...and I feel fine.

So today's post is a review of a set of videos on Uncommon Knowledge.  As I have said before this is a video series produced by the Hoover Institute for The National Review.  There is a decidedly conservative (or Republican in a political sense) slant to the guests and questions.  The video series today is about the book "America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It," by Mark Steyn.  The interview discusses the book.  The links for the videos are:  (The total length is somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes.)

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5

I personally found the first 2 more interesting, the 3rd is very slanted by an improper characterization of the health care reform (though I think some interesting points are raised), the 4th and 5th seem very xenophobic against Muslims by making broad generalities and stereotypes.  What I found interesting were usually the things I disagreed with so take that as you will.  It is always important to understand the other side of the argument.

For one I feel like his characterization of health care reform is angrily wrong.  I do not feel like the health care reform and allowing kids to stay on their parents insurance is pushing up the age of accountability or making people kids longer.  However I do feel like he has a point in that the age of accountability seems to edge higher and the more 'adult' pursuits (think politics, money matters, responsibility, etc.) take a back seat to toys.  I haven't decided what I think of this thesis, though it is an interesting idea.  I wonder how much of this is influenced in the reverse way by the consumer culture.  For instance, how much of the 'oh I need the best treatment with the highest resolution camera' is driven by our consumer culture which rewards trendy, sometimes useless, metrics.

As avid readers know I recently watched the "Global Population Growth" (link to my academy page) and I was interested to see some of the same ideas re-represented in these videos.  The course discussed how when populations are more educated, richer, and have better access to birth control the birth rate drops.  However Steyn's thesis is that this will not happen and the adjustments in the cultures in Europe will happen because this rate will not drop.  This seems to be at the opposite of the current research into the topic.  I will take the advice of someone who knows the field better honestly.  However this doesn't invalidate watching the videos because people are very afraid of this happening.  Where there is fear and misunderstanding there is usually poorly written laws.

I was kinda frustrated to hear the very overt discussion which bashed the current administration in what I felt were back-handed slaps against the current policies.  I feel like the discussion could have been a little more high-brow but never was.

It was an interesting set of videos and I suggest you give them a glance, it is an interesting viewpoint which is worth understanding even if you do not agree with it because it will shape policy decisions in the next 20 years.