is neither very easy or very hard. It simply has it's moments of complication and difficulty, but also carries much simplicity and ease depending on the aspect you are involved in at a given time. Although I can't say I really enjoy the job, I don't hate it. It's both money, as well as an experience to me. I get to enter private abodes and take a peak at peoples lives from behind the scenes. Sometimes it's messy, other times overly-conformist and monotonous, and occasionally filled with try-hard optimism, self-help book upon self-help book packed together despite the owners aura of repressed discontent with everything. However, the house I went to today was absolutely incredible. The garden out back seemed only partially attended to, and gave off a modest impressiveness regardless. A little path carved through the light rounded shrubbery, and gave an impression of leading to nowhere in particular. The house itself was very clean, yet was beautifully cluttered with musical instruments, intellectual magazines, books on history, science, philosophy, art, and classic fiction, and to top it all off there were absolutely breathtakingly beautiful paintings placed in seemingly perfect places throughout the home; not to mention the perfectly-sized windows which boasted an absolutely stunning view of the ocean-side property below and the Georgia Straight.
It was the kind of house I wish to live in one day... progressively modest, yet beautiful at the same time in it's modesty and aura of universal sources.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind: My Personal Response to Each.
1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
In many ways, you would be perceptively eternal. Not technically in the sense of your finite biological time on this earth, but in the sense that you would lack the awareness of your age, and would therefore lack the ability to properly calculate how much longer you would have to live. It would make life less of a game of calculation, and more of a time-lapse in which you wouldn't become aware that you were approaching death until you truly were approaching it. 2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
Never trying. Try, and when you try, give it your absolute all. You may fail, but it's much better to look back on your life and say, at the bare minimum, "At least I tried, and I gave it my all." And depending on what it is, "Try, try, and try again" may also be some valid and valuable advice to heed.3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
Perspectives on personal limits. Much of it is society (although society is simply a collection of individuals influencing one another). Finances play a big role, but if one would really truly like to do something, one will discard of laziness and pursue what it is they'd like to do at their own pace. Another tip: think outside of the box, and suddenly, practically anything is possible given enough drive, creativity, and intention. 4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
That really depends. Hopefully I have done more than I said, but this all depends on the context. If I were to die tomorrow? I think I would have done just about as much as I have said, but not necessarily have done all I would have liked to do, or said I would do. 5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
The excuses people come up with to be selfish and greedy. That does not mean that one can't pursue personal goals for exclusive personal benefit, but one must balance this out with also giving in different ways, shapes, and forms. Personally, in the end, I would like to have given more than I got.
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Working as an artist of some sort, whether by writing, being a musician, or assisting everyone in seeing the absolute beauty and wonder of life. Perhaps all of the above.7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
I'm not sure if what I'm doing is necessarily what I believe in. In the sense of my personal writing (such as this response to "Marc and Angel Hack Life,") I am most definitely doing what I believe in. This applies to all of my personal endeavors and personal relations. In the sense of a job, I have yet to make what I love to do work for me, but I don't dislike my current circumstances by any means. Eventually, they too will need to be altered, but I'll make the most of them while they remain.8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
I would break many more rules and simply live, freely and truly. If I had such a guaranteed finite amount of time, it would probably accentuate my anarchist-leaning sentiments to the point that they would boil over. However, if 40 years was the average life expectancy and no one knew any better, I'm not sure what I would do. I would probably just look to speed-up any prolonging of certain conditions of life, such as school and work and whatnot. 9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
Quite a large degree. I definitely created myself, and I look to eternally improve myself until the day that I die. 10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
