https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2012/02/15/the-life-of-ants/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usFri, 24 Apr 2026 00:27:30 -0400<![CDATA[A centrally managed, but inherently unnatural, system requires a lot of inputs and control mechanisms to keep up the appearance of stability. Because everything is imposed from the top, not from the operation of rational choice from below, the level of costs rises in proportion to the level of desired control.  By contrast, a society that relies on individual rational choice need only watch out for the outliers, such as criminal behavior.  They can leave everything else alone, and manage things by exception, not by detailed specification.]]>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:21:50 -0500<![CDATA[Richard Fernandez]]>https://pjmedia.com/richard-fernandez/2012/02/15/the-life-of-ants-n191418