A means to an end (#1370)

A means to an end is obvious to those of us who care to dig deep into what some will do or say to become something they desire. Some think that any means available to get to an end is acceptable. Others, like myself, do not. I prefer and actually demand that some form of honest honorable calculation be present in the actual means. I am stubborn that way since I feel that truth and honesty are a priority for a society to function well. When the means of a thing are open to truth and lies, it lessens the ability of those affected to understand the simple idea being manipulated. Any time lies are interjected into an argument or perception of an ideal, we all lose in the understanding of the argument or ideal. Manipulation or confusion of ideas is a means to an end for some who cannot logically explain their purpose, thus the usage of lies. The subtleness of lying as a strategy has been successful in the past and therefore, a plausible default position when the truth of a thing being promoted is illogical or irrational, however convincingly told. As all of us have internal "bullshit meters" we are also susceptible to being influenced by "bullshit". That is where the means to an end diverts from an honest application of facts and truths toward a dishonest application of facts with enough misdirection to distort what can appear to be a truth. Such is our society in this 21st century. We have honed the nefarious fine art of deception enough to make it appear to be virtuous. How utterly crass of some of us in our quest to enact any and all methods of propaganda in order to achieve a desired goal. The means to an end do matter and when we allow a means to an end not to matter is when we have crossed into a paradigm that has damaged our society without any redeeming value.

The state of natural being (#1369)

There is no one size fits all state of natural being. We are all different in how we interpret and experience a constant state. How much more so is it that we are different in a state of being that is inconstant? Our own life determines what is our natural being. What we do have in this existence are rules and mores that help us to keep our natural state of being, whatever it may be, within parameters that are acceptable by our peers. We all do this, conform ourselves to make ourselves acceptable to our society. We are animals first and then we realize that we are also rational, able to reason and apply logic. It is this dual identity we all share that has it's most profound effect on us in defining who we are. Some prefer to let more of the animal nature within us all prevail over the analytical nature we all share. There is also the inverse where the analytical is weighed more heavily than the animal. All of us fall somewhere in between these two paradigms of our shared instincts. When we further divine down into what form the animal and the analytical subgroups entail, we find that there are polar opposites within each group. Some are more animal than others and some are more analytical than others. We have as many and more different permutations of behavior as there are persons living. So how do we reconcile these "choices" we decide to play out in our lives? We continue to evolve our human species toward an ideal, an ideal that would allow us to have the best of both our natures' abilities while locking away the worst of our abilities as taboos. Know this, we will always have the full context of our natures at hand, but as human beings, we also have the duty to ourselves and others to restrain from implementing that part of our existence not worthy of an enlightened and advanced civilization. More on this later....

Courage is a choice (#1368)

So many things in life are a choice, including most things we do as daily actions. We go about our routines with little interruption to their preconceived plannings. It is our coping mechanism for the myriad duties we prevail upon ourselves as "necessary". We have institutionalized our behaviors to conform to a status and we will damn well implement that status, even to the point of subjugating our internal sense of propriety in order to complete our defined goal. The supposition, within the hierarchy of our principles, of an honest truism that guide our goals is often questionable when conflict of interest is confronted. Holding two different principles at once, that conflict, leave us with an interesting choice. Usually not a lot of thought goes into the analysis to determine the right choice, but instead expediency and appearance often rule the day. We morph our principles into a mash of convenience and acceptability based upon factors that have little to do with idealism, and even less to do with practicality. Our choices often involve taking the short-cut or the easy way around a thorny complex issue. We so often default to the simplest conclusion, based upon factors less to do with honor and courage and more to do with peer pressure and conformance. I am not personally a member of too many groups since I have a way with being contrary to like-minded protocols. I rub people wrong, not as a strategy, but as a individual who likens keeping honorable principles at my core on my sleeve. In other words I am no bullshit artist or cavalier interloper ready to fit in with the ease of a chameleon. I prefer to have the courage of my convictions as a solid base and let that take me where it will.

When I don't care anymore (#1367)

I don't foresee a day when that will happen to me but I do see it in some who have given up caring and instead just give in to life and let time pass. the passion for living is so deep within me that no amount of physical or mental beat downs will ever separate me from my passion. At times, I am like everyone who goes through peaks and valleys emotionally and psychologically, yet even at my lowest point I can still draw on my experiences to realize that I am one helluva lucky person. First, I was raised in a family where love was expressed by actions and thoughts. Second, I have a wonderful healthy outlook on life both in my mind and throughout my body. Third, I was raised in a country where the ideal of striving to being better is a promise. Fourth, and just as important as the first three, I have been taught that my will to succeed at anything I try my most earnest at is an opportunity available for me. Nothing is off limits to the person who truly has a vision and the will to create it. These concepts and others help to make my life viable and vibrant in such ways as to eliminate the need to give up on the best that life has to offer. I am no saint, nor do I claim to be, but what I am is inspirational to some around me and to myself who think that despite my faults, of which there are plenty, I am a worthy and respectable human being. When and if I ever don't care anymore is the day that I die, either literally die, or metaphorically die in spirit. Like I said, I do not foresee that will ever happen and I will be on guard to make sure no one or thing ever takes my caring about all things away.

