"Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals, 1847 The New York Times revealed the day before yesterday that the F.D.A. recently rid itself of disgruntled scientists who took exception to the agency's medical review process. More specifically, the article noted that: "Moving to quell what one memorandum called …
Tag: Government
The Guardian of True Liberty
"The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." ~ James Madison Seeing the images and videos of the various manifestations of rebellion known as the "Arab Spring" brings me back to the year of my high school graduation, 1989, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. As each piece of …
The Child of Liberalism
Anyone interested in what shaped the United States' founding generation's views on human nature, virtue and purpose ought to read Carl J. Richard's The Founders and the Classics: Greece, Rome and the American Enlightenment. Richard's comprehensive study of the founders' classical reading provides a clear and useful reference point to square back to when confronting …
A Cure for Superficiality
“Democracy needs to be reborn in each generation and education is its midwife.” ~ John Dewey, Twentieth Century Education Theorist A friend of mine recommended New York Times columnist David Brooks' recent TED presentation to me yesterday (David Brooks: The Social Animal) and after having listened to it I am pleased to pass it along …
A Converging World
The last two hundred years were particularly transformative for humanity. Dramatic increases in both longevity and wealth swept across the globe, affecting the industrialized nations first and the developing nations second. While a wide gap remains between the richest and the poorest nations, just about every nation is better off no than they were two …
Good Policy: Magnanimity
MAGNANIM'ITY, n. [L. magnanimitas; magnus, great, and animus, mind.] Greatness of mind; that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquillity and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, …
The Natural Aristocracy
Friends of mine were discussing politics and leadership the day before yesterday and one raised the question: "I wonder why the most successful people, financially speaking, like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett shouldn't be running the country?" The question carried a bit more weight in my mind given Donald Trump's recent indication that he would …
Observation, Consideration and Reciprocation
I took my son to the doctor this morning to deal with an ear infection and had such a nice time that I couldn't help but share the story with you. It is a short tale of observation, consideration and reciprocation that begins with our family pediatrician, a man who is arguably one of the …
Continue reading Observation, Consideration and Reciprocation
Gregory Hake 