There is an important parable to be invoked here, Chesterton’s fence, named for turn-of-the-20th-century philosopher and writer G. K. Chesterton, the man who first described it. Chesterton’s fence urges caution in making changes to systems that are not fully understood; it is thus a concept related to the Precautionary principle. Chesterton wrote t

When polygyny is on the rise in a society, we see an increase in sexually frustrated young men who are willing to take big risks for the possibility of gaining a mate.

Do let children play without adult supervision as early and often as possible. This includes in game and sport situations…

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Consistently follow through on your promises, both positive and negative. Do not make a threat (e.g., If the screaming continues, I’m going to take away your toy.) and then not follow through. Better not to make such threats in the first place, but if you do…

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Rites of passage thus coordinate society with respect to what is expected of individuals at various stages of development, and they exist in two forms: temporal (age) and, loosely, merit (earned).

The usual rules of sex roles, then, are ones of male display and female choosiness. This stems from that long-ago difference in investment between the sexes—the large resource-rich egg and the small streamlined sperm.

The modern approach to medicine, which can broadly be characterized as reductionist, reveals itself clearly in scientism—an ill-named but important concept. The concept of scientism was introduced by 20th-century economist Friedrich Hayek.4 He observed that, too often, the methods and language of science are imitated by institutions and systems not

Resist pharmaceutical solutions for medical problems if you can. While antidepressants, antianxiety meds, and more improve some people’s lives, they are often not the best solution. Usually, there are alternatives available; many mood disorders, such as depression, are beginning to be understood by Western medicine to be treatable with diet, ample

The Corrective Lens