After listening to hundreds of podcasts offered by the Mises Institute and LewRockwell.com over the course of six months or more, I have finally encountered one that I can say is, without a doubt, my favorite one so far.
It is an hour-long speech given by a rabbi named Daniel Lapin at the 2009 Austrian Scholars Conference in Auburn, Alabama. In it, he discusses the morality of making money in a free market. He speaks from a Judeo-Christian perspective, emphasizing Judaism.
There is something about Rabbi Lapin's speech that grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go. He is an excellent speaker, but that isn't it entirely. I think it's because I'm interdisciplinary at heart, and Lapin's speech is refreshingly interdisciplinary. It bridges the gap between Austro-Libertarian theory and Judeo-Christian wisdom in what I think is a beautiful and coherent way.
A common misperception among Republicans and other non-libertarian conservatives is that libertarianism is inherently hedonistic, greedy, and devoid of morals. To be sure, some libertarians are greedy or hedonistic. But as Rabbi Lapin explains, there is nothing inherently contradictory between freedom and morality in the Judeo-Christian tradition. To the contrary, morality has everything to do with freedom.
When you get a few spare moments, take the time to listen to Rabbi Lapin's excellent speech. I think you'll be glad you did:
Daniel Lapin: It's Moral to Make Money in the Market
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I recently had a chance (finally!) to listen to Rabbi Lapin's speech. I thought it was a very well-done speech, and a very timely and appropriate topic. I especially liked how he pointed out that freedom and prosperity go hand in hand; they are essentially synonymous.
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