I am more worried about doing the right things, although both are important.. I am a strong believer in non-linearism. Let everyone find their own direction to the solution. You may give them pointers, and depending on what it is, even a deadline in which they must abide and discover the solution. But leave it in their hands, for the most part.11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
Honestly? I would probably feel quite awkward, and would bring it up by asking them why said person is so bad, and inform them that they are not as bad as they are making them out to seem. In the end, however, it is up to them, and them only, what opinions they will hold on this friend of mine, as uncomfortable as I may be with it.12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
"Never let go of that child-like intrigue, curiosity, and lust to discover."13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
Yes, of course. Well, depending on what it is.14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
I have in many places. I never saw absolute insanity in a condescending light... but when something doesn't make sense, it seems slightly insane at first whether we like it or not. I received much of the arts in this way, and have since discovered that the best kind of people on this planet are a little bit insane. And that's a beautiful thing.15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
I am blatantly outspoken, and I look to improve myself and the world around me. 16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
What makes someone 'happy' is a case of personal taste. And my taste differs from others.17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
I have yet to travel the world. Finances are the main thing holding me back.18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
Hmm.. probably, but not that I can think of. Everyone has their skeletons in the closet, I suppose.19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
That's a good question. I guess I would move anywhere, really. I have no specific preference (or, I do, but I would be satisfied and happy anywhere). But for the sake of humoring everyone, I would move to Victoria, British Columbia because many of my friends are down there, many interesting people I'm sure I would like to meet, and whom would most likely enjoy meeting me as well live (or, perhaps, are visiting) down there, my significant other lives a single ferry-ride away, and it's a generally big city as well as a nice change of scenery and a new place to explore and discover.
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
I usually only click it once. Unless the doors have yet to close after 30 seconds and the elevator has moved nowhere... in which case I will double-check to make sure I pushed it properly.
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
Not to sound arrogant, but I think I encompass the best of both worlds in many regards... however, when I find something to worry about and I worry about it, I really worry about it. So for the sake of having to choose one, I suppose I would rather be a joyful simpleton. 22. Why are you, you?
Many different reasons.At one point, I was simply the result of a confluence of social forces (ex: my parents, my surroundings, the people I knew, the things that occurred to me), and although those all still play some part in who I am, I believe I have transcended most of it and created myself. Therefore, I am me because I chose to be me. 23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
Yes, I believe so. There are the occasional issues, I suppose.. but I think I would very much enjoy being friends with me were I an external figure. I will admit, however... I, myself, am my own best friend.24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
That all depends on the context. There's usually a good reason for losing touch with someone who lives near you, so there being a good reason would make it worse in many regards. Maybe for the best... but still worse.25. What are you most grateful for?
Having the chance to exist, and existing right here and right now.26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
I would rather lose all my old memories and create new ones, I suppose... but that's a tough question to answer.27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
No, it's not.28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
No it hasn't.I would say my greatest fear would be being physically and psychologically tortured? But I'm not entirely sure. I don't really have a 'greatest fear,' just a collection of smaller fears lacking an organized hierarchy, and I rarely ever dwell on them.
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
No, I don't remember, but I'm sure I had sometime when I was extremely upset.So no... it certainly doesn't matter now.
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
My happiest childhood memory is having been a child. That was a great privilege, and a great way to start my life.31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
Most of the time... probably the last time I was with my significant other would be the MOST passionate and alive, but I've felt significantly passionate and alive since.32. If not now, then when?
