Mises' 40th Anniversary Summit: My Perspective

 

TO those who do not keep detailed tabs on me you might not have been aware that this past week I attended the Mises Institute’s 40th anniversary summit. This was my first ever Mises event that I attended, and boy let me tell you that it was GREAT! Since not many people were able to attend it (thanks be to God that I of all people could) and it was full of captivating and endearing moments I’ve decided to talk about what happened and what I experienced, to share what it’s like to get involved with the Institute.

          The summit was three days long, although the majority of events were concentrated in the second day. The first day began at 5:00, which was good for me since I arrived in Phoenix the day before meaning I had a day-and-a-half to myself, and it was to consist of a dinner and introductory talk by Jeff Deist, then two talks: one by Judge Andrew Napolitano and another by James Grant. Alas, we were rained on and the Judge never arrived (his flight was delayed and then cancelled) so the beginning of the summit was quite hectic. No worries, however, since we promptly moved indoors and ended the night early with only Mr. Grant’s talk, which was an interesting discussion of interest rates, central banking , and the state of the American economy (as I told a friend sitting at my table, “We are the only people on the planet who could enjoy an hour-long lecture about interest rates”).

          The next day was jam packed, with talks lasting from 9 AM to near-midnight, but let me tell you what, it was a marvelous day. It began with a talk by Patrick Newman discussing Austrian business cycle theory, recent Fed policy, and the current recession, all of which made for an informing and relevant discussion. Then, it was onto Ryan McMaken’s talk “Breaking Away,” which was one of my favorite talks of the summit, and provided a wonderfully radical solution for the modern political crisis (national divorce). After several more talks by several other speakers came what I consider the best part of the event, an hours-long bloc of great talk after great talk. At noon we were treated to Dr. Joseph Salerno discussing Murray Rothbard’s crusade against leftism (social democracy, in Salerno’s words) a luncheon with Tom Woods that turned into a surprise commemoration of the life and career of Lew Rockwell, a look at how Austrian economists have feuded with academia (and won) with Tom DiLorenzo (of anti-Lincoln fame), and a talk by Paul Gottfried – the paleoconservative firebrand – regarding the prospects fo a right-wing libertarianism.

          Later that night was a splendid formal dinner that was crowned and made special by the appearance and speaking of Dr. Ron Paul. This was one of the best moments in my life, being able to see and hear the man and legend himself with my own eyes and ears. Even better was that I was able to interact with him (albeit briefly) during the dinner.

          The next day all was over. There was no other event planned for the day, and the only thing on the schedule was a brunch. However, that does not mean there was nothing to do, and I had a pleasant time indeed. It was very casual and laid back, with everyone socializing and enjoying the freedom of not having to sit down and listen. I got to recline in the hotel’s gorgeous outdoor venue and watch – or, rather, watch others watch – sports, and mingle shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Joe Salerno, Tho Bishop, and Peter Klein.

          Not only were the events incredible but so were the people. I’ve already made note of this, but I have not gone into nearly enough detail. I got to speak with several “Mises dignitaries” during the event, such as Daniel Lacelle, Tom DiLorenzo (who I sat with once), Tom Woods (got his autograph!), Tho Bishop, and others. I made friends with some other supporters, such as two former Ron Paul campaign workers (Ian and Mike), another whose name is tragically eluding me, and Sheriff David Hathaway of Santa Cruz County, Arizona. I also got to meet many wonderful members of the next generation such as Mises alumnus Connor Mortell (where do I begin?), Anthony Cesario (Rasputin’s long-lost-love-grandchild), Liam Metzger (who, tragically, usurped my position as the youngest Misesian there), among others. These are absolutely splendid people and their presence and personalities made the whole event better.

          All in all, from an academic and social angle, this event was all that I hoped it would be. The Mises Institute has done so much work in defense of property and liberty over the years, as is evidenced by the abundance of citations on this blog of the Institute’s resources. To be able to witness its 40th birthday was amazing. The people involved with it are the cream of the crop; we often hear the pessimistic adage, “Never meet your role models,” but, let me tell you what, if your role models are Misesians you will want to meet them and spend hours beside them. Please, do what you can to support or interact with the Institute in the future, it is worth it!

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