Germany is often lauded as an economic powerhouse. I often encounter foreigners who have an almost comical perception of Germany. They praise German engineering, Germany’s leading role in European politics, the (currently) very low level of unemployment, and sometimes even stereotypically German character traits, such as being conscientious, hard-working, reliable, and punctual. Reality is a… Continue reading Book Review: Germany’s Hidden Crisis by Oliver Nachtwey

Why (Poor) People Buy Luxury Goods

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019 Aaron S. Elias6 Comments

I’ve gotten quite some entertainment out of T.M. Scanlon’s book “Why Does Inequality Matter?”, as it so potently albeit involuntarily shows the utterly myopic thinking of the liberal white educated suburbanite. He cracked me up when he referred to a statement by a poor black woman (p. 30-31) about why she has to have luxury… Continue reading Why (Poor) People Buy Luxury Goods

Life

Prejudices are Generally Correct

January 21, 2019January 21, 2019 Aaron S. Elias5 Comments

One of the books I’m currently reading is T.M. Scanlon’s “Why Does Inequality Matter?”. That guy is supposedly one of the most eminent philosophers alive. Yet, the book is full of shoddy thinking. I don’t know, maybe that is a hallmark of contemporary academic philosophy. The issues you would wish him to probe into he… Continue reading Prejudices are Generally Correct

Family · Society

A Conversation with a Baby Boomer

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 Aaron S. EliasLeave a comment

Back when I used to go out a lot, I sometimes ended up in conversations with random guys in clubs and bars. I won’t pretend that all of those were great conversations and that I did not excuse myself early on more often than not. However, sometimes you end up talking with someone who gives… Continue reading A Conversation with a Baby Boomer

Men · Society

Fix your Finances in a Few Easy Steps

January 14, 2019April 4, 2020 Aaron S. Elias2 Comments

I once dated a woman who had seemingly no financial literacy. She had a decent job, but at the end of the month, all her money was gone. Part of it was due to her downright absurd habit of going on an online shopping spree when there was “too much money” in her bank account,… Continue reading Fix your Finances in a Few Easy Steps

Economics · Men · The Working World

Book Review: Men Without Work by Nicholas Eberstadt

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019 Aaron S. Elias7 Comments

One of the more interesting books I recently read is Men Without Work: America’s Invisible Crisis (2016) by Nicholas Eberstadt who is associated with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). In around 150 pages, Eberstadt thoroughly spreads out what should be a prime issue in US labor policy. Yet, as so often, the fate of men… Continue reading Book Review: Men Without Work by Nicholas Eberstadt

Life

The Dignity of Suicide

January 10, 2019January 10, 2019 Aaron S. Elias6 Comments

I am close to the halfway point of my life but probably a few years away still. I am far from being suicidal. Yet, as my age increases I do wonder how and when my life shall end. In my 20s, my rough plan was that I would take my exit when I am 50,… Continue reading The Dignity of Suicide

Society

The Decline of Collective Intelligence in Germany: Frankfurt Airport

January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 Aaron S. Elias1 Comment

I am currently reading the book Cognitive Capitalism: Human Capital and the Wellbeing of Nations by Heiner Rindermann, which is a tour de force through the topic of differences in intelligence, as measured by IQ, in a global context. One of the more interesting points he raised is that there are countries where a supposedly… Continue reading The Decline of Collective Intelligence in Germany: Frankfurt Airport

Aaron S. Elias

Commentary for Rational Men

Month: January 2019

Book Review: Germany’s Hidden Crisis by Oliver Nachtwey