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Bookchat Moral Philosophy Politics Screwheads Delenda Est

Captain Nemo, The Ultimate Antihero

Jules Verne was an inveterate promoter of scientism and the fantasy that once a technocracy ushered in world government all strife and disharmony would cease. This idea was later championed by H.G. Wells. The monumental movie of his “Things to Come,” is a stunning example of the trope as fictional propaganda for the masses. However, […]

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Bookchat Moral Philosophy Politics

Yukio Mishima, The Marquis de Sade and the Doom of Modern Western Civilization — A Personal Testimony

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So said Newton, who must be right because SCIENCE. The action of attempts at world control foment the reaction of revolution, usually led not by people who’ve been crushed, but by an educated elite who see an opportunity for advantage (e.g., Ulianov/Lenin). As increasingly overextended […]

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Bookchat Moral Philosophy Politics

“The Wind Rises,” Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki is not only a great anime creator, he is a great filmmaker and storyteller, irrespective of genre. I have been running through the Miyazaki/Ghibli oevre more or less in order with a couple of omissions that I will eventually correct. A personal note: while the English dubs have A-list acting talent, I have […]

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My “Cliff Notes” for Jaron Lanier’s 10 Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now (2018)

INTRODUCTION WITH CATS Cats cooperate with you as it suits them but are never quite trainable. So why can’t we be more like them? ARGUMENT ONE:  YOU ARE LOSING YOUR FREE WILL You are in a cage that follows you around and spies on you for fun, profit and control. Behaviorism is a tool technocrats […]

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Bookchat Moral Philosophy Screwheads Delenda Est

Who Is John Galt?

Ayn Rand is a polarizing figure. You may love her or hate her but she is hard to ignore. Rand was among the greatest champions of individuality in the 20th century, at a time when it was very much in vogue to believe that individuals count for little and have no rights other than what […]