Stand up to racism (#1366)

Racism will not go away until good people take a stand to rebut it when it rears it's ugly head. Like all things that are inherently bad, unless there is a check against them they will flourish. If you do not believe that you are able to stand against racism, then you must at least give it no safe harbor. Remember, much of life is not about staying safe, much of life is about prevailing on the side of justice for all of us to equally share in. Courage is the opposite of cowardice and when given the choice between the two, courage should be the choice of first order. If we are to believe that our individual humanity is worth fighting for then the quality of that humanity must take the form of defending it. No one said that life would be easy, the choices we face are either to give in to hate and slink away with what dignity we can delude ourselves with, or to take a stand against hate and let the chips fall where they may. The old adage "live to fight another day" is a rationale that only works if you actually plan to fight another day. A choice must be made and when that stand is made is when the courage you have inside you can best reflect your values. Do not be afraid to stand on the side of what is right, since it is the greatest way to live in honor, respect and dignity. All people's before us had to fight for us to be where we are at now and those who didn't made the fight that those who did fight that much harder. Don't be one of those people who couldn't put courage above your own fear.

You should not live off your laurels (#1365)

Everyday is a new day and what we have done in the past should not carry us beyond the present into the future. I am writing of past accomplishments to justify self-glorified inaction today. Here is how I see this. When I had a great day in the past, I felt good about it and experienced that good feeling, however, when I started again into the next day, my slate was clean and I wanted to have another good day. Each day brings it's own opportunities for accomplishment and experiencing each new day for what it can be is how life should be lived. Others find that living from past good experiences into the present is "owed" them for some indeterminate time. That is lazy and wrongheaded thinking. There is a saying or axiom that has floated around me all my life, "what have you done for me lately?" and this axiom is a perfect example of how life should be lived. I know we all need a break now and then from doing good things all the time because it takes a lot of effort to accomplish and resting between efforts is understandable. What is not understandable is acting like each of us is some highly unique individual worthy of something greater and beyond, than anyone else. Those that travel through life as if all of us owe them some great debt of constant gratitude are the ones I am referencing. I appreciate heroes who act unselfishly to their own detriment and certainly accolades are deserved. It is the ones who expect accolades and are not humble about it who are the ones who have yet to see what the meaning of unselfish really means. There are many untold heroes in our shared days who never receive any "pat on the back" for their efforts and they continue on despite that. 

Racism and sexism and their negative effects (#1364)

If you would rather hold your opinions about the differences between the races and the opposite sex, than to experience the sameness we all share you can effectively be right in calling yourself a racist and a sexist. Both racism and sexism exist as differentiations not assimilations. There is a cowardice inherent within both stereotypes of racism and sexism. Both include a judgment that segregation and power are supreme over equality and shared similarities. These are choices we can each make on our own, uninhibited to outside interference. Choices that reflect the strength of character and the will to understand. Many fail to live up to what should be seen as diversity and tolerance, in order to sustain a rationale that brings comfort in exclusion. That is how the weak prevail, they exclude so that they can control. Instead of embracing life as a gift, many choose to order life into levels of permission based upon their own ideal of sentience and philosophical prejudices. The concept that life is chaos and can only be made sense of by the divining of a protocol that inhibits the chaos, through parameters based upon likes and dislikes, is their preferred hierarchical foundation. In other words a class system based upon their own principles. It is easier to hate that which you won't understand when the understanding of something equates you with it. Power is a morally corrupting ideal but nonetheless is chosen by many when they have no will or courage to face reality head on and accept what reality has clearly produced. Racism and sexism have been institutionalized into our society in ways that have made us less honorable and less able to see truth when it stares back at us in the mirror.

I love positive Karma (#1363)

"What comes around goes around" seems to be a universal truism, whether or not we can prove it or not. I have at so many times in my life felt the circle close on things I thought I had gotten away with. the discretions of my youth, lol. I learned that there is always some sort of inverse reaction to my actions, whether immediately realized or not, that I could count on. Even when I had been wronged something good had always come along to rectify the wrong. Nothing is ever simple, every thought and action has a layer to it that dimensionally expands it's effect. I know that what I consider proportional is most always prejudiced into my favor by me. It is how I think and feel. What the truth of the thing is, I am at fault more than I ever give myself consideration for being. So much so that I have allowed myself to create a new way of looking at life. Instead of from my point of view, I don't bring a point of view into it. I let the situation or circumstance play out within normal bounds and then try to apply honor to it. I have learned that being selfish for me is not a happy place for me. Instead, being unselfish toward others brings me a contentment that allows the smile on my face to be genuine. I have seen many deceptive and forced smiles in my time and nothing reflects back more earnestly than a genuine smile. That is one of the riches in life I am willing to pursue. As a benefit of doing well by others I get to have karma come back to me in a positive sense. I no longer fear the backward glance into the past at my failings, rather I enjoy the forward coming of new experiences filled with trust and a belief in me by others I had forgotten was available to those who love doing better for others than doing worse for others. Life is good once you realize what the prizes in life provide.  

