

A single simple idea can change the terms of a conversation. The core of “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” is that kind of idea. It shifts the paradigm. Instead of trying to explain correlations, Piketty makes testable predictions. For those who take the time to understand him, Piketty changes the way people see. (Part 5 in a series on Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century.”)

Saving Capitalism from Itself
IV. Three Cheers for Small Business
Anyone who owns a small business knows what they rely on more than anything else: customers with money in their pockets! (Part 4 in a series on Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century.”)

Oklahoma’s Favorite Son
What would The Cowboy Philosopher have to say today?
It is often said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Perhaps it should be added that without the voices of those who lived history, we are doomed to forget it.

Saving Capitalism from Itself
III. Piketty in a Nutshell
As Albert Einstein said, “Everything must be made as simple as possible. But not simpler.” Thomas Piketty may have set the world on fire with his tour de force, but simplified versions of his basic ideas are not at all hard to understand. (Part 3 in a series on Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century.”)

Saving Capitalism from Itself
II. There is No Such Thing as a Perfect System
Capitalism is not a philosophical position. Capitalism is a system. The first step in any meaningful discussion about the economy is to throw ideology overboard and instead ask, “What is a system, and how do systems behave?”
(Part 2 in a series on Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century.”)

Saving Capitalism from Itself
I. Thomas Piketty & Capitalism in the 21st Century
Thomas Piketty is largely responsible for focusing the world’s attention on the growing concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. His book, Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century is a flashpoint in that discussion. But before lining up as partisans, it might first be worth understanding his ideas.
(Part 1 in a series on Thomas Piketty’s Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century.)

Ivory Tower Burnout
The profile of the perfect faculty member reads, “most likely to burn out.”
Faculty members are a university’s most precious resource. As universities adapt to changing times, that resource is increasingly at risk. It needs to be protected – and protected from itself.

Science, Art and Beauty
The Courage it Takes to Be Human
Our experience of beauty is not an “also ran” on the list of things that make us human. I took on that question in a TEDx talk I hope you might enjoy.

Professionals Need Coaches Too
Executives use coaching to reach their full potential while maintaining balance in their lives. Professionals could learn a lot from their example.

We’re Not Living in Caves Anymore
Many of our easy habits of mind once served Humanity well, but fail us miserably in a modern, rapidly-changing world. Fortunately there are alternatives.