Hoppe (Part 2): Private vs Public Government
This is a continuation of my notes on Hans Hermann Hoppe's Democracy: The God That Failed. For part 1, see here.
Hey, I'm Hirad!
A Brief CV
I'm an engineer by training, an entrepreneur by vocation, an investor by accident, and a freedom maxi in spirit.
I understand technology from the silicon up! After studying electrical engineering, I started multiple software businesses, several of which are still operating to this day.
In a past life, I co-founded Dr. Bill, which became Canada's largest medical billing service and was acquired by Canada's largest bank in 2019. I have launched multiple niche software businesses by partnering with industry experts (from universities to social media influencers) and understanding their pain points and opportunities.
Outside of business, I feed my curiosity by hosting a podcast where we explore books and ideas poised to alter perceptions of the world. Our discussions range from evolution and human genetics to the anthropological insights of David Graeber.
Recent Posts
May 4, 2024 Hoppe (Part 1): Government & Time Preference
As part of my interest in exploring ideas that might help us shift our model of governance toward something that is more aligned with civilization, human flourishing, and freedom, I'm currently reading Hans-Hermann Hoppe's Democracy: The God that Failed.
It's Trucks & Tractors or It Will Be Guillotines
Over the last week, I've been in shock over the scale of the Dutch farmers' protest. It might make the Canadian Freedom Convoy look like a weekend picnic. Canada is a big country, yet some of its key trading routes with its largest trading partner, the United States, were blocked for days by protesters. The Netherlands, it seems, is completely cut off by its farmers who have used tractors to bring the country to a halt. In solidarity with them, fishing boats have similarly blocked ports. While Schiphol airport seems functional, other airports have been closed. The goal of the farmers is "for the entire country to be paralyzed". I can't be quite certain about the details of the protest, because the second most shocking thing in the last week has been the near complete blackout in news coverage by western news media.
Advice to a Young Graduate
I was recently approached by a young graduate of computer engineering as she was struggling with deciding on a direction for her life post-graduation. Coming from an Eastern culture, she had always followed the straight and narrow path that her parents and family laid in front of her. She enrolled in computer engineering because that seemed to pay well. Now nearing graduation, she got a job offer from Amazon, and she accepted due to pressure from her family. Yet she was sitting in front of me, questioning whether following this predictable and safe path is really all there is.
How to Be Your Own Bank
I have been buying Bitcoin consistently for almost two years. I also bought a hardware wallet at some point, but I was too afraid of "being my own bank". The cryptocurrency world is rife with stories of people who lost their private keys and in turn lost access to millions of dollars' worth of Bitcoin. I figured a company like Coinbase is probably much better positioned to guard my assets than I am.