Money can't buy truth (#1362)

No amount of money can buy the truth. Money may disguise the truth for awhile but in the end the truth finds a way to unshackle itself from the imperfect. That doesn't mean that some do not try to hide the truth behind deception and distortion if not outright lies, yet the some have also found that a short lived illusion is not permanent. Still, when short termed gain is important, money can be effective if enough is spent to keep the illusion alive. What kind of motive would one have to fool the many into believing the illusion? Certainly it involves a return on the investment spent to create the illusion. A calculus is made that by employing an ulteriorly motivated strategy of falsehood, regardless of cost, a greater benefit will be secured. A gambler's bet that despite morality and honorable principles, power and wealth are the greatest priorities. Such has been the nature of some who can afford to create a loss for the many at the expense of creating a gain for themselves. To perpetrate or commit to conceptualizations that disguise the truth is beneath dignity and should be punishable by exacting measures of equality. Much like an eye for an eye, if those few who think that denying truths to many is a goal for profit, they likewise should suffer the loss of all their money as an exacting response of the truth in action. Deception should be a crime otherwise the spreading of it becomes unchecked when only the shaming of them is their worst case scenario. Those few who would use untruth as a strategy have already moved beyond shame as a deterrent. Our society on whole is making progress on the exposure of lies but we need to punish those who do with a retribution that effectively deters the consideration of using money to hide the truth. 

I was here (#1361)

On my desk here at home I have carved into it, my name and that I was here. The same thing I do with this daily blog, I announce to the Universe that I am here. I know I won't be here later but right now I am and it matters to me to say so. I think about all the lives that have been lived from the past and how they must have felt about this subject. Screaming at the sky that "I exist" and hoping that somehow the Universe will record that scream was all they had. Those in the past who were lucky enough to have made it into books that reflect their passing through existence had to be some comfort, however the unease at which we feel that our purpose for living needs to matter is never really satisfied. Quite a while back I figured out my purpose for living, which is to think and feel with all my being, but just that in itself is not enough to explain all the curiosity and compassion that I have within me. So there is more to me than can be explained by me knowing my purpose. That is why I write this daily blog, I want to have a forum in defining who and what I still don't know about myself by presenting those things that I do know about myself. It is my fist in the sky screaming at the Universe that I exist, despite not truly knowing all of why. I also use my time and space here to define what I see as our human nature and advocate on behalf of my construction of it. As time continues to fly by me and I continue to grow older within the finite straits of life, I do see the need for me to persevere toward questioning everything around me and accepting nothing less than everything is possible. It may seem I am a dreamer of sorts but dreams are what I can build upon and that is how I will satisfy my own quest for that which I still don't know.

Exchanging rhetoric for facts (#1360)

The art of speaking has evolved since ancient times when rhetoric was an actual tool for understanding. Nowadays rhetoric has been manipulated into a tool for disinformation and confusion. Whenever I hear someone speak at me about a policy or an argument worthy of discussion, the first thing I listen for is whether the facts of the conversation are being expressed or whether analogies or metaphors are inserted to perform a simile caricature of a filtered viewpoint. I have been saying since I have had this forum, that the proper use of logic must be held accountable and when obfuscation is instead the replacement, we all may well succumb to the non-sequitur oratorical rhetoric of the speaker regardless of the facts. We are a society of demand with a true lack of patience when we consider our points of view on subjects we are not informed about. We would rather take on the perceptions of the familiar and peer invoked ideologues. Letting others think for us is a liberating thing especially since we don't have to do the work of thinking for ourselves. Of course that thinking for ourselves would require that we actually do some research and weigh analysis in order to arrive at an opinion. Why not listen to those with an intellectual flourish and accept their verdicts as our own. Not only do we short cut our time for more of it to do other things but we also can adopt their talking points as our own and therefore make ourselves out smarter and more informed than we actually are. The illusion of abrogating our thoughts to others who embellish their viewpoint through rhetoric is a masterful stroke by those who would control, yet it is an actual disservice to ourselves in that we become less free to know of the true facts, and more bound to the rhetoric-less facts.    

