Alex4

I agree U.S. cultural dominance has an impact, but I think the main reason the West is permissive with the U.S. is that out of all the major world powers, the U.S. provides one of the best standards of living for its people, and a level of freedom light years away from, for example, China or Russia.

confidence

I eat a lot of meat, but I hate it and find it tiresome when I hear the typical jokes about vegans. They are not hurting anyone

If you think you can defeat the powerful U.S. army with your recreational weapons, you're mistaken. Not everyone should own a weapon, and I believe it's a good thing that access to them is restricted in Europe. We don’t need that cringy wannabe badass American culture here.

Another prediction that will end up forgotten. I'll let you know in 2 years.

Correct! Although I am undecided with another purpose that's totally different. I want to at least plant seeds in case opportunities arise in the future. I find it hard to visualize a concrete purpose right now. Spain. Sounds interesting. Would you mind if we speak of this by private message?

Not really My idea is to do the degree and see where my interest takes me. I hope at least that I like it and learn things that I wouldn't have learned by doing it on my own. Although something that I have seen and would like to change is that in my country historians tend to be conservative and to write in a biased way. I would like to be able to write history books about my country that are well-founded in primary sources, without ideological baggage behind them and easy to read. My role model for this would be historian Adrian Goldsworthy. sounds good. which other degrees you would like to do?

The change in mindset needs to be very profound and a complete 180-degree shift, it’s very difficult to convince someone of that. It’s not enough to give them a lecture on the benefits of the whole world holding hands together and ending inequality. Also consider that it is not just about throwing away an ideology in which you have to admit that you have been wrong all your life. It will most likely also cause you to distance yourself from your loved ones and lose friends. I would say that a large part of those who vote progressive don’t do so out of conviction but because they believe they will get something in return. So if I were you I would rather waste my time trying to educate your own electorate.

They vote conservative because they believe the alternative is worse and fear their country could become the next Venezuela.

Very well explained, I couldn't have done it better. I summarize some mistakes libertarians make: -Overlooking the many advantages that the state provides them. -Overconfidence as you said on the market. -Ignoring or not giving importance to economic inequality. Like other failed ideologies, it falls into the trap of easy solutions (no state intervention in this case). The reality is that every problem needs to be carefully addressed on a case-by-case basis, and solving by not creating more indirect problems that are hard to spot at first glance.

Bit by bit, I'd like to start a history degree at university. I'll do it online so I can combine it with my 9-to-5 job. I sense that my interest may go further. Do you have a degree in philosophy? You mentioned that you want to do a PhD.

For me, it means working reasonable hours without overloading myself. Developing my passion in my free time, reading and hiking every weekend. Nothing fancy, but it works for me. The older I get, the more essential I see regular contact with nature for my mental state. Oh, I forgot, and at the risk of sounding very orange, it is also very important for me to have solid finances, without fear of being fired from work.

Congratulations man! I'm feeling the same way, but with history.

If you have money and your income will not depend on the local economy, Barcelona. But keep in mind that rent is quite expensive.

I think I should do the course again as well.

What if your parents aren’t intrusive, like in the OP’s case? Living with them and saving up is the fastest path to financial independence. In the US, moving out while single isn’t a big deal it seems because you have higher wages. But in my country, it’s a luxury, it means spending over half your salary on rent or sharing a place with strangers. I think we should strengthen family bonds and stop relying on banks or making greedy landlords richer.

Nazism takes root in radicalized minds, it's not that people become radicalized because they adopt Nazi ideology. I recently read a book by a former Nazi that explains this. It’s a process similar to that of terrorists and other extremist ideologies. It’s highly likely that any given Nazi, had they been born in Afghanistan, would have become a suicide bomber. The mental structure is the same, they have radicalized minds, see the world in black and white, are highly charged emotionally, and don’t stop to consider the shades of gray.

Do you think these differences are due to biological factors, or are they learned behaviors based on the different ways we socialize boys and girls from a young age? Do you have any videos or article where you explain this in depth?

For me, when I was a student and without much money, I travelled as a workawayer volunteering on farms, helping locals and learning new skills. You learn a lot about the place and the local culture this way. Now that I have more money, I read history books about my destination. Before visiting Rome last summer, I read about 12 books on its history. I know that’s a bit extreme—you don’t need to go that far! But even reading one or two history books can help you connect more deeply with the place you’re visiting.

When I go to McDonald's I feel like a beast that is being fed. I don't think there is any place that is impersonal, mechanical and where they make you eat in a more industrial way than McDonald's. I used to go like twice a year or so, if it was still cheap I would go from time to time but even eating that crap isn't cheap anymore.

Agreeing with Elon Musk on a topic does not mean you are aligned with him.

I join in the gratitude. The fact that Leo is here engaging with us on the forum is incredible. How many gurus do that?

People usually start by watching political shows on TV and, more recently, listening to podcasts or YouTubers. I don’t think that’s very effective, you can waste a lot of time consuming crappy content that doesn’t really teach you anything. One idea that comes to mind is that you could search for "politics for beginners" books on Amazon, or also you could ask ChatGPT. In the meantime, stick to this subforum, there are users here who share really good insights.

Why not stick to business related jobs and try to change that? I’ve come across real cases of successful entrepreneurs who do things the right way. They are the minority, but they’re out there. They run businesses that are not harmful to society, prioritize their employees, comply with the law, etc. We need good people and humanism more than ever in the business world. I’m fed up of the stage orange hegemony!