The Caplan-Khan Culture Convo
In this episode, host Brian interviews Razeeb Khan, a first‑generation Bangladeshi American, tracing his cultural odyssey from Bangladesh to upstate New York, Oregon, California, and finally Texas. They discuss how language, class, and identity shifted across these moves, and then pivot to a deep dive into cultural evolution, comparing it to biological evolution and noting its faster pace, stronger selection, and pronounced between‑group differences. Khan also shares his perspective on whether evolution—biological or cultural—is trending toward greater complexity, touching on brain size, technological civilization, and the stability of major religions versus emerging secular ideologies. The conversation wraps with reflections on assimilation, using a 0‑100 scale to gauge how “American” versus “Bangladeshi” Khan feels, highlighting the nuanced, often rapid, integration of immigrant identities in the U.S.
Bet On It Book Club: For a New Liberty, Chapter 9
In Chapter 9 of *For a New Liberty*, Murray Rothbard argues that inflation and business cycles stem from government‑driven money creation, not business greed. He links rising consumer demand to expanding money supply via seigniorage and claims central‑bank rate cuts create...
LLMs and SCOTUS
The post argues that Supreme Court precedent makes AI output—specifically large language model (LLM) text—protected speech, limiting the government’s ability to regulate the AI industry. It traces the Court’s shift from the "clear and present danger" test to the "imminent...
I Think I Can Explain Trump's Theory of Trade
The post dissects Donald Trump’s contradictory trade stance, arguing he wants foreign buyers and investors to pour dollars into the United States to spur demand, regardless of conventional deficit definitions. It frames his view as a simplistic Keynesian push for...