One last push to promote my upcoming live course at ARI, Objectivism through Ayn Rand's Fiction! Official start date is Jan 8, but the 1st live meeting isn't until the following week--so there's still time to enroll. Use discount code Ben10 for 10% discount off tuition

Some say I'm a "Heritage American" because I have a Mayflower ancestor (the 1st one born in the New World)! But I descend from the line that fled to Canada as loyalist opponents of the Revolution. Heritage is meaningless. Americans are Americans "by choice and conviction."

RFK Jr.’s Irrational Anti-Vaccine Policies: Interview with Dr. Amesh Adalja Samantha Watkins interviews Dr. Amesh Adalja about the alarming trend of vaccine conspiracism, now not just being spread by online conspiracy theorists, but also by the leaders of the nation’s top scientific institutions.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Donald Trump is the living embodiment of tribal lone wolf type of amoralist skewered by Ayn Rand in this essay. Far from caring of nothing but himself, he has no self to care for. courses.aynrand.org/works/selfis...

Here Elan Journo and I take apart the case for war the Trump administration is ginning up against Venezuela. There’s zero self defense rationale here.

This is the course I'll be leading for ARI Live Courses (based on both my and Onkar Ghate's lectures) in January. You should join! To get a 10% discount off tuition, use the discount code Ben10.

A very important interview between Agustina Vergara Cid and Josh Windham. You'll be shocked what Trump's ICE is getting away with it, and you ought to cheer the great work the folks at IJ are doing to fight against it. youtu.be/1KEOmlA-YRo?...

Here Nikos Sotirakopoulos, Elan Journo, Onkar Ghate and I unpack the meaning of the conservative civil war about antisemitism. youtu.be/kgur8cEOpnk?...

"Defenders of the president’s new powers may seek to justify his tariffs by citing details of English history or obscure American pamphlets. But. . .they do it in a way that blatantly ignores the founders’ love for liberty and hatred of unchecked tyranny." new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/the-lawyer...

The oral arguments about Trump's tariffs exposed so many ways in which the emperor has no clothes.

Republishing another classic New Ideal piece.

Here Samantha Watkins and I dissect one of the bigger scandals of the incoming Mamdani administration that not nearly enough people are talking about. youtu.be/A1sggf9exTQ?...

Here's a discussion I had with Mike Mazza, Tristan de Liege and Professor Jim Lennox about a fascinating book on the questions in philosophy of biology that condition a naturalistic value theory

My OCR piece from earlier this week, now on Substack. new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/the-presid...

Onkar Ghate and I discuss the “bothsidesing” charge, when it makes sense and when it doesn’t. youtu.be/id3kFduLXVg?...

From me in OCR: "The president [needs] to impose powerful embargoes against specific military belligerents during declared wars. . . . [But] Trump’s tariffs. . . have been imposed indefinitely against. . . closely allied peaceful nations." www.ocregister.com/2025/11/03/t...

If you agree with the outrage over this video, over the fact that Kevin Roberts condemns antisemitism but is unwilling to condemn Tucker Carlson for platforming it, there are some lessons about the nature of justice. 🧵

Somewhat lengthier version of the piece I just published in Skeptic.

In Skeptic Magazine I ask (invoking the ghost of Epstein), “If it’s outrageous when money and power enable impunity for horrible crimes, shouldn’t it be even more outrageous when the pretense of moral authority enables someone to commit even worse crime?” www.skeptic.com/article/neve...

Lengthy but in-depth discussion of a fascinating book by @wiringthebrain.bsky.social on free will. I liked a lot about the book.

Here Nikos Sotirakopoulos, Ibis Slade, and Sam Weaver compare two very different critiques of so-called "woke" ideology (i.e. egalitarian collectivism), what we can learn from each, and why a deeper, more value-driven response is needed.

High-level summary of why "genocide" charges against Israel are absurd: 1) The paradigm case of genocide was the Holocaust. Germany was not attacked by Jews, it attacked them. vs. Israel, which was attacked by Gazans, on Oct 7 , and has been attacked relentlessly for decades.

For the Oct 7 anniversary, Tristan de Leige and I philosophically analyze -- and skewer -- the absurd claims that Israel has engaged in "genocide."