Good question. And if not now, then sometime soon.33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
Nothing.34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
Yes, quite a few times. "That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence." -Mia from Pulp Fiction.35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
Reasons of intolerance and unalterable human imperfections, as well as the human tendency to polar opposition.36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
No, it's not possible.37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
Probably, yes. But that doesn't mean I would cease being productive; I would use that money to fund my efforts to do what I love to do, and let myself become richer. Once I had a secure income, I would begin giving much of that income away to charities, friends, and other positive endeavors.38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
More work I actually enjoy doing.39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
Not really, no. I did just start an on-call job today, however.. so it may eventually feel like I've lived this day a hundred times before one day.40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
When I graduated, and I believed (as I do still believe) that everything will soon workout, and I will be travelling to other parts of the globe within the next year and a half.41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
My parents, by closest friends, my significant other, and myself.42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
No.43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
Being alive is merely existing. It does not intrinsically entail enjoyment, joy, satisfaction, happiness, pleasure, appreciation, constant intrigue, discovery, or endeavor. Truly living includes all of this... sometimes all at once, and other times one, or a few at a time.44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
All the time. This doesn't cease us from occasionally calculating regardless, but when it comes to many things, toss expectations aside and simply do it if you feel it.45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
Social taboo, and not wishing to regress, even if both are misinterpretations and if you treat mistakes right, they are more progressive then a lack thereof.46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
Very few things. For the most part, I don't really worry myself with what others think... but as a human being, sometimes I can't help it, and other times, I care anyways out of giving to their personal interests as opposed to mine. In the end, however, I am going to do what I think is right, and what I believe in over what anyone else thinks is right or believes I should do.47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
An hour or so ago... but that's more because I've been experiencing sporadic respiratory problems as of late. In the sense of existentially noticing the sound of my own breathing... probably about 3 or 4 hours ago.48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
I love life, I love my friends, I love my family. And yes, many of my recent actions have openly expressed this love.49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
I probably won't remember it specifically by the date, but yes, I think I will remember what I did yesterday, the day before, and the day before, etc.50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
A mix of both. If a decision is made, or is in the process of being made, that, for some reason, I disagree with, I will make the decision to render the previous decision invalid and do what I believe is right, or what I would prefer for myself.Monday, September 19, 2011
My Bucket List: Part 11
91: Write an alternate history novel in which the Nazis win the Second World War, and get it published.
92: Write a book about 'Positive Nihilism.' Get it published as well.
93: Purchase and (eventually) beat "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."
94: Publish a book of short stories.
95: Climb to the top of an ancient church steeple in Venice.
96: Inspire at least 400 people during my entire lifetime. And not that lame, temporary inspiration; the kind of inspiration that never lets them forget how absolutely amazing life truly is. Absolute minimum: 5 people.
97: Make friends with at least 5 random strangers on a street somewhere at sometime.
98: Do public speaking in front of 10,000 people.
99: Learn a second language.
100: Write provocative, intriguing quotes in random places (ex: back of a bus, alleyway wall, sidewalk, etc).
92: Write a book about 'Positive Nihilism.' Get it published as well.
93: Purchase and (eventually) beat "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."
94: Publish a book of short stories.
95: Climb to the top of an ancient church steeple in Venice.
96: Inspire at least 400 people during my entire lifetime. And not that lame, temporary inspiration; the kind of inspiration that never lets them forget how absolutely amazing life truly is. Absolute minimum: 5 people.
97: Make friends with at least 5 random strangers on a street somewhere at sometime.
98: Do public speaking in front of 10,000 people.
99: Learn a second language.
100: Write provocative, intriguing quotes in random places (ex: back of a bus, alleyway wall, sidewalk, etc).
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Proof of the Human Tendency to Polar Opposition
Quite disgusted and shocked, yet at the same time incredibly fascinated by his motives and views, I have somehow managed to last through a majority of NBC's interview with prominent serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
During his brutal murder spree between 1974 and 1986, Jeffrey killed 17 young men, even going so far as cannibalism because it made him feel as if they were 'now eternally a part of him' as a result of his digestion of their remains.
Rarely do serial killers ever agree to interviews of this nature, and even rarer still do they take complete and utter responsibility for what occurred as he does, or probe the origins of the reasons as to why he did what he did.
However, I don't wish to linger on the details as there is a certain observation I made that I wish to share.
You can watch the interview itself by clicking here. (Please be warned: it is not for the faint of heart, and may be very disturbing to some viewers).
During part of the interview, Dahmer describes in detail what he, personally, believes regarding the meaning of life and other such existential matters. The interview itself went as follows:
Dahmer's Father: Let me ask.. when did you first feel that everyone is accountable for their actions?
