Reading Hayek every day keeps the Government at bay

A little love from chapter 2 of The Constitution of Liberty by F.A. Hayek, my current read:

"Humiliating to human pride as it may be, we must recognize that the advance and even the preservation of civilization are dependent upon a maximum of opportunity for accidents to happen."

"Man learns by the disappointment of expectations. Needless to say, we ought not to increase the unpredictability of events by foolish human institutions. So far as possible, our aim should be to improve human institutions as to increase the chances of correct foresight. Above all, however, we should provide the maximum opportunity for unknown individuals to learn of facts that we ourselves as yet unaware and to make use of this knowledge in their actions."

"From this foundation of the argument for liberty it follows that we shall not achieve its ends if we confine liberty to the particular instances where we know it will do good. Freedom granted only when it is known beforehand that its effects will be beneficial is not freedom."

Back from working CCA III. The topic this week is The New Deal. Dr. Folsom is talking on Keynesian economics tonight in relation to the New Deal's economics, so sharing the video below is timely.

Rach, the "Fear the Boom and Bust: a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem" video has gone viral around campus. I ran into Dr. Wenzel tonight (Econ prof who is co-teaching my poli sci class; he reads Hayek for breakfast!). He says he might show it before class tomorrow. Ha! It is quite good, so I am not complaining. I might even get to class before 5 till 8 (a.m., way too early) tomorrow!

"Prepare to get schooled in my Austrian perspective!" (and check out the name tags on the bartenders--Ben and Tim. Clever!)



The intellectual I like the best thus far is Frank S. Meyer. We haven't read him in class yet (though I think I saw one of his essays on the syllabus), but I read "The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945" by George Nash over Christmas break and his ideas are solid and substantial. I really like what I've read thus far, like this:

"...freedom can exist at no lesser price than damnation; and if freedom is indeed the essence of man's being, that which distinguishes him from the beasts, he must be free to choose his worst as well as his best end. Unless he can choose his worst, he cannot choose his best."

I've been assigned my two major research papers of the semester today (outside thesis and shorter papers). I'm thinking about topics, so I'll discuss those soon. I have a few ideas.

Happy February 1st! I can't believe we're in the second month of the year already. Today is Anna D.'s 21st birthday, so we're taking her out to the Hunt Club tonight. I'm interested in seeing how I balance this with the work that must be complete by 8 a.m. tomorrow.