The Voluntary Life

Harry Browne's book, "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree world" had a huge influence on me. This episode examines the subject of one chapter in that book: freedom from pretence. I explore Harry's suggestions about finding freedom from pretence, and then provide my own thoughts on the topic.

Show Notes:

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• How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne
• Self-Deception - Episode 202 of The Voluntary Life
• Getting Real: 10 Truths Skills You Need to Live an Authentic Life by Susan Campbell - Episode of the Psychology Book Club Podcast

How free are you? This episode is about a thought-provoking story by the philosopher Robert Nozick called "The Tale of the Slave". It is taken from his book "Anarchy, State, and Utopia."

Show Notes:

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• Anarchy, State, and Utopia: Second Edition by Robert Nozick

This episode is about some interesting opportunities that I am currently exploring for living in Portugal and Spain as an expat. I outline some of the potential benefits of Portugal's Non-Habitual Resident Scheme and Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa scheme. These residency options are particularly relevant for digital nomads. Depending on where you are from, one of these two countries could be a good option for you. I'm still learning about this and I may not know all the relevant issues yet, so if you are interested in pursuing these options you will still need to look into the details and get professional advice.

Show Notes:

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• TVL Episode 58 on Emigrating in Europe

This episode is about the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and whether or not there is anything useful in his work for those interested in finding individual freedom. I've read some great Nietzsche quotes about finding freedom in life. At the same time, he has a reputation for being very authoritarian and anti-individualistic, and he is known to have been a major philosophical influence on Nazism. So what did he really think about individual freedom?

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Show Notes:

• Nietzsche and The Nazis by Stephen Hicks

"Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill is a well-known and influential book about wealth and personal development. The topics covered by this book are very relevant to The Voluntary Life, so I wanted to read this book to see why it is so famous. I share my thoughts about the book in this review.

Show Notes:

• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• TVL Patreon Page

Stephanie Murphy and I discuss a thought-provoking video by Daniel Mackler about the question: Are You Ready to Have Children?

Show Notes:

• "Are You Ready to Have Children? - Challenging Questionnaire For Prospective Parents" by Daniel Mackler
• TVL Patreon Page

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This is the second part of a review of Alfie Kohn's book, Punished by Rewards. This episode addresses the idea of incentive schemes in business and evaluates Kohn's claims in his book.

Show Notes:

• Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn
• TVL Patreon Page
• TVL 328 Punished By Rewards Part 1
• Drive by Dan Pink

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I found Alfie Kohn's book, Punished by Rewards, both interesting and frustrating to read. Some ideas in the book are great, and I also have some significant criticisms.

Part 1 of the review, in this episode, discusses the topic of rewards and punishment in parenting and schooling. Part 2 will tackle incentives in business in the next episode.

Show Notes:

• Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn
• TVL Patreon Page
• TVL 244 Thinking Rationally Part 2: Imaginary Creatures and Machines
• Instead of Education by John Holt
• TVL review of Instead of Education by John Holt
• Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordon

This episode is an interview with someone who's been involved in financing many famous Silicon Valley startups. Warren Hogarth was a partner at Sequoia Capital and now runs his own finance business, Empower. In this interview he gives an insider take on the pros and cons of venture capital for entrepreneurs.

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Show Notes:

• Sequoia Capital
• Empower Finance
• Term Sheet Templates and Examples for entrepreneurs

Jim Rohn was an influential figure in the fields of personal development and financial independence. This episode is a discussion of his ideas including his book, My Philosophy For Successful Living.

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