Welcome to my website.
Who am I?
Just a man.
And a husband.
And a father of 3.
Also a writer.
And a podcaster. (Schedule a chat.)
Sometimes a web designer.
But always a seeker of riches.
And the richness of life.
Explore what I do or have done in the menu above. (CV)
Contact me if you please.
My Latest Content 
- Reification & Groupthink (22m) – Episode 044
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 044 looks at the logical fallacy Reification and the cognitive bias Groupthink.
Listen to Episode 044 (22m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “thinking and doing”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc or PayPal.me/everythingvoluntary.
Other podcasts: “Everything Voluntary“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- ARK3 Returns, Trauma and Rage, PTSD, & Violent Parenting (1h3m) – Episode 428
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 428 welcomes back Alex R. Knight III to chat with Skyler on the following topics: finally making the connection between his former alcoholism and trauma he experienced in childhood and adolescence; accepting failure as okay, and not as shameful; post-traumatic stress disorder experienced by both of them; family disfunction and divorce; the roots of authoritarianism in violent (physically and psychologically/emotionally) parenting; laws against spanking; the effects of prolonged brain exposure to stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline; stress in infancy, such as “cry-it-out”; evolutionary reasons why kids protest bedtime; Skyler’s family bedroom; and more.
Article: “Adolf Hitler: How Could a Monster Succeed in Blinding a Nation?” by Alice Miller
Article: “Stress in Infancy” by Linda Palmer
Book: Parenting for a Peaceful World, Robin Grille
Article: “The Dangers of ‘Crying It Out’” by Darcia Narvaez
Article: “Why Young Children Protest Bedtime: A Story of Evolutionary Mismatch” by Peter Gray
Website: The Natural Child Project, Articles on Gentle Guidance
Website: Project NoSpankListen to Episode 428 (1h3m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- AIER, Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report (28m) – Episode 427
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 427 has Skyler giving his commentary on a new report by the American Institute of Economic Research titled, “Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report“. It begins: “In the debate over coronavirus policy, there has been far too little focus on the costs of lockdowns. It’s very common for the proponents of these interventions to write articles and large studies without even mentioning the downsides. Here is a brief look at the cost of stringencies in the United States, and around the world, including stay-at-home orders, closings of business and schools, restrictions on gatherings, shutting of arts and sports, restrictions on medical services, and interventions in the freedom of movement.”
Episode: “The Great Barrington Declaration (24m) – Episode 406”
Website: The Great Barrington Declaration
Episode: “The Price of Panic over COVID-19 (23m) – Episode 414”
Website: The Price of PanicListen to Episode 427 (28m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Anxious Thoughts, Workaholics, Social Gatherings, Holiday Frugality, & Moving On (25m) – Episode 043
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 043 looks at curbing anxious thoughts from spiraling out of control; carving time out now to spend with your family while they’re young, instead of waiting until you’re middle-aged or elderly; how to leave social gatherings early without damaging your reputation with the host; the importance of being frugal around the holidays, especially in such a tough year as 2020; and not being afraid to find a new job when your current job stops serving you.
Listen to Episode 043 (25m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “thinking and doing”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc or PayPal.me/everythingvoluntary.
Other podcasts: “Everything Voluntary“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Shepard’s Journey, Former Cop, Voluntaryism, & Spreading Liberty (59m) – Episode 426
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 426 welcomes Shepard the Voluntaryist to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: knowing Carl Watner intimately and his work at Voluntaryist.com; Watner introducing both Skyler and Shepard to Stoicism; his discovery of Ron Paul, and then Murray Rothbard, Walter Block, Larken Rose, et al; his 10 year career as a police officer, 2 of which were as a prison guard; capitalism versus corporatism; growing up with the Mennonites, but later becoming an atheist; Marc Stevens’ method of challenging state jurisdiction; the wisdom in avoiding the cops; why the BLM protests over the some had the wrong grievance about injustice; a story of a prison inmate getting beat up for flushing a toilet, and how asking about why this happened to a fellow prison guard got him ostracized; why spreading the ideas of liberty, planting seeds, is a very slow process; fun strategies to repel cops; and more.
