Friday Hodgepodge

Blog Roundup

1. I am looking forward to hearing Amesh Adalja's interview about the corona virus with Harry Binswanger, which is available in audio form via Binswanger's Value for Value blog:

In one of the best "Meeting of the Minds" sessions ever, Dr. Adalja gives crisp, black-and-white answers to the questions that are on everyone's mind but are rarely dealt with in the shockingly inept reporting on the virus. Includes discussion of the harm wreaked by authoritarian governments in their heavy-handed response to the virus.

The interview clocks in at under an hour, which strikes me as perfect for a commute or errand-running.

Update: I listened to this during lunch and very highly recommend it. Specifically, it (1) does a good job of explaining why many people think they are getting "mixed messages" about the virus (i.e., low personal risk vs. high death counts), (2) notes that governments inappropriately responding to the outbreak are probably more dangerous to most people than the virus itself, (3) addresses issues related to personal preparedness, and (4) discusses such things as degrees and timing  of illness and contagiousness among the infected.

Bonus1: I did not know until I listened to this that measles, which anti-vaxxers are bringing back, lingers in the air much longer than many other airborne illnesses.

Bonus 2: During my update, a commenter recommended the following, available on Youtube: "Coronavirus Lecture With Dr. Amesh Adalja, Johns Hopkins Senior Scholar, Tepper Alumnus."

2. I agree with Brian Phillips of the Texas Institute for Property Rights that Bernie Sanders is a crusader for injustice:

To take from those who have produced to give to those who have not is nothing more than theft. And there is nothing just about theft.

That Sanders is a serious candidate for President speaks volumes about the current state of the political Left in the United States. But even more sad is the fact that he proclaims that he is fighting for justice and isn't laughed off the stage.

Also, for any Houstonians passing by: The Z-word is back in circulation.

3. At the blog of the Center for Industrial Progress, Alex Epstein has written a white paper about what he calls the "ESG dilemma:"

If you don't comply with ESG [Environmental, Social, Governance --ed] requests you can see your ESG score suffer and make it harder for investors to support you.

But if you do comply, you can reinforce the belief that your industry is a bad long-term bet and leave yourself vulnerable to shareholder activists who say that your commitments to reducing your impact on the planet can't be squared with your continued expansion of oil and gas projects.

The good news? There is a way to address investor concerns about the future of your industry and protect your ESG score without conceding that your industry is rapidly transitioning to extinction -- and without becoming a lightning rod for controversy.

If your company or one you work with is wrestling with this problem, you might want to bring this post to someone's attention there.

The Selecter, performing "Too Much Pressure."

4. Over at Thinking Directions is a thought-provoking and valuable discussion of urgency vs. pressure:

Whichever way it occurs, pressure results in a state of reduced mental functioning. To put it simply, the problem of pressure is the problem of experiencing urgency that motivates you in two incompatible directions. That is the problem that needs to be addressed. Ultimately, the solution for eliminating pressure is to align your values so that all motivation is pointed in the same direction.

Urgency that motivates you in one direction is not a problem. When you have one clear purpose, and a sense of urgency to act, you forge ahead toward your goals. In fact, I would argue that you need some sense of urgency in order to act at all. Urgency is the mover in motivation.

Whether you think you need pressure to get things done or (like me) become very annoyed when others try to "motivate" you by pressure, I recommend reading the whole thing.

-- CAV

Updates

Today: (1) Added an update to Item 1. (2) Added a missing URL to Item 4.