Thomas Walker-Werth's Articles
Arts & Culture, Reviews
My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee
Thomas Walker-Werth January 15, 2024
My Effin’ Life’s positive sense of life, inspirational stories, and amusing anecdotes make it a rewarding read. Geddy Lee leaves readers with a strong sense that no matter how bad things get, it’s always worth staying positive and producing beautiful art.
Arts & Culture, Reviews
Godzilla Minus One, Written and Directed by Takashi Yamazaki
Thomas Walker-Werth January 2, 2024
Godzilla Minus One is no run-of-the-mill monster movie. It is an outstanding story about the value of human life and the immorality of sacrificing it.
History, Politics & Rights, Science & Technology
Centers of Progress: An Interview with Chelsea Follett
Thomas Walker-Werth December 24, 2023
I recently spoke with Chelsea Follett, managing editor of HumanProgress.org and policy analyst at Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, about her new book, Centers of Progress: 40 Cities That Changed the World. Here is our discussion, edited for clarity and brevity.
Arts & Culture
Ten Great Sci-fi TV Shows that Promote Reason and Individualism
Thomas Walker-Werth November 23, 2023
Here are ten quality science fiction television shows that advocate life-serving ideas, particularly respect for reason, individualism, and liberty—the values that will enable us “to boldly go” into a better future.
Arts & Culture, History, Reviews
Killers of the Flower Moon, Directed by Martin Scorsese
Thomas Walker-Werth October 28, 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon is a bloated film with a malevolent sense of life. Despite its enormous runtime, it misses the opportunity to depict both the rights abuses to which the Osage were subjected and the good entrepreneurship they and others engaged in.
Arts & Culture, Reviews
Ahsoka, Created by Dave Filoni
Thomas Walker-Werth October 6, 2023
Ahsoka's compelling setup makes it far more interesting than many of the recent Star Wars shows. Virtually every character has clear motivation, and the main story is supported by interesting subplots. Although it is not without flaws, it is, on the whole, compelling and exciting.
Announcements
From the Editor, Fall 2023
Thomas Walker-Werth August 29, 2023
Welcome to the Fall 2023 issue of The Objective Standard. I hope you enjoy the issue.
Arts & Culture, Science & Technology
Star Trek Inspires People ‘to Boldly Go’
Thomas Walker-Werth August 29, 2023
Although its vision for the future is sometimes imperfect, Star Trek has, with its unabashed optimism, celebration of science and technology, and exploration of philosophic and moral questions, inspired countless people to achieve wonderful things.
Arts & Culture, Philosophy
George Lucas Gets the Moral Meaning of Star Wars Wrong
Thomas Walker-Werth August 29, 2023
George Lucas says that selfishness puts one on the dark side, but it’s really the other way around. Selfishness, properly understood, is the rational concern for one’s own interests. It is the light.
Biographies, History
Robert P. McCulloch: The Man Who Bought London Bridge
Thomas Walker-Werth July 11, 2023
Robert P. McCulloch worked constantly to grow his wealth and create new things, even when others couldn’t see the potential in his ideas or dismissed them as impossible. He deserves to be remembered as a productive businessman, a pioneering inventor, and, most of all, a visionary.
History, Politics & Rights
Brits Should Reject Monarchy and Embrace Rights
Thomas Walker-Werth May 3, 2023
If freedom-loving Brits are serious about the moral principles on which liberty depends, they must oppose the monarchy and advance a vision of a free British republic.
Politics & Rights, Reviews, Science & Technology
The Case for Nukes: How We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, Open, and Magnificent Future by Robert Zubrin
Thomas Walker-Werth April 3, 2023
The Case for Nukes is a refreshingly rational overview, not just of the merits of nuclear power, but of the potentially wonderful future of the human race and the ideas we must embrace and reject if we want to create a better future for ourselves and our descendants.
Arts & Culture, Reviews
What’s Love Got to Do With It? Directed by Shekhar Kapur
What’s Love Got to Do With It? is a well-written and refreshingly thoughtful film that shows the crucial importance of honesty and independent thinking in achieving happiness. It is a sensitive yet incisive study of the clash between Islamic and Western cultures—and between collectivism and individualism.
Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Reviews
Babylon 5: Pioneering, Philosophic Science Fiction
Thomas Walker-Werth February 21, 2023
Babylon 5 is a unique science-fiction series that tells an epic story rich in philosophic ideas and moral messages. These make it timeless and well worth watching for anyone interested in complex drama.
Philosophy, Reviews
Knock at the Cabin, Written, Produced, and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Knock at the Cabin depicts the vile notion that it is moral to sacrifice the person you love most—your highest value—for the benefit of others and/or to appease God.