China’s Copper Caper Threatens America

Return to Order China’s Copper Caper Threatens America

World copper prices are tumbling again and fingers are pointing at China’s ailing financial system. China is sitting upon huge stockpiles of copper that it uses not as a commodity but a financial instrument. This copper scheme that has seen price drop forty to fifty cents a pound since January is a good example of … Read more

What is Planned Obsolescence?

Return to Order What is Planned Obsolescence? 1

Though often cited as inventing the concept of planned obsolescence, American industrial designer Brooks Stevens actually only popularized the term. The expression is generally understood to mean the practice of artificially shortening product lifecycle with the intention of getting people to buy new replacement products sooner. A product with a limited useful life soon becomes … Read more

3 Ways Obamacare Will Destroy Medicine

Return to Order 3 Ways Obamacare Will Destroy Medicine 1

Reasons Why Obamacare Must be Opposed from a Return to Order Perspective Of all the reasons to oppose the Affordable Care Act, popularly labeled Obamacare, one stands out: the soulless nature of the law. It is ironic that a system that claims to be so humane in its intention would be so inhuman in its … Read more

Cure for our Speed Fetish – Organic Christian Society

Return to Order A Textbook Example of Frenetic Intemperance 2

 by Roark Mitzell.  I find a certain reckless spirit inside our modern economy in which it seems everyone wants to throw off legitimate restraints and gratify disordered passions – and do so quickly. I am not alone in my assessment. In his book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where … Read more

When Craftsmanship Prevailed

Return to Order How Should We Judge Products? 1

The idea of craftsmanship has long languished as the standard of quantity has prevailed. Products are more often judged by how many can be produced in a given time rather than the quality of the product and the excellence of the skills employed. Sociologist Richard Weaver writes that it was the concept of perfect execution … Read more

Hurry Up and Buy

Return to Order Hurry Up and Buy 2

By Gary Isbell. One of the big problems with modern economy is the constant attempt to take the human element out of the equation and speed up the process of trade. Speed and frenzied economic activity are aspects of modern economy that are justly criticized in the book Return to Order: From Frenzied Economy to … Read more

How Social Bonds Drives Markets

Return to Order What Makes a Product “Local?” 2

It is commonly thought that advertising is the key to creating demand. While advertising does make known the availability of products, it is often not the reason why people buy. People tend to buy from people. Sociologist David Halpern notes that social networks are very important in driving markets: “Even in the high-tech world of … Read more

Why the State Cannot Substitute the Family

Return to Order Why the State Cannot Substitute the Family 1

The State can never substitute the family especially in the formation of children. Sociologist Carle Zimmerman notes that “the parent who prevents a baby from swallowing a safety pin, keeps him from high places, warns a child daily about crossing the street” and other protective functions, “does more protecting of a family member than the … Read more

“Something that Guides Us Back” — Amy Godfrey

Return to Order Praise for Return to Order Talk

By Amy Godfrey. “I’m looking forward to reading this book because I have seen our country change constantly during my lifetime, and think we really need to find something that guides us back to where we’re supposed to be. I’m excited about what this book may have to offer.”