The underpinnings of reality (#1359)

Yesterday's blog post was an honest rant about how I have evolved when all current factors are evaluated. I can not allow an association with anything that defies the logic of reality. Now what is the logic of reality? Simple, it is truth and facts with reasoning, analysis and conclusion. Surely though we can debate truth and facts as to whether they are consistent across all parameters and that is well and good. What is not debatable is whether truth and facts don't matter. When we start thinking that our own set of thought processes concerning reality can actually exist outside of reality is when we have crossed over to a paradigm that cannot be sustained by logic. Logic only exists as a formula for understanding when it is firmly grounded in reality. None of the accepted formulas for us to understand and hopefully agree on things can exist when there is no common formula for us to apply. Therefore using logic to define something that is outside reality is illogical. When truths and facts are distorted and accepted as reality, those who have done this are no longer logical. I see a lot of this in people who have belief systems they confuse with fact. I also see this in people who deny reality as an end result because it does not fit their frame of hoped for future vision, for example, forcing the ends to fit the means. More like distortion but still illogical. Regardless, those who would rather prescribe their futures to myth or magic are the ones who are constantly butting up against what is real and turn from reality toward that which is not real. I suppose they hope for their conclusions to appear despite the illogic of it but such is the nature of not pinning ones understanding of facts and truths, with logic, in reality.

Cutting the tie that binds (#1358)

We are all human and as such we deserve nothing less than that respect. I have family that is hateful and ignorant, while claiming in a condescending way to being charitable, that I will never respect again but let me tell you, they deserve what they get. I will never bow down to their negativeness out of duty or family tradition. It is easier to cut binds with friends who have lost my respect in that they are not part of future plans that always include family gatherings. The point is that taking a stand for those who deserve my attentions and considerations, is far greater than owing allegiance to a family hierarchy devoid of simple respect, built upon deception and lies. I have family members that disgrace the word humane in thought and declaration. It is the dying off of the old ways of bigotry in word and in indirect action. Yet there are younger members of my family that are picking up the very same bigotry disguised as segregating rhetoric. The do's and the don'ts of life. Those with agreeable ethics and those with unagreeable ethics. Bigotry is all encompassing when it is directed from it's prejudice so no amount of justification will ever cover it's intent. Yet in my own family it roars like it is virtue. A sheep in wolves clothing if you will. I cannot for the life of me believe that any amount of ignorance toward diversity and intolerance is acceptable yet my own family proves me wrong. This is my point, I am a free will individual to do as I see fit and not beholden to anyone for their by-your-leave. As such I can choose to disassociate with family and friends when their behavior indicates that they are not decent enough to hold respect as a common honorable principle. My life is mine and as such my decisions reflect what I hold dear, not what others would pollute me with. Stay informed!!!!! 

The innocence of my youth is still within me (#1357)

I am still that wide-eyed 6 year old who saw the world as a remarkable place and the people in it a wonder to behold. Since then, some of the unknown edges of my curiosity have been filled in and not everything is as it should be but for the most part the best is still ahead of us and our point in time is quite advantageous. I have not sold my soul to cynicism and those of you who have know what I am talking about. My dreams and hopes did not get sold at the altar of an unsatisfying and unequal compromise. The moral is to trust your instincts over and above your pleasures. That wide-eyed 6 year old inside me knew that I was a good person and that would be my path. I have strayed from that path but have always found my way back. Life is not a perfectly designed to keep us all within our best understandings of ourselves, but it can be made to closer reflect that perfection. By keeping our innocence intact and not allowing fears, like settling for less, to trump our will to endure despite difficulty. So many times I have been close to joy, then misery, at the sight of beauty only to be denied because of a lack of will to persevere, not only on my part but others as well. Fighting for what we know is the best of who we are with honor and strength is our path forward. That innocence that will be within me until the day I die is patiently waiting to be exercised in my life and that is my purpose. All the trappings and allures are just obstacles to me fulfilling my true destiny, which is to be true to myself. I will not yoke myself to compromise and then try the rest of my days to justify to everyone else what I know is not true. That is a lesser life and not worthy of any of us when our innocence demands greater. 

Fighting to save the middle class (#1356)

The wealthy in our societies have found an agenda they like, it is called austerity and they wish to employ it on those of us who do not have enough as it is. Why would they do this? Apparently they feel that we do have enough, in fact they feel that we have too much and we shouldn't be allowed to keep it. I will not allow the wealthy to define what they feel is our acceptable middle class opportunities. None of us should be subject to what the wealthy feels is best for us. We are the ones who shall define our policies for our maintaining and increasing our way to choice and opportunity, not them! That we cannot trust those who have been fortunate in society and have great success to look out for those who haven't had great success and have been unfortunate is a new paradigm. It used to be that those who had success showed gratitude toward society by opening doors for those who could not. The wealthy have stumbled upon an old disreputable policy of greed that has infected their thinking. Instead of having the improvement of society as their goal, they are now guided by power and greed. For some reason they have lost their moral compass and have set out on a course of selfishness and disdain for those who are not as fortunate as themselves. There is no trusting the wealthy to to ally with the middle class to champion policies that lift all of us up. Instead they have embarked to lift only themselves up and disregard the effects that has on those who are not wealthy. If being wealthy makes a person discount opportunity to others who are not wealthy, then being wealthy is not a worthy goal of mine. Living to fight against what wealth has become is my new calling and I will fight it with all that I have left.

