Everything for Nothing

The Ideology of the Intellectually Unemployed

Before getting to our Feature Attraction, a warm welcome to all the New Kids who’ve signed up for a free subscription; Major Thanks to those who went for the Paid Option and all those who mashed the “Buy Me Coffee” button. You may have noticed the price of Magic Motivation Beans have gone up and up recently so kick-starting has gotten pricey! So thanks again all around! Hopefully your generosity will become contagious. Happy Autumn! BW

And now…it’s a No Kings Weekend! Let’s expectorate!

Welcome to the Age of the Four I’s — not a Roman numeral, not a poker hand, but the four horsemen of modern dysfunction: Ignorance, Incompetence, Indifference, and Ideology.

They’re not just trending — they’re hiring. And business is booming!

We’ve got leaders and followers who don’t know, can’t do, and don’t care — but boy, do they believe. In something. Usually themselves. Or their brand. Or whatever ideology fits on a bumper sticker and sells merch.

This isn’t a crisis of policy. It’s a crisis of personality — inflated, fragile, and allergic to reality. We’ve got TED Talk tyrants and TikTok philosophers, all riding high on the Four I’s like it’s a parade float sponsored by delusion.

And the rest of us? We’re stuck watching the circus, wondering how the clowns got the keys to the tent.

Ideology: The Magnet for the Malfunctioning

Ideology isn’t born in a vacuum. It’s born in a fog — the fog of ignorance, incompetence, and indifference. Those three don’t just weaken the mind; they soften it. They make it pliable. Hungry. Desperate for meaning without the burden of thinking.

Enter Ideology — the magnet for the malfunctioning.

It doesn’t ask questions. It gives answers. Fast ones. Loud ones. Usually wrong, but who’s counting?

It’s not a philosophy. It’s a product. Prepackaged, emotionally charged, and easy to digest. No chewing required. Just swallow the slogans and join the tribe.

And the beauty of it? It flatters the infected. It tells the ignorant they’re enlightened. It tells the incompetent they’re empowered. It tells the indifferent they’re righteous. It’s the ultimate rebrand — from lost to loyal, from confused to crusader.

Ideology is the refuge of the intellectually homeless. The rallying cry of the emotionally unstable. The weapon of choice for those who mistake conviction for clarity.

And once you’re in? You’re in. Facts become optional. Logic is treason. Doubt is betrayal. Common sense is hate speech.

Socialism: The Siren Song of the 3 I Masses

Socialism promises Everything for Nothing, which is exactly what the 3 I’s want to hear.

• Ignorance doesn’t ask where the money comes from.

• Incompetence doesn’t know how to earn it.

• Indifference doesn’t care who pays.

It’s the perfect pitch: free stuff, moral superiority, and zero accountability. Just show up, shout slogans, and collect your virtue points.

But here’s the fine print — the part they don’t read because reading takes effort, and effort is oppression. The “nothing” you pay includes your freedom. Your autonomy. Your ability to say, “No thanks, I’ll earn mine.”

Because once Socialism graduates from protest signs to policy, the game changes. The promises break. The freebies vanish. And the governing body — now drunk on power and allergic to markets — starts handing out ration cards and rulebooks.

The Capitalists saw it coming. Smith warned you. Hayek mapped it. Sowell begged you to think. But thinking is hard. And ideology is easy.

So the 3 I’s march on — chanting for change, demanding justice, and unknowingly auditioning for a lifetime of managed decline.

Governing by the Four I’s Gospel

Imagine a government run entirely by the Four I’s.

The Department of Ignorance proudly announces it no longer requires facts — just feelings. History is now optional, math is oppressive, and science must be approved by a committee of TikTok influencers.

The Bureau of Incompetence rolls out a new infrastructure plan: potholes filled with hashtags, bridges built from recycled outrage, and trains that run on virtue signaling. Delays are blamed on climate change, capitalism, and the ghost of Milton Friedman.

The Office of Indifference releases its annual report: “We’re aware of the problems. We just don’t care.” Their motto? “Meh happens.”

And presiding over it all is the Ministry of Ideology — a cathedral of certainty where nuance goes to die. They issue daily commandments:

• Thou shalt not question the narrative.

• Thou shalt not read economists who use charts.

• Thou shalt not laugh at absurdity — unless it’s state-approved satire.

Citizens are encouraged to report neighbors for the transgression of independent thought. Rewards include social credit, digital hugs, and a coupon for a free tofu burger and a Winston Smith chocolate bar.

Last Call for the Still-Free Thinkers

If you’re still thinking — still questioning, still reading, still resisting the gravitational pull of the Four I’s — this is your last call.

Not to riot. Not to rage. But to remember.

Remember that freedom isn’t loud — it’s quiet. It’s the space between slogans. The pause before you retweet. The moment you ask, “Does this make sense?”

Remember that ideology is a parasite. It doesn’t need your brain — just your loyalty.

And remember that the antidote isn’t revolution. It’s restoration. Of reason. Of humility. Of the radical idea that truth isn’t a team sport.

So light your lantern. Sharpen your mind. And for the love of liberty — stay inconvenient.

BW