My great-grandmother lived from 1901 to 2005. A day in her life was no doubt hard but also full of beauty and dignity. What she witnessed in her lifetime is stunning.
Well done. First of all, this is a story. Based on things that happened, or could have happened. Quintessentially American. Themes: the dignity of labor and personal agency, the family unit as the core cell of civilization and progress, and a contrast of how far we have come, with regards to how easy life is today. Our present struggle is difficult, not so much physically or mentally, but perhaps spiritually. The purification of the soul that hard work and communion in that work eludes us today. Our challenge is different, but no less daunting.
Beautifully said. While I'm no primitivist, nor do I desire a blanket return to an agrarian life, there is a wealth of insights in this comment. Thank you, Christopher.
Max, I loved reading this! I knew many people like your great grandmother! I knew your other great grandmother well! Ruby was a force in Fallston, NC. She was my friend! I knew all of your grandparents as well as both of your parents! I cannot wait to read what comes next!
I remember her, even though she passed when I was quite young. She and Pop are still the biggest mysteries to me, though. I want to know more about the Kleins.
God bless Mama Borders, a mighty woman who lived deeply and fully. She knew how to do things and no You Tube videos needed to guide her through the mysteries of tending, mending, and providing for her well being. This has been lost in our doughy soft culture of abundance and ivory tower education with little application to lives without abundance. I’m not anti-abundance but there is a dark side. It can turn us into fools.
On another note, I generally agree with the capitalism and technological progress benefits and has benefited everyone narrative, at least so far - and that the free market and entrepreneurship has been good for development. You’ve spoken to the positive incentives and outcomes of capitalism, but what about the perverse incentives and externalities/ causalities of the commons? I’m curious to hear your response to criticisms of capitalism. Perverse incentives being maximizing short term ROI at the cost of externalities, the environment, future generations, etc. Other perverse incentives could be fiduciary responsibility to share holders to maximize profit over everything else. Manufactured and manipulated markets/consumers, planned obsolescence, cutting quality and workers comp to minimize costs and maximize profits (of course in a competitive landscape there’s a kind of arms race and Nash equilibrium in that quality can only be cut so much before consumers choose a competitors product instead).
The worst perverse incentives I find with capitalism is that impact on the environment and future generations is hardly ever priced in, and many businesses rely on labor where workers aren’t paid an actual living wage (Amazon etc), for if they did most businesses wouldn’t be nearly as profitable - or at least CEO, board of directors, shareholders, and stock prices would need to take a big hit.
Is it possible for businesses to operate in truly net neutral and or net positive regenerative ways considering all inputs and outputs of the business under free market capitalism?
Also regarding the arms race nash equilibrium piece, there does appear to be a late stage capitalism phenomena where all products across all competitors start to get shittier and shittier while still in competition with one another. The consumer just learns to accept worse products. Surely I’m not the only one that feels like many of the things I bought 10 years ago were of higher build quality than today.
Lastly I’ll say I’m fully aware that a lot of these criticisms are founded upon the belief of ecological crisis, planetary boundaries, “the great simplification” Nate Hagens, William Rees, and many more. Techno optimists believe there’s nothing to worry about as capitalism and technological advancement will invent the solutions to any problems our ever more degraded environment might bring about. These seem to be the two primary diametric beliefs in competition regarding the future of humanity
Excellent Max. the whole cultural dynamics behind & within 'Classism' is Far more complex and rich in human stories than simplistic Marxism could ever know. And even we who try to understand more fully... only catch glimpses of the richness of Old Ways and Traditions.
Thus it is incumbent on us to be more attentive & wise than a raw libertarian materialist...ever ready for a brand new cultural tabula rasa...but ever diligent to cherish those Permanent Things, the wisdom of the Great Books which comprise that heritage Hand-Down, delivered to us if we will but learn. We shun the cultural balance & Historic Realism of Burke, Washington, Jay & Hamilton...to our own poverty.
I realize you are a Jeffersonian & understand. But trust me...you will profit greatly from and love this book more than you imagine.
I tell you I really appreciate Burke. I do. And I sometimes temper the revolutionary fire by going back to Burke. But that damnable Hamilton! I will have to read him in a different spirit, that is, try to take off my tinted lenses before I do.
Well done. First of all, this is a story. Based on things that happened, or could have happened. Quintessentially American. Themes: the dignity of labor and personal agency, the family unit as the core cell of civilization and progress, and a contrast of how far we have come, with regards to how easy life is today. Our present struggle is difficult, not so much physically or mentally, but perhaps spiritually. The purification of the soul that hard work and communion in that work eludes us today. Our challenge is different, but no less daunting.
