A good read featuring Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain Boys, & many others who had much more to do with those goings on than the streetlamp of lost keys shines upon is Matthew Stewart's Nature's God - The Heretical Origins of the American Republic.
I'll 2nd "BP's" comment below. I don't pretend to know, & these days (because things have gotten so crazy & dangerous) I only pay just enough attention to politics as necessary to gain just enough understanding to stay out of the way, and evaluate places to go to bolt to.
Mr. Childer's take in the article is just as valid as Doug's counter-take to the situation. We aren't really part of the club, so we'll never actually know. The whole Trump phenomena, since he first ran for President, is quite fascinating; when taken as a study of politics & power. Read Machiavelli's "The Prince", and Green's "48 Laws of Power", and Trump's own business books. Then re-examine what Trump did and what happened to him in his first term, and during the Biden regime, vs what he's doing now in his 2nd term and what the opposition is trying to do. It makes for quite an education.
One thing that gives people like myself or Doug some difficulty or reason for pause, and I suppose many of Doug's readers , of a more Libertarian-bent, and even just most "normies", is that the accumulation, exercise, and application of power (be it for good or evil) on the scale of nations requires actions that most people are not willing to do, or realize that need to be done from a power perspective. It also requires a 100,000 ft view of things and a level of abstraction of human affairs that only about 10% of the human population is truly capable of holding; and then there's the determination and application of "fulcrum points" for the proper application of power toward goals (good or bad).
I don't think Trump is without a "core" or understanding, as Doug might say, else he would not have lasted and would not have accomplished what he has; rather Trump is operating on a playing field that Doug does not (nor do any of us really). The game has gotten nastier & more dangerous than it has ever been for a very long time-- maybe since the French Revolution (especially if one is trying to do good). To create, keep, and apply power in such an environment one has do to certain things and have a certain perspective.
This may look like I'm trying to defend Trump -- I'm not. I do think he is one of the "Good Guys" in this game (relatively speaking). He's learned his lessons about this new playing field and he plays to win.
Anyway, Paraguay & Uruguay seem like potentially nice places to bolt to. :-)
I do also want to counter Doug's ascribing genius status to Musk -- Musk is _NOT_ a genius; unless you want to ascribe genius to an incredible ability to take credit for things that others have done and to game the political system to his favor (can't blame him for that). This is not to take away from the good things he has done, but to ascribe genius to him is a misapplication of the word and an insult to actual geniuses.
For me, genius is to be found in the likes of Newton, Einstein, Leibniz, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Michelangelo, Bouguereau, Joplin, Penrose, etc.
By saying that Musk is not a genius, is not saying he is not smart and skilled, & I am glad of what he is doing with Space X. You don't have to be a genius to do good & important things, and perhaps the tipping point of chaos the world is hovering in requires some of the important things that Musk's various companies are doing in the ways they are being done now.
Musk is not a genius, he is simply very skilled at manipulating people and institutions, and his particular quirks also require him to be the center of public attention and adoration. Fortunately he happens to be directing those manipulations and personality quirks into good and important endeavors that are worth doing (for the most part).
I can agree either way most of what you said… Doug is sophisticated and refined to appreciate what makes Trump is trying to do. He’s constantly negotiating until he gets what’s needed.
You may want to read Coffee & Covids substack from today or on X. He gives a very good argument that the blow up was a win, win, win. Not quite as dire as Doug thinks.
I read it. But when everything is interpreted as a win despite the fact that so much is objectively worse, I can’t help but question the interpretation.
Yes, Jeff Childers is definitely a 1/2 full guy and quite entertaining. Definitely good to get the other side. Something like Ed Dowd and his take on long term US bonds at least in the next 12months although I wouldn’t say Ed is a 1/2 full guy 🙂
Just a flick, & this is probably the best scene it it (tho John Goodman’s pretty much always a nutritious scene-filler), but I think this scripted attempt at teaching the scripted educable fraction something is pure non-fiction:
(Literary writing some may object into a category that can be safely ignored. But even SOP manual-writers are born, not made.)
An long ago educator told a class I was in about the overdeveloped spatial memory of London cabbies.
And the angle that was dangled had it that all good little blank slates pounding those London pavements could Schwartzeneggarize their spatial memories just the same. “Practice makes perfect.”
But not a word was spoken (the church bells all were broken) about any would-be cabbies that couldn’t make the cut. (because) Such talk takes an eraser to the chalked words “blank slate.”
“What you’ve got to be before you can be a” London cabbie “is a” London cabbie.
