Author Archives: Handle

Review of Rod Dreher’s “Live Not By Lies”

Two years ago, when reviewing “The Benedict Option”, I wrote, “Almost all Dreher’s critics accuse him of crying wolf or being a Chicken Little at best … Meanwhile, I’m saying that Dreher is underestimating his enemy, painting an overly rosy … Continue reading

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Excerpts and Discussion of Rod Dreher’s “The Benedict Option”

Prologue (mine, not Dreher’s) The book is an extended exposition of what is at heart a very simple thesis and message. That premise: “Genuine, traditional Christianity is quickly dying throughout the West, as it has been for a long time. … Continue reading

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Some Comments on Yuval Levin

Arnold Kling recently had a post, What happened to the Center?, in which he linked to Lindsay and Pluckrose’s A Manifesto Against the Enemies of Modernity, and in which he wrote: In the quoted paragraphs, I think they come close … Continue reading

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Excerpts and Group Discussion of Tyler Cowen’s “Average Is Over”

Yes, I’ve been away for a while.  Yes, this is 50K words.  It’s worth it.  Read on. HANDLE: Chapter 1, Work and Wages in iWorld: 1. Cowen lays out some facts: 1.A. Real wages for young people are down, and … Continue reading

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Procrustean Rashomon

Everybody likes a good procedural.   If the fundamental elements of the dramatic formula work their magic even once, then all the necessary ingredients are present, and it can work a hundred times more with the most trivial variations. So, instead … Continue reading

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Slate Star Codex Polite & Productive Pilot Project

Not a normal post, most of you can just ignore this: Scott Alexander, over at SlateStarCodex, mentioned that there is a whole subreddit for polite, productive debates between feminists and men’s rights advocates.  Huh; who knew?  Upon investigation I found … Continue reading

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Suppressing Tories

By late 1775, if an American attempted to remain loyal to the King and Great Britain, what were the likely consequences?  Are you a modern version of a ‘Tory’ too? From: Conceived in Liberty, Volume IV, Part II, Chapter 13.  … Continue reading

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Seeking Educational Alpha

Nothing however, was neglected by the anxious father, and by the men of virtue and learning whom he summoned to his assistance, to expand the narrow mind of young Commodus, to correct his growing vices, and to render him worthy … Continue reading

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Liberalism Schafft Sich Ab

Germany isn’t the only thing abolishing itself. A quote from the past. In me, the Christianity of my forbears reaches its logical conclusion. In me the stern intellectual conscience that Christianity fosters and makes paramount turns against Christianity. In me … Continue reading

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Review of “The Collapse of American Criminal Justice” by William J. Stuntz

Background William J. Stuntz was the Henry J. Friendly Professor of Law at Harvard University before he succumbed to colon cancer at the untimely age of 52.  His book, The Collapse of American Criminal Justice was thus, alas, published posthumously, … Continue reading

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