Dahmer: Well, thanks to you for sending that 'creation/ science' material.. because.. I always believed the lie that evolution is truth.. that the theory of evolution is truth.. that we all just came from the slime and.. when we died.. that was it. There was nothing. So it.. the whole theory cheapens life, and I started reading books about how.. that show how evolution is just a complete lie. There is no basis in science to uphold it, and I have since come to believe that, uh.. that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true creator of the Heavens and the Earth.. it just.. it didn't just happen.. and I have accepted him as my Lord and Savior, and I believe that I, as well as everyone else, will be accountable to him.
Religious commentary aside, what I observed was what I described in part of my previous post, "Where do the labels put me in respect to Nihilism?," in which I stated that "the nature of human perception, after falsely acknowledging there was only that single aspect to the entirety of the Universe, couldn't comprehend how full the Universe really was once God suddenly became absent from it. Our first reaction to the lack of a deity was to replace one single observatory aspect with another; from the optimistic certainty of a God, to the pessimistic certainty of absolute meaninglessness" and that "it seems to be human nature to gravitate to polar opposite sides of one side or another (ex: good or evil, everything or nothing, left wing or right wing, etc)." and Dahmer's observation caused me to whisper 'polar opposites' under my breath as that observation clicked once again in my head when he spoke of previously believing in the face-value, dry, scientific black-and-white interpretation of evolutionary theory, and then suddenly, out of some existential crisis, decided to switch to the absolute other end of the spectrum by deciding that "evolution is just a complete lie" and that "the Lord Jesus Christ is the true creator of the Heavens and the Earth." In doing so, he completely disregarded any sort of middle-ground he could have explored as there is quite a lot of truth to the old saying that there are 'two sides to every story, and somewhere in the middle lies the truth.' Still, the human tendency seems to be to draw our observations, perceptions, and beliefs in black-and-white as if it has to be one or the other.
On his observation that "the whole theory cheapens life," I would have to agree in some sense.
I haven't studied evolution enough to have my own valid opinion on whether I believe it to be true or not, but I take nothing at face-value, not even science which, in many ways, demands you do so in the same way religion demands you subjugate your mind to its will. This does not, however, alleviate the fact that I believe it holds much more credibility than any sort of religious faith does, and certainly holds more truth than Creationism ever could.
To truly have a humbled and rational perspective on the world, one must understand that science is simply human observation and is, in many ways, nothing but a human construct. It, to, is flawed, and one must resist the urge to take it at face-value simply due to the fact that it is the only clearly defined alternative to religion and metaphysics (both which intertwine with it at different capacities depending on the faith and context).
I agree with Dahmer in his assertion that the way he interpreted the theory definitely cheapens life, and that the way in which it is presented also gives a dry and meaningless feel to existence.
As human beings, we need to humble our observations and give absolutely everything the benefit of the doubt. Absolutely everything, otherwise we risk getting trapped in a mode of thought that propagates the illusion that we need to make definite decisions regarding our beliefs, and choose between one side or the other.
Not that I really expected a serial killer to have such insightful ability.
During his brutal murder spree between 1974 and 1986, Jeffrey killed 17 young men, even going so far as cannibalism because it made him feel as if they were 'now eternally a part of him' as a result of his digestion of their remains.
Rarely do serial killers ever agree to interviews of this nature, and even rarer still do they take complete and utter responsibility for what occurred as he does, or probe the origins of the reasons as to why he did what he did.
However, I don't wish to linger on the details as there is a certain observation I made that I wish to share.
You can watch the interview itself by clicking here. (Please be warned: it is not for the faint of heart, and may be very disturbing to some viewers).
During part of the interview, Dahmer describes in detail what he, personally, believes regarding the meaning of life and other such existential matters. The interview itself went as follows:
Dahmer's Father: Let me ask.. when did you first feel that everyone is accountable for their actions?
