In his book, Intellectuals and Race, the great economist Thomas Sowell excoriates intellectuals for their role in promoting statist social engineering schemes. Sowell defined “intellectuals” as “a particular occupation—namely, people whose work begins and ends with ideas.

As public discourse on tariffs recedes, it is crucial to address an aspect of free trade and tariff policy that received less attention during recent debates: the moral implications of imposing tariffs. While economic theories often dominate discussions, how tariff policy conflicts with the United States founding values are equally significant. Milton Friedman famously stated: “The right course of action for the United States would be unilaterally to get rid of its restrictions and say to the world, come and sell your goods here. We are delighted to sell to you.” 

Robert P. Murphy and Mark Spitznagel co-author this examination of how to look at the trade deficit. (paywalled)

Are rising egg prices a result of monopoly power? As of late, egg prices are taking a central role in the economic narrative with focus groups, and economists decreeing monopolistic “greed” as the prime cause of a sudden upturn in prices. Yet, this must be insufficient to establish why producers’ have—all of a sudden—become immensely greedier, or why they were less greedy in previous years.

There have been many stupid ideas advanced in the name of libertarianism. Ayn Rand, who hatched more than one of them, infamously supported patents and copyrights—examples par excellence of statist interference in the free market.

Universities and other institutions of higher learning are on a concerning trajectory. Public trust in these institutions has dropped precipitously, with only 36 percent of respondents in 2024 Gallup polling expressing “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in them—down from 57 percent in 2015.

If we in the West are the most propagandized people in the world; Gazans are the least propagandized. Outwardly captives, Gazans are liberated from the illiberal political propaganda that grips the West

WHAT has Israel been up to since March 18, 2025, which was when the “genocidal entity” formally broke the nominal ceasefire agreement in Gaza? Oracular insight here is unnecessary.

[The Hype Cycle: Uppers and Downers in Our Bipolar Culture by Arnold Schelsky (Open Universe, 2025); 320pp.]