It all started with one profound question in the classroom: "How could the German people sit back while the Nazis slaughtered those around them?" Ron Jones, their history teacher, found himself at a loss for words. He didn’t have an answer—at least, not one that truly satisfied him. The question haunted him, lingering in his mind long after the class ended.But Jones wasn’t just any teacher; he was the kind of teacher every student wished for—charismatic, engaging, and deeply invested in their learning. Determined to teach them in a way they would never forget, he devised an experiment that would literally change their life—one that would challenge not only their understanding of themselves but also our collective understanding of human nature.
I’m Andres Acevedo, and this is The Market Exit. In this essay, I challenge one of the most pervasive frameworks in political discourse: the left-right spectrum. Where does it come from, and why does it continue to dominate how we think about politics today? More importantly, is it helping us understand the world—or is it just reinforcing tribalism?We’ll explore the history of the left-right spectrum, its origins during the French Revolution, and why the so-called “essentialist theory” of politics—claiming there’s a core essence to being left or right—falls apart under scrutiny. I also dive into research and examples that demonstrate how political opinions are shaped more by social conformity than by consistent ideological principles.Much of the inspiration for this essay comes from Hyrum and Verlan Lewis’s excellent book, The Myth of Left and Right, which I highly recommend if you’re curious to dive deeper into this topic.
This video is about stuff: light bulbs, printers, phones and why they aren't better.
What's the difference between a socialist, a communist, a fascist, and a Nazi? We explain the basics of all four, starting with socialism and communism. What do they mean and what did they want? Can you trust what you know about them?
Do you know how to differentiate communism, socialism, and fascism? Dennis breaks down the real differences between these three versus how the words are incorrectly thrown around.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and I both make videos about economics. But there’s one BIG difference: He’s wrong about almost everything! Reich makes ridiculous claims. He says the government’s big spending didn’t cause inflation.He says billionaires should be banned. “There are only five ways to become a billionaire. And they're all bad!” he shouts. But that’s not true. Most billionaires get rich by making all of us better off. Reich trashes global trade. But trade lets people specialize, which creates jobs and makes everything more affordable. He claims inequality is bad. Again, not true. It’s simply what happens when people are free. Here’s our new video debunking some of Reich’s ridiculous claims.
Exile. Imprisonment. The end of elections. We know what tyranny looks like once it’s underway.But how does it start?In the Opinion Video above, you’ll meet people from around the world who missed the warning signs of tyranny taking root in their home countries.They can see the red flags, in retrospect. And they have a word of caution: The rule of law doesn’t break down overnight, and checks and balances don’t collapse in an instant.Tyranny takes time.
