Who are the monkeys? In the context of this book, a monkey is defined as a person who chooses to collectively seize, by unearned means, the property, material or intellectual, temporal or spiritual, of its rightful owner. The means employed may be fiat, guilt, force, theft, fraud, subterfuge, or anything other than a willing and negotiated exchange of value.
In our modern world, each person is given the opportunity to make a conscious choice whether to be monkeys or men. Conspicuously absent from this definition is race, birth, gender, heritage, cultural influences, or any factor other than that singular deliberate decision.
Some of the book is autobiographical, and provides my personal experiences that led to the conclusions in the book. At one time, I thought I might be way off base about these ideas, but when many of my clients and customers, out of many thousands, began to reveal similar concerns, I knew I was on-target.
Selected Excerpts from “Starving the Monkeys”
Chapter 1, Enthusiasm to Attack
“My (Naval Academy) ranking had been weighed down somewhat by those dirty sinks and the occasional wrinkled trouser …”
Chapter 2, Who Should Read This Book
Essentially, anyone who doesn’t want to be like the clanging toy monkey on the cover.
Chapter 3, Fundamental Concepts
“(Ayn Rand) was also wrong about her understanding of the nature of collectives. In (Atlas Shrugged), the collective responds to the heros of the story in an almost childishly gentle way.”
Chapter 4, Caveman Capitalism™
“… As it turns out, money flows to specific places just as water will find its own level by flowing downhill. Or at least until someone builds a money dam upstream of you …”
Chapter 5, Prancing Rabbits
“This episode touched me deeply…”
Chapter 6, The Font of Value
“Energy is the foundation of civilization, and liquid fuel the key pillar in that foundation. So, if one wanted to bring that civilization to its knees a good path to follow would be …”
Chapter 7, The Shamans
“And so, the most successful barbarian kings soon realized that it was essential to cut the bond between a man and God. This division would leave the man with no authority to which to turn but to the king himself …”
Chapter 8, From Force or Fraud
“But this new brand of theft was different. This kind took advantage of the peacefulness and sense of fairness of the victim, that very peacefulness that was his strength in trade …”
Chapter 9, A Tribe Consumed
“Once his position was assured, walled in safely by regulations that prevented competition by the small, Brokerog could now manipulate the normally good effects of a free market …”
Chapter 10, Employment Trends
“Many jobs seem like they create original value, but in fact they merely cleverly conceal a regulatory compliance role …”
Chapter 11, Math and Science
Tips for learning math and science for the non-technical, and new perspectives on math and science for the STEM readers.
Chapter 12, Scholarship and Sadi Carnot
What scholarship is, and isn’t, and how to tell the difference.
Chapter 13, The Idea Factory
“To start a bubble session, treat yourself to some creature comforts …”
Chapter 14, Organizational Value
“… the true creative individualist sees (his) role in the organization as a facilitator of creativity. In contrast, the collectivist chooses to perform as a gatekeeper, limiting access to resources required to unleash creativity …”
Chapter 15, Entrepreneurial Success
Classical and modern definitions and strategies for entrepreneurship.
Chapter 16, On International Relations
“I would much rather our ambassadors be shot-up Marines that are missing parts, including things that are obvious as you reach for a crepe …”
Chapter 17, Waco and Other Texas Wackos
“But at that moment I was ashamed to be protecting the people that would do that …”
Chapter 18, The Drug War
“(As) a Marine officer in war I sat in the desert … (and I realized) that President George Herbert Walker Bush was a worm. And that he was only one of the many … for whom understanding of or respect for the Constitution eludes …”
Chapter 19, Gun Control
“Sure enough, after (my Marine unit) arrived (in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm) we were denied ammunition by the local logistics officer …”
Chapter 20, Smoke Filled Rooms
“Curiously, the founding fathers themselves sowed the seeds of our destruction …”
Chapter 21, Cho
“Throughout the land, injustice serves as a means for the masses of the weak to detect and attack the strong …”