Brownstone Journal

Articles, News, Research, and Commentary on public health, science, economics, & social theory

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Liberalism as a Political Adjective

Liberal as a Political Adjective: 1769–1824

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Those who favor reform that reduces the governmentalization of social affairs need a name for that Smithian outlook. Whatever name we adopt, it will be abused or stolen by those whose characters and deeds spell the governmentalization of social affairs. We should remember who we are. We should return to the great liberal arc of the last 500 years, rising out of Christendom. There is only one liberalism 1.0. Let’s recover it and stick with it.

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Explaining the Crisis through Jacques Lacan

Explaining the Crisis through Jacques Lacan

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This account of Lacan’s discourse theory enables one to make sense of the discursive struggles currently occurring in global space. And once one has an intellectual grasp of one’s adversary’s ‘master moves’ in this space, one can better prepare to counter them through the hysteric’s and analyst’s discourses.

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cochrane-review-vaccines

Under the Microscope: Cochrane’s Covid-19 Vaccines Review

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There has been little attention paid to Cochrane’s review of Covid‐19 vaccines, in stark contrast to the world-wide media attention paid to its review of face masks. Since Cochrane reviews have been lauded as “rigorous” and “trustworthy,” it is prudent to apply equal scrutiny to the latest update of the “Efficacy and safety of COVID‐19 vaccines.”

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Emotional Contagion and Mass Hysteria

Explaining the Nocebo Effect, Emotional Contagion, and Mass Hysteria

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Even if the disease itself is not mild, a pandemic wave through a population tends to reduce local stress and anxiety and focuses people on a singular goal. This has been called the “typhoon eye effect,” reported during outbreaks of SARS, people closer to the pandemic were less anxious and more able to accurately estimate their own risks. Conversely, those on the periphery or outside the outbreaks, who received their information from media sources rather than personal experience reported increased anxiety and distress. There’s nothing more effective than having your irrational fears debunked firsthand.

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Banishing Ghosts after the Pandemic

Banishing Ghosts after the Pandemic

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Gratitude and its rewarding expression were sorely lacking during the Pandemic. Masks, medicines, and the disease of politics created wide rifts amongst friends and family. Some of the wounds may never heal, but the holiday where we remember our dead is over. Now we move into the season where we give thanks to those still with us.

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