Author Archives: Tim Wu

Every so often someone defends, with a straight-face, that which we think undeniably wrong. They say, for example, that the holocaust never happened, or perhaps that slaves actually liked slavery, or that some degree of torture is fine as government policy. Orwell called this ability “Blackwhite,” or “a willingness to say black is white when party discipline demands this.” In its advanced form it leads to “the ability to believe that black is white, and more, to know black is white, and forget that one has ever believed the contrary.”… Continue reading →

Years ago, when I was a law clerk, I was impressed by how much Judge Posner could accomplish with one simple question. He would ask, “What exactly is the purpose of this law (or proposed rule)?” It was astonishing how often lawyers would stare or gasp, unable to answer this most basic of questions. I think the least you can ask of government, whatever branch, is that it always have an answer to Posner’s question. When acting on behalf of the public, it ought always have a clear reason for what it is doing, that it can articulate without shame,… Continue reading →