So, thank writer-gods for scripts, you’ve got to be an LA cabbie-commando to hit that Cruise-control:
Agree with Doug 100% about watching highlights of spectator sports, especially in America. For a nation of time poor workaholics sports games seem to go on forever. So when one meets up with their buddies do you bring a six-pack, a jumbo bag of burritos and a sleeping bag?
Funny you should bring up writing, entrepreneurship, and AI — it’s actually been a breakthrough for me. AI has helped sharpen my critical thinking and communicate complex business ideas more clearly, especially when forming strategic partnerships and working with accredited investors.
While Doug often leans toward the doom-and-gloom side of the spectrum, I take a more optimistic view. I believe we’re moving into an era of increased prosperity and efficiency, driven by innovation, global collaboration, and rapid technological progress.
Of course, serious risks remain — from ideological regimes in Iran to authoritarian ambitions from figures like Putin, and the calculated maneuvering of the CCP. But I still believe the potential for meaningful progress outweighs the threats — should cooler heads prevail.
I find it fascinating to listen to you. Today, Doug is talking about the magnificence of the European man, with a fair amount of disdain for other cultures and the entire conversation revolves around the disasters that this white European mode of existence has caused to life on the planet and how it's putting us in such a compromised and stupid situation.
You don't even realize it and In the end when you think about places where we can live better, you go south: Chile, Uruguay, New Zealand. Cultures for which they show a certain contempt or at least zero admiration compare to Europe white man. It is fascinating to me.
What a weird comment. You do realize Uruguay is nearly 90% white, New Zealand is close to 70%, and Chile is around 50% — with most of the population having some degree of European ancestry. Plus, all three countries are culturally European.
Nathan Hale was hanged.
A good read featuring Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain Boys, & many others who had much more to do with those goings on than the streetlamp of lost keys shines upon is Matthew Stewart's Nature's God - The Heretical Origins of the American Republic.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23316547-nature-s-god
I'll 2nd "BP's" comment below. I don't pretend to know, & these days (because things have gotten so crazy & dangerous) I only pay just enough attention to politics as necessary to gain just enough understanding to stay out of the way, and evaluate places to go to bolt to.
Here's a link to the C&C article BP mentioned:
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/t-rex-wars-friday-june-6-2025-c-and?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=463409&post_id=165341176&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=udlxy&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Mr. Childer's take in the article is just as valid as Doug's counter-take to the situation. We aren't really part of the club, so we'll never actually know. The whole Trump phenomena, since he first ran for President, is quite fascinating; when taken as a study of politics & power. Read Machiavelli's "The Prince", and Green's "48 Laws of Power", and Trump's own business books. Then re-examine what Trump did and what happened to him in his first term, and during the Biden regime, vs what he's doing now in his 2nd term and what the opposition is trying to do. It makes for quite an education.
One thing that gives people like myself or Doug some difficulty or reason for pause, and I suppose many of Doug's readers , of a more Libertarian-bent, and even just most "normies", is that the accumulation, exercise, and application of power (be it for good or evil) on the scale of nations requires actions that most people are not willing to do, or realize that need to be done from a power perspective. It also requires a 100,000 ft view of things and a level of abstraction of human affairs that only about 10% of the human population is truly capable of holding; and then there's the determination and application of "fulcrum points" for the proper application of power toward goals (good or bad).
I don't think Trump is without a "core" or understanding, as Doug might say, else he would not have lasted and would not have accomplished what he has; rather Trump is operating on a playing field that Doug does not (nor do any of us really). The game has gotten nastier & more dangerous than it has ever been for a very long time-- maybe since the French Revolution (especially if one is trying to do good). To create, keep, and apply power in such an environment one has do to certain things and have a certain perspective.
This may look like I'm trying to defend Trump -- I'm not. I do think he is one of the "Good Guys" in this game (relatively speaking). He's learned his lessons about this new playing field and he plays to win.
Anyway, Paraguay & Uruguay seem like potentially nice places to bolt to. :-)
I do also want to counter Doug's ascribing genius status to Musk -- Musk is _NOT_ a genius; unless you want to ascribe genius to an incredible ability to take credit for things that others have done and to game the political system to his favor (can't blame him for that). This is not to take away from the good things he has done, but to ascribe genius to him is a misapplication of the word and an insult to actual geniuses.
How do you define genius?
For me, genius is to be found in the likes of Newton, Einstein, Leibniz, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Michelangelo, Bouguereau, Joplin, Penrose, etc.