Beautifully said. While I'm no primitivist, nor do I desire a blanket return to an agrarian life, there is a wealth of insights in this comment. Thank you, Christopher.
A beautiful and instructive essay, Max. Thank you.
This was fun and very interesting piece to read thank you for sharing!
Max, I loved reading this! I knew many people like your great grandmother! I knew your other great grandmother well! Ruby was a force in Fallston, NC. She was my friend! I knew all of your grandparents as well as both of your parents! I cannot wait to read what comes next!
I remember her, even though she passed when I was quite young. She and Pop are still the biggest mysteries to me, though. I want to know more about the Kleins.
Wow, this does my heart such good.
This is a fine piece! It should get it to Selena Zito, but don't know a good path.
God bless Mama Borders, a mighty woman who lived deeply and fully. She knew how to do things and no You Tube videos needed to guide her through the mysteries of tending, mending, and providing for her well being. This has been lost in our doughy soft culture of abundance and ivory tower education with little application to lives without abundance. I’m not anti-abundance but there is a dark side. It can turn us into fools.
On another note, I generally agree with the capitalism and technological progress benefits and has benefited everyone narrative, at least so far - and that the free market and entrepreneurship has been good for development. You’ve spoken to the positive incentives and outcomes of capitalism, but what about the perverse incentives and externalities/ causalities of the commons? I’m curious to hear your response to criticisms of capitalism. Perverse incentives being maximizing short term ROI at the cost of externalities, the environment, future generations, etc. Other perverse incentives could be fiduciary responsibility to share holders to maximize profit over everything else. Manufactured and manipulated markets/consumers, planned obsolescence, cutting quality and workers comp to minimize costs and maximize profits (of course in a competitive landscape there’s a kind of arms race and Nash equilibrium in that quality can only be cut so much before consumers choose a competitors product instead).
The worst perverse incentives I find with capitalism is that impact on the environment and future generations is hardly ever priced in, and many businesses rely on labor where workers aren’t paid an actual living wage (Amazon etc), for if they did most businesses wouldn’t be nearly as profitable - or at least CEO, board of directors, shareholders, and stock prices would need to take a big hit.
Is it possible for businesses to operate in truly net neutral and or net positive regenerative ways considering all inputs and outputs of the business under free market capitalism?
Also regarding the arms race nash equilibrium piece, there does appear to be a late stage capitalism phenomena where all products across all competitors start to get shittier and shittier while still in competition with one another. The consumer just learns to accept worse products. Surely I’m not the only one that feels like many of the things I bought 10 years ago were of higher build quality than today.
Lastly I’ll say I’m fully aware that a lot of these criticisms are founded upon the belief of ecological crisis, planetary boundaries, “the great simplification” Nate Hagens, William Rees, and many more. Techno optimists believe there’s nothing to worry about as capitalism and technological advancement will invent the solutions to any problems our ever more degraded environment might bring about. These seem to be the two primary diametric beliefs in competition regarding the future of humanity
Excellent Max. the whole cultural dynamics behind & within 'Classism' is Far more complex and rich in human stories than simplistic Marxism could ever know. And even we who try to understand more fully... only catch glimpses of the richness of Old Ways and Traditions.
Thus it is incumbent on us to be more attentive & wise than a raw libertarian materialist...ever ready for a brand new cultural tabula rasa...but ever diligent to cherish those Permanent Things, the wisdom of the Great Books which comprise that heritage Hand-Down, delivered to us if we will but learn. We shun the cultural balance & Historic Realism of Burke, Washington, Jay & Hamilton...to our own poverty.
I realize you are a Jeffersonian & understand. But trust me...you will profit greatly from and love this book more than you imagine.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1421405393/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I tell you I really appreciate Burke. I do. And I sometimes temper the revolutionary fire by going back to Burke. But that damnable Hamilton! I will have to read him in a different spirit, that is, try to take off my tinted lenses before I do.
As a decades-long von Mises disciple, I understand completely. The baggage Jefferson & his disciples have attached to him is massive...and largely false. Prof Federici's book, linked again here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1421405393/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is a great place to start.
Also, Prof. Forrest McDonald's bio of Hamilton is also excellent.
https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Biography-Forrest-Mcdonald/dp/039330048X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20S9P6QUS8ZUA&keywords=Forrest+McDonald+bio+Alexander+Hamilton&qid=1698790128&sprefix=forrest+mcdonald+bio+alexander+hamilton%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1
Of course Russell Kirk, and Wilhelm Roepke follow in the same train. Enjoy.
And I really did enjoy your article per you G-grandmother. Much to learn there.
cheer Max...& warmest regards,
david