Saving my sanity (#1355)

There are some things in life worth preserving at all costs. I have to weed through different experiences to know how they affect my overall consciousness. It is this weeding process that determines for me whether certain situations are healthy or not for me. As to the actual weeding process it varies of course based upon the circumstance. I have to have my mind open to the experience and give it an honest effort. If however despite my best intentions the situation has more negative outcomes than positive ones then the choice begins to become clear that I am not doing my mental or physical health any good. I must then reverse or extricate myself from further interaction within the paradigm that has been unsatisfactory. It is a shame since I always try to put my skills to best use with the mindset of that all things are possible. But when the reality of all things being possible clearly are not, I have to let go and move on. There is always a sense of disappointment and sadness that fills my soul but regardless, I cannot keep going forward toward darkness when light is my goal. This has is really simple, if I can be an effective vessel for understanding positive outcomes I jump in feet first into the current pool, if not, then I must stop wherever I am at and extricate myself and try another pool. That is my life and certainly it is most of others' lives too. I am a stubborn and obstinate person at times and it is hard to admit defeat. Yet for the sake of my sanity I must do so and remember that it is always about the effort I make and the outcomes of these efforts of mine are not strictly in my control.

Where profits gain and education loses. (#1354)

America, that is where. The race to capitalize every aspect of our society has allowed for the greed of profits to prioritize itself over the knowledge base of our citizens. We are on a path, led by some very wealthy interests, to segregate out from our society the opportunity for us to become enlightened. I can only venture the reason as the few existing wealthy who are perpetrating this dynamic as being they are fearful of having to continue to compete with a larger base of individuals for the wealth they currently control. They have a mindset that if they eliminate the competition, by lessening the knowledge it takes to compete with them, they will feel more secure in their wealth. It always comes back to greed and selfishness through fear. Overcoming this paradigm of diminishing education for all citizens, that these few wealthy are forwarding, is the denial of allowing them to privatize education. We need educational opportunities to remain in the public domain for the sheer necessity of including all our citizens. When educational opportunities are privatized, more are left out since the cost of education grows due to profits being the motivator for inclusion. As the price goes up education becomes a luxury, not a necessity and that is where we will begin as a nation toward demise. We are already attacking programs that deal with our weaker members and now we are on a path to drive a wedge between those who can afford to learn and those who cannot. Capitalism is a subset of our society, used to help us with barter and exchange, not to institute a political philosophy that dwarfs democratic ideals. we can live without capitalism, we cannot live without democracy.

For some acquiring principal (money) is a code of conduct (#1353)

Too many in society are easily confused into believing that principal made from money, or less so labor; is the same thing as having an honorable virtuous code of conduct (principles). The words sound the same but are miles apart on the definition continuum. For most of us we can distinguish between the chase for riches; and the richness of thought and action with which we live our lives. I am all for the barter system and of course we need some form of exchange like what a common currency offers, however, what I am not for is a mindset or philosophy that attaches greater significance to greed than it does to common decency and respect for life. I just don't have it in me to disregard others for the sake of my own selfishness. It is not how I have learned to live a rewarding life. Money has it's place but not even near the top of the priorities that should come before it. Principles for living, I have mentioned these many times in past posts and they refer to justice, equality, sacrifice, sharing and other such noble undertakings that bring warmth to one's heart and satisfaction to one's soul. Every day should be Christmas as an example of the feelings one should have. Not just one day a year but all days a year. I am a positive natured man for a reason, because it is the right way to be. I like laughter and smiles, they bring such contentment to my life. No amount of money could do that because I know that everything has an inverse effect and if I am being selfish about taking more than I need someone else is left with less than they need. The law of proportionality is real, whenever a constant is in effect both sides are inversely affected. In our finite world with limited resources, those few who hoard more are keeping many more subject to less. 

Our passions live within us (#1352)

We own ourselves. Seems like a simple enough statement, yet many feel as if they are trapped by the previous choices, afraid to change that which has them bound. Well, I for one know what that feeling is like, however, I have had to chnge a few times because life happened around me and I couldn't control the outcomes. Having lived through those forced changes has made me realize that I can break away from bounds that I have placed upon myself. Knowing that I will survive and live as me still, regardless of how things have changed around me is most empowering. I can live as me without having to feel trapped by circumstance. Today, I am in such a state of living that my passions are what bind me and that my friends is exactly where I want and need to be. I do not go to sleep or wake up to the oppression of prevailing wrong choices in my life. I have not bound myself to some concept that is less than my hopes and dreams. There is no chain on my life as I pass through this existence that cannot be easily broken without causing anyone around me any harm. I feel freedom like I have never felt freedom before, and what do I want to do? My passions tell me to be of service to those who are in need of some help. I am a taker carer of sorts and it is what revitalizes my soul and puts smiles in my heart. I can be me without asking for a by your leave from anyone. Now that is the passion that lives within me and certainly the passion I hope all of us can find.

