Steven Horwitz
This has been making its way around Facebook and other parts of the Austrian and libertarians online worlds, so I figured it was time to post it here. There's a small part of me that finds this utterly bizarre, but most of me finds it utterly charming and wonderful. It's worth noting that the lyrics are actually quite good from a Hayek scholar's perspective (not nearly as sophisticated as "Fear the Boom and Bust" but still good).
The more important thing, though, is that when Pete, Dave and I were in grad school (aside from the fact that smart, talented, committed, and beautiful libertarian women were nearly non-existent), I don't think we ever could have imagined that 25 years later we'd live in a world where Hayek raps and love songs were part of the cultural and intellectual mix. I am continually inspired by the increasing number of young people passionately committed to Austrian economics, Hayekian social theory, and libertarianism who are using new media to get these ideas across in creative and substantive ways. Dorian Electra is just the latest, and I'm sure far from the last, in that growing number.
Despite the fact that we've tried to use this blog to emphasize the scholarly conversation in which the work of Mises and Hayek and others sits, we should also recognize the ways in which those ideas have begun to spread into the broader world. And we should also recognize how that "spread" is reflective of the progress we've made with these ideas, at least with young people. Videos like this and what John and Russ are doing are exactly what is needed. Pete's 50 year plan is perhaps ahead of schedule!
Amazing. But we would have seen similar things as early as the late 1960s had the technology been available. At the time and into the '70s there were mimeographed newsletters (the best was "Counterpoint"), organizations being formed, college groups, etc. I have no doubt that if *only* those people could be transported in time you would see videos, etc. (Murray Rothbard used to "perform" operas in his living room!)
The true test of whether this means a real social impact is the relative activity in comparison with other groups, ideologies. It is easier for *everyone* to make "movies," have podcasts, articles on line and so forth.
I do not venture a guess whether in relative terms there has been significant cultural penetration.
My general impression is that we have a fickle cultural atmosphere for the vast majority. There are also more polarized and informed extremes.
Whether what we are seeing in our part of the world is anything more than a very self-satisfying amusememt I do not know. Regardless, we must continue.
Posted by: Mario Rizzo | December 27, 2010 at 09:34 PM
ROFL at the video!
Posted by: anon | December 28, 2010 at 05:53 AM
This is cool. I sense a little Sara Bareilles influence. BTW--to shake the memory tree a little. I believe that I wrote, co-produced (in my freind's recording studio), and performed the first Austrian rap song back in 1985--The Market Process Shuffle. It was a pretty big hit around the CSMP at the time. I must have a cassette copy somewhere.
Posted by: Roy Cordato | December 28, 2010 at 07:56 AM
Roy is right, but this was before video!!! I am sure I have a cassette somewhere, but it was awesome.
Roy also was a famous DC area personality for his wrestling commentary.
Some of us our born with multiple talents -- Roy Cordato is one of them!
Best wishes for a wonderful 2011 to Roy and his family, and may we all experience more of the market process shuffle on the path to peace and prosperity.
Pete
Posted by: Peter Boettke | December 28, 2010 at 08:22 AM
Pete, Steve, Roy, so nice to know that Dorian's song is a hit with the old GMU gang. You all had a part in the production of this song, actually. Each of you had an impact on me as students in the Center for the Study of Market Processes. Our many colloquiums and readings groups together forged me intellectually. Dorian was one of my economics students the last three years of high school. Pete, she was in the same class as Daniel Cuervo who interned with you. He is now studying with me at UFM here in Guatemala. She is at Shimer in Chicago. Dorian really is the result of the work of CSMP of the 1980s.==Bert Loan
Posted by: Albert Loan | December 29, 2010 at 01:19 AM
Roy,
MP3 to the market process shuffle pretty please?
Dan
Posted by: Daniel J. D'Amico | December 29, 2010 at 02:38 PM
"There's a small part of me that finds this utterly bizarre."
After seeing Lew Rockwell advertising anti-psychiatry videos from a front for Scientology, I would say this video is a fresh breath of air that hasn't been tainted by corruption.
Posted by: Dialogist | December 29, 2010 at 06:08 PM
Now all I need is a theater willing to perform my plays. :-)
Posted by: Troy Camplin | December 30, 2010 at 02:09 AM
Troy,
All you need is actors and a video camera.
Posted by: hsearles | December 30, 2010 at 05:16 PM
Are your teeth in good shape (and very white)?
Posted by: Rafe Champion | December 30, 2010 at 11:15 PM
Hmmm. This is true . . . Must learn to think inside the internet
Posted by: Troy Camplin | December 31, 2010 at 01:56 AM
"After seeing Lew Rockwell advertising anti-psychiatry videos from a front for Scientology"
Where can I see that?
Posted by: Classical liberal | January 02, 2011 at 03:02 PM
You guys have discussed Mirowski before, so here's a heads up:
http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/pinpointing-the-cause-of-the-economic-crisis/
Posted by: TGGP | January 03, 2011 at 12:52 AM
If I'm not mistaken this young lady attends(attended) a local Montessori high school (School of the Woods) here in Houston, where there is a coterie of Austro-libertarian students as influenced by a few teachers there (and a gaggle of them apparently were taken to a recent Austrian Scholars Conference at the Mises Institute in Auburn). Another testament to the Montessori method.
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I personally support the right to same-sex marriage, but I'm a realist: I know that it will likely be a long, long time before the majority of states have decided to recognize same-sex marriages.
However, it would be in everybody's interest for all states to grant divorces to same-sex couples married in other states.
From a purely economic perspective, letting same-sex couples divorce and move on with their lives would allow the individuals involved to pursue their careers with fewer distractions, and it would allow them to split up any jointly-owned property in an orderly fashion, which would, in turn, lead to them making productive use of it, or sell it. That has to be more economically efficient than tying the property up in a few years of legal disputes.
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