Trigger Happy: The Unraveling of Intellectual Freedom at America’s Colleges

December 30, 2015December 29, 2015 / The No Seatbelt Blog / Leave a comment

Once upon a time, the college campus was the last bastion of progressivism – a place where new and unique ideas that threatened to break any given status quo were shared, challenged and often put into action. As the new millennium progresses, however, that former haven for free speech and the development of ideas is suddenly regressing, as a new generation of students seeks to shut down any words or ideas that they deem to be offensive, scary, or simply against their own opinions. A new phenomenon has descended upon higher education institutions in the United States, and it takes the form of “trigger warnings” and “safe zones.” Continue reading →

America the Self-Righteous

September 9, 2015September 10, 2015 / The No Seatbelt Blog / Leave a comment

In certain ways, the haughty, sickeningly idealistic and self-righteous movement we call “progressivism” has turned the United States of America into a frightening battleground for even the most well-meaning of people. More and more, we have to go through our days walking on eggshells, afraid to say much of anything, so as not to offend the hypersensitive individuals who seem to be multiplying uncontrollably. We have to watch our mouths for the words that we say, even when we’re not saying anything that’s traditionally or patently offensive. The political correctness police are everywhere, ready to string you up in public for being insensitive, racist, or otherwise insulting, even if you truly didn’t mean to be. Continue reading →

Freedom: The Line In The Sand

June 4, 2015September 10, 2015 / The No Seatbelt Blog / Leave a comment

Freedom is a complex concept, defined by the individual, molded by their experience and learned worldview, and by its presence in their lives. It can be defined by a person’s place in the world, by their age, by their criminal history (or lack thereof), or simply by their perception of the basic rules of humanity. Freedom can be granted or taken away by any number of authority figures, such as parents, educators, or government officials. In America, citizens are afforded many supposed freedoms – freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or the freedom to love who you choose, just to name a few. However, none of the freedoms bestowed upon us as citizens of the world are absolute, neither in theory nor in practice. A reasonable person might agree that any particular freedom is limited at the point where choices made in the name of it potentially endanger the safety or lives of others. The concept of freedom is interesting in this way, as many people perceive it to mean the lack of restraints, while in reality, all freedoms are restrained by the rule of law in order to prevent chaos. Continue reading →

Death and Taxes: Part III

May 30, 2015September 2, 2015 / The No Seatbelt Blog / Leave a comment

Originally published on 7/19/11 at The Only Podcast That Matters (theonlypodcast.com)

One of the most epic battles in life is that between the individual’s wish to remain a creature of habit, to maintain the status quo, and their yearning to explore, change, and mix things up a bit. We all want some things to stay the same forever, while we also want things to change with a quickness, be it in our own little microcosms, or in the world at large. Continue reading →