Taking short cuts (#1351)

There are so many things going on in our lives and finding ways to learn about them is not easy when we have so many responsibilities. So what do we do? We take the course of least resistance, because our time is valuable, and listen to those we think are reputable or in line with our moral, political, religious and economic thinking. The trouble is that not all of our likes are in line with each other. We have conflicts on some issues and not on others. We all have to struggle in this way. However, one thing we cannot and must not do is allow our beliefs to carry us forward when those beliefs are in conflict with reality. It is incumbent upon us to doubt things we don't readily see as true. It has become a conditioned response to accept things that are just a bit dubious since we are all a lit bit of a gambler, but the problem is that once we start accepting little untruths as true, we begin to accept bigger untruths as true because we have lost our footing in what is true. We even get to the point where we actually are so confused about what is actually true we begin to disbelieve the truth when it does show up. In short, we have slipped a little from facts toward slipping a lot from facts. We have given in to the dynamic that if we just follow along with others who we know and respect, we can get by okay without having to carry the intellectual heft needed to define who we are and how we want to live. Taking short cuts is not a long term strategy as in the end you end up not being able to defend to yourself what you have done with your life. Find the time to inform yourself about who you are and what you want out of life. If settling for something is your best, then question why you do not want more!

Separate out the illogic from the logical (#1350)

It doesn't take much to do, just a little bit of research is enough these days since most claims that sound funny are easy to check. Check everyone's claims not just those who are obvious. I get rather perturbed to keep running into the same false claims and people who keep promoting them when the proof speaks that they are lies. To me the truth is still the one thing I use to decide things and when the truth becomes a casualty to lies is when our whole system of society will crumble. it is necessary work fact checking, just as necessary as eating and breathing. The fact is, and I mean this with a heavy heart, that there are people in society who will lie. cheat and steal at any given moment to gain an advantage all the while telling everyone that they are doing God's work or that they know better and we should trust them. Hogwash! The only factor to determine the fact of a thing is to verify it's truth. Nothing less! So wherever you are at in life, you must take the time to involve yourself in actions that affect you. Determine the worth of those actions because to be a citizen of any country requires that duty from you at the very basic foundational level. You don't need a degree from some institution to find out what a thing is all about. You don't need some talking head on cable tv to just say something about something without providing proof of it as a method of trust. Only trust your own observations and research and where necessary ask for more information if needed. This existence belongs to all of us, none more than another but we must participate if we want the best of what it can be.

Why I care (#1349)

I don't have to care about anything outside of myself, yet I do. The reason is, is that I choose to care. Something about caring feels right. In fact I have been at places in my life where I tried very hard not to care and there was no good to come of it. I felt secluded but empty and lonely. I did not like that feeling and since then I have tried my hardest to not be that guy again. Life is somewhat annoying at times but the benefit of living in my life with others far outweigh any perceived inconveniences I may think I am being otherwise subjected. Caring is for me a natural trait, something I have inherent within me. I can choose to ignore my natural state and try to live in an illusory one, but again, it did not feel right. So care I do and because of caring many things in my life have happy outcomes. So for me caring brings about a happiness I otherwise would have missed out on. Whether the caring takes place on the micro level or macro level. I do feel better when I employ it. Another benefit of caring is that a lot of those who are the benefit of my care also return me the same courtesy. A respectful relationship blossoms and amazing situations occur that I could not have envisioned through not caring. Most of us spend time thinking about what our purpose here is in this time limited existence and I am one also. What has occurred to me is the phrase in our United States Declaration of Independence, "...the pursuit of happiness.". This phrase has effectively filled out what I think of as my purpose, so caring is the key to me finding that happiness I so much want to have in my life.

What purpose does society serve? (#1348)

Mainly society, if civilized, will protect it's citizens from without and within. Most people focus on the part that deals with protection from outsiders who would take advantage of our society if they could. But what is lesser noticed is the attack from within by those who have ideologies that are antithetical to what we have as a democracy in America. Power, combined with greed has infiltrated some of our mindsets in the worst possible way. Making our understanding of what democracy is into a form of capitalism that is now the scale by which we judge each other. It is the ulterior motive of many, without evidence of a natural progression, to blame inconsistencies in financial status as a shortcoming that reflects our character. Economics is a brutal game of utility for those who have and would use it against those who have not. Can you smell the rot of our society if this continues? I can, and the answer to this is to call it what it is and then work to promote justice based upon democratic principles, not capitalistic ones. Capitalism is a hollow man when it is devoid of democratic principles. Thus, the general welfare of all citizens in a society must be weighed to favor equality when the question arises. Merit and hard work account for distinctions but no one should be left behind despite favoritism being the rule and not the exception. Economics are a means for barter within a society, not the passing grade whether someone is worthy or not. Reality and existence are marvelous phenomenons and keeping them that way should be our goal, not discounting them in favor of how much one can earn/profit off another's natural right to exist.

