A Christmas List for the Individualist Camp

Mindful of subjective valuation, and with all respect to Mr. Conger, here is an attempt at a list of our own.

  1. Beyond Good & Evil for XBox, GameCube, PS2, and Windows. I know books should come before video games, but Christmas is for the kids, right? BG&E follows the adventures of Jade, a young woman from the planet Hyllis, who becomes involved in a rebel movement to expose a conspiracy within Hyllis’ government tied to attacks on the planet by a mysterious alien force. It is an action/adventure game in the same vein as the Legend of Zelda series, but with a much deeper (and timely) story involving corruption, politics, and the ultimate power of a free press. Recommended for Teens and above.
  2. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town for Game Boy Advance. What is essentially a farm simulation becomes a great lesson in economics as you utilize you're know-how of efficiency, decision-making, and time-preference to bring a profit to your farm. There are only so many hours in the day to work between sunrise and sundown, so effective use of time is crucial. Whether you're planting and tending to the crops, or ignoring crops to focus on your farm animals – it all comes down to making decisions on how to use your time effectively. The game is open-ended, and even contains the possibility for romance as you try to woo one of the many belles' in town. Recommended for Everyone. Be sure to keep your eyes out for Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, coming to the GameCube in January '04.
  3. Speaking of Liberty by Llewellyn Rockwell. Burt Blumert gives us a little insight into the book: "This is Rockwell at his best. The Rockwell who muffles ‘loud-mouthed’ statist, talk-show hosts. The Rockwell who turns commie environmentalists green. The Rockwell who is quick and funny – and deadly – when tossed into the lion's den. The Rockwell who brings a steel-edged consistency to the defense of liberty. Speaking of Liberty IS pure Rockwell."
  4. The Myth of National Defense edited by Hans-Herman Hoppe. Eleven chapters by top libertarian scholars on the market provision of security. Includes essays by Luigi Marco Bassani & Carlo Lottieri, Walter Block, Jörg Guido Hülsmann, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, and Joseph R. Stromberg.
  5. Man, Economy, and State, Scholar's Edition by Murray Rothbard. Read it.
  6. The Illusion of Victory: America in World War I by Thomas Fleming. This book is too important to miss.
  7. Red Ryder BB Gun. As Benton Enomoto says: "Shooting a Daisy teaches you discipline. And discipline makes you a champion."
  8. Kapowwe M-60 Toy Machine Gun. It is getting harder and harder to find toy machine guns. But, take a look at Realistic Toy Guns, "your friendly neighborhood toy gun dealer," for a variety of Uzi's, M-16's, AR-15's, MP5-A4's, AK-47's, and even grenade launchers.
  9. Toyota Prius to reduce your dependency on oil. I (Justin) know I would get immense pleasure and satisfaction knowing I would not have to make as many trips to the gas station.
  10. Where is the Love CD-Single by The Black Eyed Peas. Wow, a hip hop song with a good message. KRS One is not alone in the world after all.
  11. A new suit, special thanks to Jeffrey Tucker's Austrian Eye for the Civilized Guy.
  12. Peace on earth and amnesty from taxation. Maybe we should start here.
  13. Donate to LRC to keep it going all year round.
  14. Synthetic diamonds for the lady in your life, and to help bring down the De Beers monopoly while you're at it. Available from Apollo Diamond or Gemesis.
  15. You Can't Take It With You DVD, directed by Frank Capra. A true classic based on the 1937 Pulitzer Prize winning play by Moss Hart and George Kaufman. Capra reportedly described the play as one “whose witchery was so entrancing, wild horses couldn’t have dragged [him] away from the final curtain.” Lionel Barrymore addresses God at the dinner prayer as “sir” and speaks eloquently on why it is great to be alive. Moreover, an anti-tax message, hilarious antics, and showcasing the unrivaled talents of Jean Arthur.
  16. Gold coins from Bert Blumert's Camino Coin.
  17. City of God DVD. A rarity in today's world, a really good movie. Obviously, it didn't come out of Hollywood. Co-directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, it is a stunning portrayal of the violence and desolation in the "favelas" outside Rio.
  18. Signed, first edition of Human Action by Ludwig von Mises.
  19. Red wine for your health. Maybe a Burgundy, a Bordeaux, or a St. Emilion; but perhaps you'd be wise to stick to wines from a harsher climate, packed with more reservatrol.
  20. An island, not too far from civilization, to embark on a pure market experiment and show the world how it is done.

Happy Festivus, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Merry Kwanzaa, and a Happy New Year!

December 1, 2003