Wholesome Communities and Happy Lives Three social factors help adults achieve wholesome, productive, happy lives. These are (1) living in a culturally compatible setting, (2) having meaningful employment (or earned savings) with adequate pay for modest and healthy living while (3) unthreatened by roving or stationary bandits.* These three qualities are necessary but not sufficient […]
Read MoreEach Friday Susan Vass posts a column on one of my favorite websites, Power Line. She writes under the name, “Ammo Grrrll and goes by AG. Alas, “Do no evil” Google blocks my access to the Power Line site and Susan Vass and Ammo Grrrll. Apparently, censorship of libertarian and conservative sites is an ethical […]
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Culture and Community Human culture involves a set of beliefs and expectations informally transmitted across generations. Some of these become traditions that help define a community. Here is one to celebrate, visiting and bringing food and treats to “shut-ins”. This term refers to people house bound by illness or injury. Ramona is now in […]
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The Gallatin Valley has become an attractive place to relocate, especially for people with substantial human capital. High human capital implies creative, entrepreneurial, and intellectual qualities directed with self-discipline. Success in building wholesome lives is a regular consequence. Why do they find our valley so attractive? Quality attracts quality–and on several dimensions. Of course Bozeman […]
Read MoreIntroduction by John Baden Bob Flaherty, MD, contributed last week’s FREE Insights, “Pure Medicine”. This was the first half of his Wall Street Journal column on delivering medical care to Bozeman’s homeless. Ramona and I welcome you to join us in supporting Bozeman’s Warming Center through the non-governmental Human Resource Development Council, a 501 C-3 […]
Read MoreIntroduction by John Baden Robert Flaherty, MD is a family medicine doc who works at Montana State University and teaches in its WWAMI medical school program. He is also an extremely active and responsible member of our community. For example, Dr. Bob is the consulting physician for our Warriors and Quiet Waters foundation for wounded warriors. […]
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The last FREE Insights, January 15th, focused on community security. I noted the next few FREE Insights would explore another feature of our local culture, strong commitments to deliver necessities and services to the poor, unfortunate, and the needy. This is true but incomplete. The community also responds to victories and promising opportunities. Here is […]
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Culture, Community, and Civility: Code of the (New) West Living here is a great blessing for Ramona and me. We greatly appreciate the wonderful natural, cultural, and prosperous environment of the Gallatin Valley. Even these stellar qualities are sometimes trumped by seeing people care for one another. Our community has culture of civility and caring–even […]
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Few professors go to economics from anthropology, as did I. An anthropology background affects how one sees the world. It places far more emphasis on culture. Most decisions are based on information and incentives. Culture creates powerful incentives, ones often far more powerful than money. As Nobel Prize winning economist Doug North explained, culture constrains […]
Read MoreTo stop mass killers, we should let people like off-duty police and security guards carry concealed weapons. The recent senseless killings in Isla Vista, California of six college students at the hands of an obviously troubled 22-year-old Elliot Rodger, who then killed himself before he could be apprehended by the police, has provoked another […]
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