Facing our fears (#1347)

It doesn't matter what it is that has us frightened, we are alive and have great abilities. We need to learn to not only trust our own sense of courage but we must also embrace the fact that we are the most competent forms of life on the planet. With that knowledge there is nothing that we cannot overcome, furthermore, even accept with a sense of grace. It is all the negative vibrations some send out to stir up the fear that we try to subdue in our lives and shame on those who do that. Life is a battle of sorts and if you are not on the side of improving life then you are against it. Within all of us is the notion that what we don't know is scary. However, we can look at that differently. Being scared is an option not a given. When the unknown around us is thrust into our immediate senses, we don't need to withdraw with baited breath, we can stand firm and observe what it is about the unknown that challenges our emotions. Becoming aware and learning of those things that have long been attached to heightening our fear, can allay that fear so that our courage to be curious can rightly invoke itself. Whether it is the little things like spiders or snakes, or the fear mongering some of we humans do to each other to move our minds toward some power they hope to achieve, we must always remember that fear is a choice. When we let fear overtake our actions we have thus effectively abdicated our right to follow our normal individual and communal life course. Fear should never be the obstacle for determining who we are and if those who prey upon elevating fear have their way, you will never have the life you most richly deserve.

We need to do more than just exist (#1346)

Here is my outer space spiel again. It has been awhile since I have commented on it. Our natures are not sedentary. We have a gusto about us that exemplifies movement. First, we are not like the plants, trees and things of a rooted nature. We are mobile and active in our purpose. Second, we have senses that are for detecting information and a mind as a mechanism for reasoned logical gathering in conjunction with our transitory physical abilities. We were born to progress from place to place and that is not disputable. Hence our need to explore beyond our own known boundaries. The smart thing to do is to have as much understanding of our own physical earthly environment while making opportunities available for us to go out beyond our now limited sphere. It does seem that we are reaching that paradigm yet I wonder if there are not too many forces within our species who have not come to the conclusion that we need to reach out beyond what is already known. There are numerous among us who have concluded that a God does not want us to do more than what we are capable of in the area of moving out beyond our planet. Religious indoctrinations have skewed understandings toward a monastic lifestyle, where contemplation on divinity and reverence are all, is all that matters. We are not sedentary like some would have us believe through ideology. Practicality and pragmatism negate such notions. We may exhibit principles enshrined within all religions while also following our natural proclivity toward information gathering and applying that information toward our constant movements, which include exploring out beyond the scope of our present habitation.

Why do I get mad at myself when I know better? (#1345)

I am always amused at myself immediately afterward when I get angry with myself because I haven't done something right or I fail to complete a process to a high standard. I am definitely my own worst critic. I know better because I am not perfect and although I can think things as they should be done perfectly, I cannot realistically perform to my perfect thoughts, hence I immediately get angry with myself. I am a punishing ego. lol. Anyway, it is funny to me afterwards because I let my first impulse have sway instead of just pausing and allowing myself to think first then react after that. No, I have to throw a few curse words out and mentally pummel myself first. :) I don't know how I came to be this way but certainly it is due to expectations I have of myself as more gifted than I really am. Not that I cannot attain this magical impression in my mind that I have of my capabilities, it is that I don't account for the flawed human behavior we all share. I am not a robot and anytime I think I should be perfect is when I am delusional. lol. yet, over time, I have still to overcome my inability to adapt to the obvious notion that I am not a well-oiled machine. I will say this though, I am less inclined to go off on myself these days as I become aware much quicker to reality than when I was younger. I had and still have to a lesser degree a concept in my head that just because I am capable in the perfect sense to do a thing, does not mean I am able to do it when all of reality is included. The wisdom to know that difference is huge and has been a good principle for me to follow. Still though, like this morning, I am still delusional about what I can do and what I can't do and that means I have more to work on. :)

Self interest versus community involvement (#1344)

These two dynamics are more mutually exclusive than they are mutually inclusive. When I decide the actions of my wants and desires as the first order of priority, I have failed to consider what effect those have on the society we live in on whole. I am only concentrating on my own level of achievement/pleasure to the dismissal of other communal factors. By compartmentalizing my approach to living within elements of my own demands, I have disassociated myself from any comprehensive changes that need to be implemented in uplifting society to a better place. I have subjugated society's progress for a more narrow vision of my own priority. This constant friction between living a life free and devoid of responsibility to our civilization is a concept based in selfishness as a natural right. Interesting that some feel this way yet disregard that they have been raised and cared for in the secure environment of a communal society. All the advancements that have taken place in our recorded history, the recording of it itself as an example, has required a communal effort. Where some think that they owe no loyalty to a process that is inherent in our existence is mind-boggling. Even more than that it is selfishness and ego wrapped up in illogic. Yet it is a pervasive form of popular thought in our current lifetime. There is a lack of satisfaction by those same people when it comes to not understanding how to be a part of society while also taking from society it's best offerings. Sharing what limited resources we have is not a consideration for them, instead it is a duty of being owed to them and a high principle. Instead of being all in for themselves, they should see that being all in for our society and the human race is the true paradigm of living a well and satisfied life. 

