Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

Opinion & Prospective

Hear Dan’s viewpoints about how things work and the intended and unintended consequences, delivered with humor to keep you entertained and engaged.

They are delivered with humor, breaking down the barriers of reality, truths versus illusions, and manufactured narratives.

Search Results

Police State, Tyranny, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism:

Understanding the Differences and Lessons for Modern Governance

The Social Security Trust Fund Illusion: What Americans Should Know

For decades, Americans have been told that the Social Security Trust Fund is a reserve of assets set aside to pay future benefits. In everyday language, “trust fund” evokes an image of money invested and waiting to be drawn down.

Three Billy Goats Gruff: The Significance

The Three Billy Goats Gruff is a classic Norwegian fairy tale first collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in the 1840s and later translated into English in 1859. It belongs to the Aarne–Thompson folktale.

Engagement Matters More Than You Think: The Hidden Driver of Productivity

Executives often focus on tools, generally technical, time management, and objectives and key results (OKRs). However, the key factor that consistently distinguishes ordinary performance from exceptional results is engagement.

Intrinsic Motivation: Why People Want to Learn, Work, and Excel Without Coercion

People do not need compulsion from the state—or any heavy-handed authority—to learn and get ahead. They need conditions that unlock the empowering force of intrinsic motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Why Do Borrowers Choose Privately Funded Loans Over Bank Loans?

When banks say no, private lenders, in most cases, will say yes.

Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh: A Distinctive, Iconic Character of Dreariness, Sadness, and Hopelessness.

Eeyore is one of A.A. Milne’s most iconic characters, introduced in Winnie-the-Pooh (1926). He is an old, grey stuffed donkey who lives in the Hundred Acre Wood in a place called “Eeyore’s Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad.”

How connected is the USA to Israel?

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel is not just a bilateral alliance, but a unique and significant factor in global geopolitics. It stands as one of the most financially and politically intertwined alliances in the world, underscoring its exceptional nature--In terms of payments to, and in turn, Israel lobbying the U.S legislature for preferential treatment?

California’s Entitlement Feed Back Loop: When Good Intentions, Bureaucracy, and Market Reality Collide

California prides itself on protecting consumers, tenants, and communities. However, as “I’m entitled to some of yours” expectations harden into mandates, the machinery required to deliver on those expectations grows—rules multiply, compliance becomes a business line of its own, and costs cascade through housing, insurance, and everyday enterprise.

Why Mutual Cooperation Is Breaking Down—and What’s Driving It

For decades, commerce and civic life rested on an implicit social contract: cooperation and mutual respect.

John Stuart Mill’s Contributions to Freedom: Historical Context and Impact

“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.”

John Stuart Mill: Historical Context and Enduring Impact

John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) wrote in the long shadow of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian reform era—a period marked by expanding literacy, democratization, religious pluralism, and unprecedented social mobility, but also by entrenched hierarchies and intense pressure to conform.

Police State, Tyranny, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism: Understanding the Differences and Lessons for Modern Governance

Throughout history, societies have grappled with different forms of oppressive governance. While terms like police state, tyranny, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism are often used interchangeably, they describe distinct political realities. Understanding these differences is crucial for recognizing early warning signs in modern democracies.

How People Develop Their Frame of Reference—and Why It Matters in Business and Finance

Discover how frames of reference shape decision-making in business and finance. Learn the key factors that influence perspectives and why understanding them is critical for success.

W. Edwards Deming: The Architect of Modern Quality Management

W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993) was a statistician, engineer, and management visionary whose ideas transformed global industry. Best known for his work in post-war Japan, Deming introduced principles that shifted quality from an inspection-based activity to a management-driven, systemic process.

Joseph Juran and the Pareto Principle: How 80/20 Thinking Transformed Quality Management

Joseph Juran, a pioneer in quality management, introduced the transformative power of the Pareto Principle—the idea that a small number of causes often account for the majority of effects.

From “Ta Biblia” to “Holy Bible”: The Evolution of a Sacred Name

The phrase “Holy Bible” is so familiar today that it feels timeless. Yet, the name we use for Christianity’s foundational text has a long and fascinating history, shaped by language, culture, and theology. Here’s how the term evolved from ancient Greek scrolls to the English title we know today.

The Dr. Zhivago Effect In California

Many of us are old enough to remember the classic novel Dr. Zhivago, completed in 1956 by Boris Pasternak, a Nobel prize-winning masterpiece…The 1966 film adaptation of the story went on to win six Academy Awards. It is a romantic drama set in historic Russia between the years before World War I and the Russian Civil War of 1917-1922…

The Role of Labor Unions and Factory Committees in the 1917 Russian Revolution

History has a propensity to repeat itself, while each generation of participants possesses no knowledge of the past. This is by design, and the system of government bodies that benefits from keeping its population ignorant. That was prevalent during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Look around today, and we will find that the average person is entirely ignorant of history and the way the economic engine of America works.

Mitigation Plan for Pesky Rabbits In the Yard Eating Your Plants and Lawn, While Leaving Evidence Through Constant Excrement Droppings

Here are some practical and humane ways to get rid of rabbits in your yard: