I guess maybe if you live in San Diego and you’re deathly afraid of flying you’d be interested in going to Cato University, but its not free and is at the same time as Mises University. San Diego, CA July 25-30
If I missed any events, please post information about them here. It doesn’t matter if they are not based in the US or only cater to a certain demographic.
Are any of these seminars worth attending outside of the novelty factor? Most of the lectures are posted online and so the only reason I can think of for actually attending in person is if you either lived within driving distance or if the networking opportunities were particularly valuable.
Has anyone flown out to these from long distance and felt it was worth the hundreds? Fill me in and I might make an effort to attend. =] Thanks.
Well you get to meet the speakers face to face and get to ask basically a whole host of questions. I’m sure you get to meet a whole host of folks who are similar in beliefs to you. You know its rather suffocating being around individuals who you constantly have to argue with or have to explain things to. You are finally with people who get it. I myself haven’t been to a Mises U but I hope to attend Rothbard’s Graduate seminar this year, so I’m speaking only from what I experienced at actual conferences. I’m sure the university measures up to that and more since you get to pick the brains of nearly everyone who we listen to on lectures over several days. Plus I’m guessing you get to check out their library. I’d drop a few bones just go see Rothbard’s letters and correspondence. So I would think it not only the fact that you get to hear the lectures but you get the environment and so many small perks that it can add up to a very good deal.
I went to Cato University 2009. It was pretty good; I really want to go to Mises University, but I don’t know how much a plane ticket to Alabama will cost and I don’t want to apply for the scholarship (for the actual seminar) and then be told that I am to go to Spain for the summer. The worst part is that I want to go to the seminars held by the Juan de Mariana institute in Aranjuez, but I am not positive that I will be in Spain at that time. So, I’m guessing I’m just going to be screwed out of luck and I’m not going to any of these events. [:P]
I went to Mises U this last summer. It was definately an amazing opportunity. I go to meet all the staff of the Mises Institute and many of the contributors. I even got to meet Jeffrey Tucker’s kids. They dress just as sharp as their pops. You meet some really great people who you get along with way better than you’d think. The speeches were awesome. You feel a lot more connected and inspired while you are there. It can be disheartening battling the forces of statism alone, and its great to meet people who are in the fight with you.
Plane ticket for me from LAX to ATL was about 300 bucks. You should just apply for both scholarships. If you get in and cant go you just tell them you cant go and your spot goes to someone else.