What is a person's intent? (#1343)

I watched the debate last night and came away from it feeling somewhat disturbed by how the intent of both participants were expressed. One did not allow his intent to shine as brightly as it could have and the other tried desperately to hide his intent. A mixed bag of realizations for me. In the instance of the one who was less inclined to combat the attacks against his intent, I felt like an opportunity was let slip away. In all fairness, if the other chooses to attack the one that does not necessarily prescribe a return attack by the one. Being more statesman-like is a virtue and should be considered a measured response to any attack of a nefarious nature. It is what the one chose to exemplify and I applaud the reserved response. Personally I would have been more combative but regardless, I am not the one who is making the choices here. One the other side of the debate was the other who was in a desperate situation and he needed to make a mark of some sort. He employed two strategies of obvious recognition. First, he chose to confront in a manner that crossed the line of civility, and second, he chose to be dishonest about his own, and the one's, policies. Desperation will do that and maybe the correct response by the one was to let the other expose his nature and behavior for all to see without corrupting it with vengeful responses. It is still all about intent and that we saw for the first time a side by side account of what their intents portrayed we have a better understanding of the character of each of these men who would be our next President here in America. When confusion and obfuscation are the end result of the other in order to unseat the one, a simple smile comes to my face as now the decision as to who has the right intent has been established.

The potential of human life (#1342)

What is the role of human life? It seems that history has shown that notwithstanding intellectual aspirations, we have been mostly a resource for other human beings. Much like how cattle and property have been used by a few to cultivate and propagate their own burgeoning self interest, human life has also been seen as a commodity utilized for economic and political strategies. Certainly a fair amount of our history revolves around commerce and trade as a function for binding humanity and meeting our needs, yet further there has been a disdain or complicity to segregate out of our community of humans those who wish and do make others less human by their actions. A privilege of sorts which is fueled by class distinctions and power grabs in law that distinguish the helped from the helpless. Maintaining an ever divided set of principles that keep most from attaining true enlightenment as a means to operate the cog of divisive machinery. Back to my question, what is the role of human life? It seems that we are all given senses, five of which have been readily identified. We have also been given rudimentary understandings that with the help of education, may refine and open up new perspectives of thought for us. It is our human nature to input data from our surroundings and understandings so that we may make decisions that reflect our desires and needs. From this basic understanding of how humans operate, we can then move into an existence that highlights these qualities as an end result instead of utilizing only the brawn most of humanity is forced into through a dysfunctional society that has only wealth accumulation for some as it's illogical and inhumane paradigm.

Actions not words (#1341)

The blatantly illogical meme of "do as I say and not as I do" has no place as a response to anyone. Those who think that they have "figured out" life and spend all their time telling us how to live it need to close their mouths and put to action in their lives those things they would have us do. The word hypocrite comes to mind as well as charlatan. It is fine to describe actions one has taken to give advice to others facing similar circumstances and situations. But it is not fine to give advice to others when the actions are foreign to the giver of the advice or contrary to the givers actions. We need to be listening to the people in our lives who are actually aware and understand the complexity of our questions. Is it a laziness on our part to find advice like we would fast food? Or is it something to do with our allowing ourselves to be vulnerable to others that we don't feel a kinship or comfort with? I don't know why we insist on asking for advice from people who have some notoriety and little substance, but it seems to be the rage. No one has life figured out and if we all just trust our own good instincts most all of our problems will resolve themselves. When that is not enough at least get several people to give you advice before taking just one solution and running with it. People do not generally seek to build their characters throughout their lives, instead they have hit a comfortable plateau and believe that they have arrived when in actuality they are still many levels of perspective below from seeing the top. Life is too short for making wrong decisions and wasting time living with them, when a little time spent finding a diversity of answers to choose from saves more time in the end and can have a better outcome. 

Cognitive dissonance (#1340)

Cognitive dissonance is a disharmony between belief and reality. Doing something that violates our own personal beliefs. The trouble begins initially when we place such a value on a belief system that regardless of reality, there will always be conflict. We create that ourselves. There are many among us who are unable to admit that they just don't know, and instead allow their ego to prioritze what is right and what isn't. My personal philosophy on belief syustems is that they are "hoped for systems" and not "truth set in stone systems". I am very much a pragmatist, allowing logic, science, nature and observation, to shape and define my belief system. A system that is in flux with time and space. I have been aware of the absolute fact that there is very little of the complexity of the world that I know about, hence I can admit often that "I don't know". I don't leave much room for a cognitive dissonance to exist between my ears or in my chest. I am well satisfied that most difficult decisions in life do not require that I know the answer to them. I may want a certain outcome, however, that is hoping, not precluding. I am able to accept and either resign myself to the outcome or turn my force of will toward the outcome to improve it. I cannot change the initial outcome until I first accept it's existence. Here is where denial comes into play for so many. They have a tendency toward denying the fact of a thing in order to satisfy their own egoistic, (immovable belief system), understanding. It can be an individual solution for a time but it's application to reality is nonsensical. By truthfully admitting that I don't know, I am well on my way to dismissing the struggle and confusion that cognitive dissonance perpetrates.