Australian. BA, majors in English Lit(Cultural Studies) and Political Science.

Cultural Studies academics were Frankfurt School Marxists, with a few Post-modern pretensions(I don’t think they really understood Foucault.) Political Science Academics were generally small government folks. Fans of John Stuart Mill, Locke, Hobbes, and Machiavelli.

One of my most interesting units was a political science class with a guy who was heavily into Game Theory, applying market principles to culture and society at large. One theory he related(not sure if it was original) was about how to address car accidents. He thought that if you really want to reduce accidents, rather than introducing more and more legislation on speed limits, and safety features like seat belts and air bags, the government should remove all safety devices and make a sharpened steel spike in the middle of the steering wheel mandatory. If the driver knows they will be impaled and die instantly if they have an accident they will take more care on the roads. In short, the COST of careless driving is increased. He was a nice guy, with a wild haired hippie presentation, but was very much about consequences for actions. He also commented once that if he saw $50 lying on the ground he wouldn't pick it up, because he knew that,logically, it wouldn't be there.

In short, I place my trust in the market to regulate society, more than a group of chosen individuals.

In my personal life, I have a strong interest in Theravada Buddhist philosphy and psychology, and meditate daily. I have never read a book or heard a talk by the 14th Dalai Lama.