Podcast: “Let’s Think” with Shepard the Voluntaryist
Website: OpenlyVoluntary.com
YouTube Channel: “Shepard Thinks…”
Article: “Gregarious Gunner For Peace” by Shepard the Voluntaryist
Article: “Seeking and Sifting For Truth: Navigating through a World of Misinformation” by Shepard the VoluntaryistListen to Episode 426 (59m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Emily’s Journey, Schooling Deficiencies, Human Conation, & Consulting Business (1h1m) – Episode 425
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 425 welcomes Emily Melious to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: why school only works for 20% of kids, and leaves out the rest; the trouble that gifted kids have in school; learning only how to do things according to someone’s “correct” way and the limits this places on kids; schooling versus human nature and creativity; the importance of school grades in the business world; the trilogy of mind: cognition (skills/knowledge), affection (emotions/motivations/personality), and conation (volition/desire); Kolbe Corp. and the way they assess a person’s trilogy of mind; her history learning about herself and advocating for her strengths personally and professionally; why she’s always focused on her capabilities instead of her immutable characteristics like gender; the limits on usefulness of personality tests; the challenges that 2020 has brought to her consulting business LaunchConsulting.io; and more.
Profile: LinkedIn
Business: LaunchConsulting.io
Podcast: “Mothers of Misfits” by Emily MeliousListen to Episode 425 (1h1m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- King or Tyrant & The Jurisdiction of Fate (16m) – Episode 042
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 042 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Seneca who wrote, “Our soul is sometimes a king, and sometimes a tyrant. A king, by attending to what is honorable, protects the good health of the body in its care, and gives it no base or sordid command. But an uncontrolled, desire-fueled, over-indulged soul is turned from a king into that most feared and detested thing—a tyrant.”; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by answersamir, who started off with, “Its true that fate has jurisdiction over your birth and death. It can also be argued that fate confines you within some realm of possibilities throughout your life.”
Listen to Episode 042 (16m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “thinking and doing”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc or PayPal.me/everythingvoluntary.
Other podcasts: “Everything Voluntary“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Special Children, Prison Bail Inequality, & Disney Princesses as Role Models (36m) – Episode 424
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 424 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/unpopularopinion: MassLax writes, “We HAVE to stop telling kids they’re special.”; tarababygirl writes, “Being able to pay your way out of jail shouldn’t be a thing.”; and ShinyAwesomeYT writes, “Disney princesses are terrible role models for children”.
Book: Unconditional Parenting, Alfie Kohn
Podcast: “COVID-19 Creates Opportunities for Justice Reform | Guests: Kathleen McGoey & Mike Butler | Ep 64” by Kibbe on Liberty
Video: “How to Love Your Enemy: A Restorative Justice Story” by Matt Kibbe / Free The People
Video: “Prisons in a free society?” by Robert Murphy
Website: “List of Disney Princesses”Listen to Episode 424 (36m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Alex’s Journey, Digital Nomad, Ammo.com, & LibertasBella.com (1h6m) – Episode 423
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 423 welcomes Alex Horsman to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: his work with Ammo.com; the Ammo.com Resistance Library; graduating the University of Missouri (Mizzou) with a business and economics degree, and their Austrian School trained economics professors (lawsuit); becoming a digital nomad after graduation and living in 4 different countries in the last two years; experiences in Bali (Indonesia), Colombia, Lisbon (Portugal), and Sao Paulo (Brazil); constantly being offered drugs in Lisbon (Portugal decriminalization); unschooling and Sudbury schooling (Free to Learn by Peter Gray); Utah history and politics; COVID-19 and tourism; LibertasBella.com merchandise business; Tuttle Twins and the Mises Summit at Jekyll Island; Robert Kyosaki and Jeff Berwick feud; EVC logo colors origin; predictions on Trump pardoning anybody of note; and more.
