[Willie Green]

You now own the record of not getting the point!!
The article used "whaling" as a metaphor, not an actuality!!

No misinterpretation on my part.
Walter Williams used whaling to illustrate a point.
Historical facts show that he's full of baloney.

Walter's claim to be a "conservative" is irrelvant if his credibility is shot.
He should strive to utilize more valid examples to communicate his ideas.
As it stands, Walter's presentation of economic theory is on a par with that of Miss Cleo.

[RightWhale]

There is a saying that doing good deeds might be the worst thng possible. Or wishing for your neighbor what you wish for yourself might be inappropriate because what you wish for yourself might turn out to be disastrous for you. We just can't know all the time what is best for ourselves, let alone what might be good for others.

Using Edison as an example, he marketed recording devices and electric lights. Both great things, Edison thought, for mankind. But recording devices led to the resignation of a President and leads to who knows how many breakups of marriages every day. Electric lights have nearly destroyed the night sky and we are supposed to be watching the lights in the sky for signs and seasons, and they also cause people to stay up all night and not get enough sleep.

Whether it is for purely selfish reasons or for altruistic purposes, doing wonderful things might not be so wonderful after all, although the odds are better if things are done for purely selfish reasons.