Doug Casey: The Virtue of Selfishness & The Market for Liberty
Doug Casey, who needs no introduction, is welcomed back to the show once more. Doug is a prominent anarcho-capitalist philosopher, speculator, and best-selling author, and today he talks about the concept of anarcho-capitalism and what led him to this belief system. As Ayn Rand was an influential factor in taking him to this moral and economic standpoint, he soon recognized that she hadn’t gone far enough and stumbled across the ‘Market for Liberty’. According to Doug, this is an explanation of society without government, and his main point is that ‘politics is the practical application of ethics in a society.’ In addition, he argues that the state itself is evil, destructive and redundant; instead, it is the real enemy that needs to be battled, not just replacing ‘bad guys’ in office.
Continuing, Doug suggests that the majority of laws are silly and harmful, as they are designed solely for the benefit of those who create them. To his mind, the key principle should be to ‘do as thou wilt, but be prepared for the ensuing consequences’ – with a collective focus on taking responsibility.
Transitioning on, Doug remarks on how the general public view the state as some sort of ‘saviour of the masses’; a faith-based construct. Furthermore, he states that there has been a noticeably declining morality throughout the Western world, which is indicative of a coming catastrophic event. Doug also covers his book series, and how the protagonist, Charles Knight, develops and shifts as time passes.
Not to be forgotten, Doug brings to light how these days, it’s hard to find anyone that is genuinely interested in anything remotely existential – noting how the public are mainly focused on trivial affairs and think that the ‘Federal Reserve’ is some sort of omnipotent power. Therefore, he emphasizes how novels offer an opportunity to delve deep into topics that are usually a little too tricky and challenging for everyday conversation.
Talking Points From This Episode
- Why politics is inherently immoral and why laws and terms like legal or illegal have little to do with ethics.
- The ‘Market for Liberty’ is an explanation of a society without a government, and politics is the practical application of ethics in a society.
- How novels provide a useful platform to explore topics that are usually too difficult to discuss in an everyday context.
Time Stamp References:
0:00 – Introduction
0:52 – Laws & Morality
5:46 – Religion & Politics
13:14 – The State – Religion
15:05 – Power Creep & Coercion
20:28 – Some Novel Ideas
29:26 – Philosophy Today
30:13 – Personal Responsibility
32:12 – The Attention Economy
34:06 – Writing From Experience?
36:02 – Exceptionalism & Decline
37:26 – Wrap Up
Guest Links:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEJR3OAeHBNz7aGtFRZXArQ
Website: https://internationalman.com/
Amazon Books: https://tinyurl.com/an3uxhc
Best-selling author, world-renowned speculator, and libertarian philosopher Doug Casey has garnered a well-earned reputation for his erudite (and often controversial) insights into politics, economics, and investment markets. Doug is widely respected as one of the preeminent authorities on “rational speculation,” especially in the high-potential natural resource sector. Doug’s most recent book, “Assassin,” can be found on Amazon.
He has been a featured guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows, including David Letterman, Merv Griffin, Charlie Rose, Phil Donahue, Regis Philbin, Maury Povich, NBC News, and CNN; has been the topic of numerous features in periodicals such as Time, Forbes, People, and the Washington Post. Doug has lived in 10 countries and visited over 175. Today you’re most likely to find him at La Estancia de Cafayate (Casey’s Gulch), an oasis tucked away in the high red mountains outside Salta, Argentina.