Listen to Episode 423 (1h6m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Retrogressive Causation & Exponential Growth (14m) – Episode 041
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 041 looks at the logical fallacy Retrogressive Causation and the cognitive bias Exponential Growth.
Listen to Episode 041 (14m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “thinking and doing”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc or PayPal.me/everythingvoluntary.
Other podcasts: “Everything Voluntary“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Freedom and Benefit, Toxic Workplace, Tax Avoidance, & Capitalist Ideology (25m) – Episode 422
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 422 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/shitstatistssay: DizzFizz writes, “It’s interesting to see how a lot of US-citizens will bend over backwards in order to argue against something that would only benefit them, simply because of ‘freedom'”; anonymous writes, “What your niece did is right, it just unfortunately means you (and workers) suffered.”; bickerstaff writes, “Reagan ruined this country. By creating the notion (now foundational to the GOP) that government was not the solution, but the problem, he gave birth to the modern ‘starve the beast’ movement that is currently the largest problem in politics: tax avoidance.”; Pascal Morimacil writes, “Capitalism is… a system of government granted monopolies called private property.”
Listen to Episode 422 (25m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Baby Yoda Cancelled, Expanding “Stand Your Ground”, Black Market COVID, & Free Stadia Bundle (24m) – Episode 421
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 421 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following news stories: from VanityFair.com, “Baby Yoda Canceled Amid Accusations of Genocide“; from WPTV.com, “DeSantis proposal could allow citizens to shoot, run over suspected rioters“; from BusinessInsider.com, “A global black market for negative COVID-19 test results has emerged, with fakes starting around $200“; and from AndroidPolice.com, “How to get a free Stadia Premiere Edition bundle ($100 value) if you have YouTube Premium” (Direct link).
Listen to Episode 421 (24m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Healthy Skepticism, Group Bill, Never Regret a Day, & Vacuum Filters (16m) – Episode 040
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 040 looks at the importance of maintaining a healthy level of doubt (or skepticism) toward all of the new information you receive; why you should immediately pay back someone who conveniently took care of a group bill or expense; how every day, good, bad, worst, or best, can ultimately be beneficial; and why your vacuum’s filter is probably the cause of it not working well.
Article: “Humility and Skepticism” by Skyler J. Collins
Wiki: “Action Axiom”
Wiki: “A First Analysis of the Category of Action”Listen to Episode 040 (16m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “thinking and doing”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc or PayPal.me/everythingvoluntary.
Other podcasts: “Everything Voluntary“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Liberty Quotes: Larken Rose, Robert Higgs, Teddy Roosevelt, & Mark Skousen (24m) – Episode 420
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 420 has Skyler giving his commentary on a quote by Larken Rose on there being no country on earth for freedom lovers; by Robert Higgs on the fundamental difference between markets and governments; by Teddy Roosevelt on the soulless twins that are the two major political parties; and by Mark Skousen on what constitutes a civilized society.
Listen to Episode 420 (24m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping
- Julieta Returns, Family Importance, Daughters, Public Tantrums, & Mission to Mars (38m) – Episode 419
Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor).
Episode 419 has Skyler and Julieta giving their commentary on the following questions from Quora: “How important is family in society?”; “Why are daughters raised to take on adult responsibilities at an early age but not sons?”; “What would you do if your child won’t return the toy he was allowed to play with and throws a public tantrum?”; and “What would you do if your only child came up to you at age 19 and said they were going on a one-way mission to help setup a colony on Mars?”
Listen to Episode 419 (38m, mp3, 64kbps)
Subscribe via RSS here, or in any podcast app by searching for “everything voluntary”. Support the podcast at Patreon.com/evc.
Other podcasts: “Thinking & Doing“, “Voluntaryist Voices”
Referral links: Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, Ron Paul’s Homeschool Curriculum, Amazon Shopping