so please don’t let the doom crying pundits toss Capitalism out with the bath water. H/T Instapundit.

Spread the Wealth Around (Music Video)

A seriously well produced and well sung send up of the Democrat’s socialistic tendencies.

A seriously well produced and well sung send up of the Democrat’s socialistic tendencies. Video below the fold.

Continue reading “Spread the Wealth Around (Music Video)”

Obama’s Greatest Hits

A concise compilation of the things that should raise doubts about an Obama Presidency. H/T Patterico

Obama Calls for Marxist Re-Distribution of Wealth

In this segment from NPR radio Obama is debating the best means to Re-Distribute the wealth of America – he prefers legistlative; but only because the courts would not have a way to administer it. So, when you vote for president, and when you vote for your Congresscritters, please take this into account – are you electing a Socialist whose idea of change is to destroy the engine of American productivity?

This is a case where Obama clearly calls for those who produce more to provide for those who produce little — or classical Marxism. He maintains this stance even though that form of government caused the greatest of all human suffering time after time as it was practiced last century. There’s no future for Marxism in this country, to tread that path is to retreat to the failures of last century and that’s not change at all.

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. – Karl Marx

Socialists in the US have recently even expanded Marxist ideology – they have taken the luxury of having trust, or good credit, and declared it a need by extending that to everyone, worthy or not, through the Community Reinvestment Act, Acorn, and Fannie Mae / Freddy Mac. They’ve decided as well that owning your own home is a need, rather than something earned.

Bill Whittle at NRO has much more on this, and says it much better than i right here.

UPDATE:

Another classic socialist and marxist technique is to indoctrinate children — here you can see them doing just that. To me it’s absolutely despicable to callously involve children in politics as the left is wont to do, it’s just another way to steal their childhood.