First a little history about myself. I’ve silently read mises.org articles, blog, and forum posts for the past 5-6 months. I became aware of the Austrian School during the Presidential elections by Ron Paul. I’ve read Ron Paul Manifesto, Rothbard’s Case for Gold, Tom Woods Meltdown, and Peter Schiff Crash Proof. I still have massive amounts to learn and read. I’m excited to say that though. I’ve never liked reading before, but something sparked an interest with me when reading Rothbard and other people of like minds.
About a month ago my grandfather learned of my interest in reading from my parents and recommended me read Atlas Shrugged. I liked it, but didn’t agree with Ayn Rand on everything. Anyways I went to his house last week to return Atlas and gave lent him Meltdown(because Tom Woods is my favorite author, but Rothbard is close behind). He read it and called me and said that he loved the book and wanted to expand his knowledge of Austrian Theroy. I thought he would like the book, but didn’t know that he would be hooked on Austrian School. Well I told him to go to mises.org for everything he needs. I went to his house yesterday for a family get-together and got on his computer to check LewRockwell.com and saw a folder on his desktop named ‘Reading List’. In it were 8-10 pdf’s from mises.org. I was shocked. Well now today I learned that my grandfather convinced my dad to read Meltdown(had to lend it too him too [:D]) for an introduction. He is sitting on our couch reading. I feel like this is a success for liberty.
Anyways I just thought I would share my wonderful experience with Austrian School.
P.S. - Now that everyone I got everyone reading I am wondering what I should read next. Any recommendations?
meltdown is a great example of how to get that initial wedge into people that you can then expand. you have to be topical, you have to talk about things that obviously apply to them. although major macroeconomics effects everyone, most people don’t understad how it affects them.
An interesting introduction to how a libertarian society would work. After that you can get into the complex nature of such a society with Ethics of Liberty
Well my dad is almost done with Meltdown and it looks like he really likes it. He listens to Faux News and probably never hears arguements like the ones in Meltdown.
My interests are economics and history, but would love to read other topics too.
I have a question to bounce off of yall. I was watching the news earlier today about the situation in Iran and thought that none of this would happen if there was no government. For instance during war times its the government leaders that get us involved in wars. Most people would rather live peacefully than go to war agianst another group of people, but its a government pushes its people into wars with drafts and propaganda. Sure without government there would be disputes between groups, but not on the scale like it is today. Is my thinking right about this subject. Is there any literature that I could read more about this kind of stuff?
That’s how I naturally understand this as well. It seems you have been able to decipher this for yourself, true? I honor such reasoning ability and thoughtful insight. You seem to a have a knack for putting two and two together. When I look around I see people mainly trying to cooperate with each other and then Nation-States like to stir up trouble and coerce people that are living cooperative lives into perpetual wrong-doings that the State instigates.