From Onkar Ghate and me in @ocropinion: "To intimidate the victim to self-censor. . . . has the advantage of giving the opponents of free speech an easy cover: they can pretend their victims are acting voluntarily." www.ocregister.com/2025/09/26/w...

Here Mike Mazza and I analyze the week’s debate about free speech and Jimmy Kimmel.

Excellent discussion of the intellectual trends that are stoking the flames of political violence in every corner of American politics.

Here Robertas Bakula and I tackle the Trump administration's morally corrupt antitrust program -- which it has borrowed unapologetically from Biden.

Here Nikos Sotirakopoulos and I challenge the stale and conventional explanations offered by thinkers on the right for the ongoing popularity of socialism.

We're happy to begin republishing some timeless New Ideal articles on the orange site, starting with this classic that informs a lot of my own writing on the subject of morality.

This is the course I help teach. We're starting again in the fall with a new and improved set of lectures. Hoping to see many of you there.

Relevant to the controversy about @genagorlin.bsky.social's tweet, here's a delightful podcast I just did with Samantha Watkins about why it sure can be rationally selfish to have kids--but there's no damn unconditional duty to do it.

The inability to embody the ideals you preach sends a powerful cognitive message to others. See a dramatical illustration in @PNikmand's story of breaking free from the shackles of Islam: outliving.substack.com/p/what-i-saw...

I enjoyed this discussion with Tristan de Liege, Robertas Bakula, and Don Watkins on the subject of a very interesting book by Ruchir Sharma.

Glad to have had this conversation recently about the dramatic injustice now being perpetrated against women -- and doctors -- in states with new abortion bans.

A medieval anti-sex attitude explains the bizarre inconsistencies in the anti-abortion policy world.

Trump vs. CBS: How Government Pressures Companies to Self-Censor Does pressure by Trump and the FCC on CBS violate a network’s First Amendment rights? Is regulatory oversight over mergers just a matter of business, or does it affect free speech rights as well? youtu.be/33MpmtvMKs0

"So for those who can’t consistently maintain the article of faith, “abortion is murder” is likely just cover for a motive very different from phony compassion for the “rights” of embryos. Their real motive is to control women’s (and men’s) sexual agency."

Great new piece by Marek Michulka and Robertas Bakula on the latest antitrust outrage, this time against Apple by Epic Games. Excellent moral clarity on the value Apple has created that's now being ruthlessly exploited. new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/how-epic-g...

Join me in just over an hour for a special July 4 event. Planning to both challenge and inspire.

My talk will explore the full depth of America’s tragic reliance on altruistic morality, and challenge everyone to work harder to declare independence from it. Join me in Boston on July 4 or online.

Last October at his event with @michaelshermer.bsky.social in SF I asked @richarddawkins.net.web.brid.gy a question about whether atheists need to do a better job advocating for a rational morality. See if you think he answered to your satisfaction (it wasn't to mine): youtu.be/3wZG0WJpu5E?...

Really intriguing episode from ARI's Samantha Watkins and philosopher @matt.kitchen

New from my colleague @brandonmlisi. Makes you wonder how many outside the United States today are in a similar position to Ayn Rand: watching our movies, dreaming of freedom and a civilized life. new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/how-cinema...

Trump called for unconditional surrender. Iran spent the day attacking American military bases. Trump did not respond but instead announced a ceasefire. Iran then spent the day lobbing missiles at Israel, now after the designated deadline. This is devastating to U.S. credibility.

The debate about whether preemptive or preventive war is justified is missing the bigger picture. Anything we do to Iran now is *retaliation* for decades of unanswered aggression.

I will give Trump credit for striking Iran’s nuclear program. But the real threat Iran poses is way broader than nukes. Hoping that Israel will continue to be the real man in the room and change the regime.

Good analysis from @elanjourno.bsky.social and Onkar Ghate, especially on the latest news from Israel/Iran.

Ayn Rand's take on #Iran in 1979.

A really excellent new article by ARI's Mike Mazza on why the recent explosion of progress in commercial space travel was made possible by government's taking steps to actually legalize it (of all things!).

ARI has long warned of the threat of Iran, and the need to take action against it.