By saying that Musk is not a genius, is not saying he is not smart and skilled, & I am glad of what he is doing with Space X. You don't have to be a genius to do good & important things, and perhaps the tipping point of chaos the world is hovering in requires some of the important things that Musk's various companies are doing in the ways they are being done now.
Musk is not a genius, he is simply very skilled at manipulating people and institutions, and his particular quirks also require him to be the center of public attention and adoration. Fortunately he happens to be directing those manipulations and personality quirks into good and important endeavors that are worth doing (for the most part).
Genius can reveal itself in many ways, not just inherent talents..
he’s moving mankind into the future. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his flaws, but the world is better with him, and will be because of him.
That’s genius
I can agree either way most of what you said… Doug is sophisticated and refined to appreciate what makes Trump is trying to do. He’s constantly negotiating until he gets what’s needed.
You may want to read Coffee & Covids substack from today or on X. He gives a very good argument that the blow up was a win, win, win. Not quite as dire as Doug thinks.
I read it. But when everything is interpreted as a win despite the fact that so much is objectively worse, I can’t help but question the interpretation.
Yes, Jeff Childers is definitely a 1/2 full guy and quite entertaining. Definitely good to get the other side. Something like Ed Dowd and his take on long term US bonds at least in the next 12months although I wouldn’t say Ed is a 1/2 full guy 🙂
Writing improves your vocabulary, and as Nietche said, "You can only think the thoughts you have the words for."
Innate. “The magic.”
Just a flick, & this is probably the best scene it it (tho John Goodman’s pretty much always a nutritious scene-filler), but I think this scripted attempt at teaching the scripted educable fraction something is pure non-fiction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDVD3YTRAV8
(Literary writing some may object into a category that can be safely ignored. But even SOP manual-writers are born, not made.)
An long ago educator told a class I was in about the overdeveloped spatial memory of London cabbies.
And the angle that was dangled had it that all good little blank slates pounding those London pavements could Schwartzeneggarize their spatial memories just the same. “Practice makes perfect.”
But not a word was spoken (the church bells all were broken) about any would-be cabbies that couldn’t make the cut. (because) Such talk takes an eraser to the chalked words “blank slate.”
“What you’ve got to be before you can be a” London cabbie “is a” London cabbie.
So, thank writer-gods for scripts, you’ve got to be an LA cabbie-commando to hit that Cruise-control:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlcX_GXtf40
A different Vincent:
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will ~ Starry, Starry Night … Don McLean
AIn’t writing. “Using” ai in all its plebeian-pitched ways is just another enabling step in the roman road.
Citing artificiality as being 1/2 full about human nature & it’s emergent movement “forward” is indeed full of something, alright.
CA Fitts, Whitney Webb, have pointed to what the doge-dodge was about: data grab. And maybe presidency grab, too.
Agree with Doug 100% about watching highlights of spectator sports, especially in America. For a nation of time poor workaholics sports games seem to go on forever. So when one meets up with their buddies do you bring a six-pack, a jumbo bag of burritos and a sleeping bag?
Funny you should bring up writing, entrepreneurship, and AI — it’s actually been a breakthrough for me. AI has helped sharpen my critical thinking and communicate complex business ideas more clearly, especially when forming strategic partnerships and working with accredited investors.
While Doug often leans toward the doom-and-gloom side of the spectrum, I take a more optimistic view. I believe we’re moving into an era of increased prosperity and efficiency, driven by innovation, global collaboration, and rapid technological progress.
Of course, serious risks remain — from ideological regimes in Iran to authoritarian ambitions from figures like Putin, and the calculated maneuvering of the CCP. But I still believe the potential for meaningful progress outweighs the threats — should cooler heads prevail.
I see massive upside as well. I wrote about it here. https://open.substack.com/pub/dougcasey/p/ai-energy-and-the-future-of-abundance?r=3p7f&utm_medium=ios
I find it fascinating to listen to you. Today, Doug is talking about the magnificence of the European man, with a fair amount of disdain for other cultures and the entire conversation revolves around the disasters that this white European mode of existence has caused to life on the planet and how it's putting us in such a compromised and stupid situation.
You don't even realize it and In the end when you think about places where we can live better, you go south: Chile, Uruguay, New Zealand. Cultures for which they show a certain contempt or at least zero admiration compare to Europe white man. It is fascinating to me.
What a weird comment. You do realize Uruguay is nearly 90% white, New Zealand is close to 70%, and Chile is around 50% — with most of the population having some degree of European ancestry. Plus, all three countries are culturally European.
Where to ask doug questions
Forever Wars for resources seem to go on forever !