Most websites have self-serving "frequently asked questions" (FAQ's) sections that don't really answer questions of actual readers, but serve instead to advance the interests and image of the owners.

That's my goal here. While I may be self-serving, I'm also intellectually honest -- hence the title of this page. Hubris aside (momentarily), I'm also interested in meeting the needs of you, my loyal readers. With that in mind, I will entertain your questions. If you ask me something appropriate and/or interesting enough, I may actually post your question here, with an honest (as far as you know) answer.

1. What do you do for a living?
I am a consultant with a corporation and a charitable foundation. My work for the latter involves developing an understanding of where to invest money in order to maximize positive social change. I'm working with an inter-disciplinary team of thinkers to develop a better understanding of social change, and to craft tools that will be helpful for the change agents we support.

2. Are you qualified to do that?
I am an intellectual vagabond who never fit into graduate school or the academy, so I think the answer is "yes."

3. What's your background?
I have a B.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan. The focus of my graduate research was organizations and cities, and how both can make bad decisions despite the best intentions of their leaders. As an undergraduate I was a directionless fool until I was turned on to ideas at the Institute for Humane Studies. I became a senior editor at the Carolina Critic, a student journal of politics and opinion at UNC, worked at a couple of think tanks, and then went on to an overly long and miserable graduate career at UM. Along the way I've published a number of newspaper and magazine opinion pieces, and a handful of academic journal articles.

4. Okay, Smarty-Pants, so what's the big idea of starting your own web page?
Because I believe that we can all aspire to be better human beings, and make a difference on this crazy planet.

Just kidding. Shoot me if I ever start to talk like that. Actually, I just have lots of opinions, and figured this was a good place to keep them. Plus I can't tell you how often I get into a conversation with someone who says, "Tony, you are one smart guy. How can I learn more from you without wasting your valuable time in a one-on-one conversation?" A website is the perfect solution.

5. I like the cut of your jib. How can I reward you financially?
Well, since you asked:

6. Do you have children?
I have a daughter, Caroline Elizabeth, and two sons, Stephen Caleb, and Timothy Eli.