How I discovered Objectivism, and why

My curiosity in the field of energy turned out to have a much bigger influence than I ever expected.

A staunch supporter of new technology, I always trusted nuclear power as the most advanced way to produce energy.

Enter Alex Epstein and his book tour in 2014, and when I heard his pitch for “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels“ at CATO, I immediately understood that I knew little to nothing about coal, oil and natural gas, and their importance to modern society.

Listening to Alex’s past “Power Hour“ episodes, I heard him mention the ideas and writings of Ayn Rand, and especially “Atlas Shrugged“. With the power of the internet, a few good online searches, and plenty of great content available online, the jump to Yaron Brook and his show, the Ayn Rand Institute website and online Campus courses made me realize that I was missing a fundamental part of knowledge to complete my life: philosophy. And that philosophy, the “Philosophy for Living on Earth”, is Ayn Rand’s Objectivism.

It’s been five years now, and I am happy to have become a student of Objectivism, thanks to my interest in energy, my curiosity, and the guidance of a master of human flourishing, Alex Epstein.

This is why this book dedication, signed by Alex when I met him in person at OCON 2018, is so important for me. Thank you, Alex, you have changed my life in a way neither you nor I could imagine!

Alex Epstein’s book dedication signed on July 3rd 2018 at OCON in Laguna Beach, California.

Discussion on “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels” Toastmasters speech

Thank you for taking the time to visit this blog post about the presentation on “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels” that I delivered at the EPFL-Unil Toastmasters Club on August 29th 2017.

I would also like to thank Alex Epstein for the new information he has working on for the past 10 years, information that inspired me and allowed me to broaden my views.

This is the link to video on YouTube, with the slides embedded in the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOdWTRMCWI8

Here are some useful resources in order to grow your knowledge in the way Alex Epstein and I think about the importance of energy and human flourishing.

The blog post with the introduction to my speech:
http://lucaberta.com/mcff-intro

My speech on January 5th 2016 on the amazing decline in climate-related deaths from 1900 to 2010:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25j5O2C99o

Alex Epstein guest of the Glenn Beck Show, a very good interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqHB0X_r_Kw

Alex Epstein speech at Google, a fundamental inspiration and source of content for my speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6b7K1hjZk4

Alex Epstein guest of The Rubin Report on the Climate Change Debate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJmL9hRrpIQ

Alex Epstein’s book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Case-Fossil-Fuels-ebook/dp/B00INIQVJA/

The website of the book, where you can also download for free the first chapter:
http://www.moralcaseforfossilfuels.com/

Any feedback on my presentation, my ideas, and the reference model created by Alex Epstein which I also endorsed in my presentation is more than welcome. Please feel free to discuss it in the comments below or on Facebook.

@johanknorberg in “Power to the People”, a must see documentary on energy

Yesterday I came across a very good link to the “Free To Choose TV” website, which I had never heard before. And what a great positive surprise this was!

This website hosts many different documentaries on topics I like such as economics and economic inequality, energy, freedom and history.

The documentaries are all free to watch, and in fact the website links to the YouTube videos which are free to be linked directly to, for easier consumption of the content on any device.

This evening I had some spare time, and I decided to watch the energy documentary “Power to the People” written and conducted by Johan Norberg, who currently works at The Cato Institute.

Norberg is the author of the book “Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future” which was also featured in a very interesting book presentation event at Cato.

What I did not know is that Norberg had also worked in the energy field by creating the documentary “Power to the People”, which is a must-see for anyone who is interested in understanding more about energy, not only on the technical domain, but also for the economics involved with energy harnessing, production and distribution, and the impact of energy poverty on the communities which to this day still do not have access to electricity.

The documentary has a very negative view of the infamous German “Energiewende” and its damaged imposed to the society, including the loss of private and historic property due to increasing need to rely on lignite coal in Germany, after the inexplicable decision to shut down perfectly healthy nuclear power plants there due to a tsunami on the eastern coast of Japan.

Do yourself a favour. Watch it. You will understand energy a whole lot more than what you do today.

The impending failure of the German Energiewende

A nice article which shows how the German government has cornered itself by hastily shutting down an important number of nuclear power plants due to the tsunami scare in Japan (as if Germany is subject to tsunamis, right Ms Merkel?).

It’s interesting to read now Sigmar Gabriel being concerned about economic matters, when all he has done has been to push for more unreliable “green renewables” to come online in Germany. Gabriel now says:

“When we’re talking about the future of coal I would advise being less ideological about it and to focus more on climate goals and the economic consequences”

Funny backtrack, isn’t it? I would not be surprised if the remaining nuclear power plants will be left running, and the one who have been stopped will be brought back online in the future.

Moreover, Gabriel confirms the use I make of the term “unreliables” when referring to the “green renewables” such as wind and solar:

“We need to be aware of what is needed to have a stable energy supply”

Oh well, Herr Gabriel, have you figured it out just now?

Article well worth reading.

http://www.worldenergynews.com/News/germany-warns-against-rushed-coal-exit-639092

Ayn Rand and The Anti-Industrial Revolution

I have come across, by pure coincidence, a truly remarkable speech by Ayn Rand from 1970, where she had already seen in the future we are living in now.

This lady had amazing powers of observation, and in the initial part of this speech she describes a dystopian world which, for some, is almost like today. Unfortunately.

Truly worth listening to, time will fly very fast, though some bitter taste will remain in your mouth, if you really care for what’s at stake here.

Thanks to Ayr Rand Institute’s Keith Lockitch and Amanda Maxham for the “thank you” to “the nearest, grimiest, sootiest smokestack” they had in this good podcast, also worth listening to. They are responsible for introducing me to this Ayn Rand’s speech, and I am very thankful for this.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yaronbrook/2015/04/22/the-climate-science-article-greenpeace-doesnt-want-you-to-read

Patrick Moore on the Tom Woods Show

Another very interesting interview on the Tom Woods Show, with guest Dr. Patrick Moore, one of the founders of Greenpeace.

Dr_Patrick_Moore

Dr. Moore explains the evolution of the group he funded back in the 1970s, and the reasons that led him to leave a group that had become way too politicized for his liking.

http://tomwoods.com/podcast/ep-559-greenpeace-co-founder-repudiates-organization/

Judith Curry on the Tom Woods Show

Tom Woods is a famous person in the libertarian and Austrian Economics circles.

This time Tom ventured in a bit of a different domain than his normal one, and had as guest Dr. Judith Curry, a famous scientist in the “climate change” debate, who has been labeled a “heretic” for her dissenting views to the mainstream.

A good interview, not technical and very enjoyable for anyone.

http://tomwoods.com/podcast/ep-555-a-climate-heretic-speaks-out/