Dahmer: Well, thanks to you for sending that 'creation/ science' material.. because.. I always believed the lie that evolution is truth.. that the theory of evolution is truth.. that we all just came from the slime and.. when we died.. that was it. There was nothing. So it.. the whole theory cheapens life, and I started reading books about how.. that show how evolution is just a complete lie. There is no basis in science to uphold it, and I have since come to believe that, uh.. that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true creator of the Heavens and the Earth.. it just.. it didn't just happen.. and I have accepted him as my Lord and Savior, and I believe that I, as well as everyone else, will be accountable to him.
Religious commentary aside, what I observed was what I described in part of my previous post, "Where do the labels put me in respect to Nihilism?," in which I stated that "the nature of human perception, after falsely acknowledging there was only that single aspect to the entirety of the Universe, couldn't comprehend how full the Universe really was once God suddenly became absent from it. Our first reaction to the lack of a deity was to replace one single observatory aspect with another; from the optimistic certainty of a God, to the pessimistic certainty of absolute meaninglessness" and that "it seems to be human nature to gravitate to polar opposite sides of one side or another (ex: good or evil, everything or nothing, left wing or right wing, etc)." and Dahmer's observation caused me to whisper 'polar opposites' under my breath as that observation clicked once again in my head when he spoke of previously believing in the face-value, dry, scientific black-and-white interpretation of evolutionary theory, and then suddenly, out of some existential crisis, decided to switch to the absolute other end of the spectrum by deciding that "evolution is just a complete lie" and that "the Lord Jesus Christ is the true creator of the Heavens and the Earth." In doing so, he completely disregarded any sort of middle-ground he could have explored as there is quite a lot of truth to the old saying that there are 'two sides to every story, and somewhere in the middle lies the truth.' Still, the human tendency seems to be to draw our observations, perceptions, and beliefs in black-and-white as if it has to be one or the other.
On his observation that "the whole theory cheapens life," I would have to agree in some sense.
I haven't studied evolution enough to have my own valid opinion on whether I believe it to be true or not, but I take nothing at face-value, not even science which, in many ways, demands you do so in the same way religion demands you subjugate your mind to its will. This does not, however, alleviate the fact that I believe it holds much more credibility than any sort of religious faith does, and certainly holds more truth than Creationism ever could.
To truly have a humbled and rational perspective on the world, one must understand that science is simply human observation and is, in many ways, nothing but a human construct. It, to, is flawed, and one must resist the urge to take it at face-value simply due to the fact that it is the only clearly defined alternative to religion and metaphysics (both which intertwine with it at different capacities depending on the faith and context).
I agree with Dahmer in his assertion that the way he interpreted the theory definitely cheapens life, and that the way in which it is presented also gives a dry and meaningless feel to existence.
As human beings, we need to humble our observations and give absolutely everything the benefit of the doubt. Absolutely everything, otherwise we risk getting trapped in a mode of thought that propagates the illusion that we need to make definite decisions regarding our beliefs, and choose between one side or the other.
Not that I really expected a serial killer to have such insightful ability.
Where do the labels put me in respect to Nihilism?
I am not a pessimistic philosopher.
Although my existential tendencies can occasionally be a burden during random dizzy-spells when I'm unsure of what's happening to me, I believe that the Universe and existence/ life itself are such beautiful and incredible things, whether meaningless or not.
Wikipedia describes Nihilism as: "the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value."
This is where things get interesting.
I agree that, beyond human perceptions, both individual and collective, there is no objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value to life. But within the realm of the human psyche there is an intrinsic value to life, as it's absolutely everything there is to the conscious mind. Once it's gone, life loses that intrinsic value which existed only to you (or, in a collective sense, to 'us') as a living, breathing, thinking, and seeing human being. Whether there is a heaven, a hell, a Paradise, Valhalla, reincarnation, or the Universe repeats itself over and over again infinitely, as far as I'm willing to put expectations on the concept of death and an end to my conscious existence, it all ends in absolutely nothing for all of us.
Our pursuit of knowledge and answers, and our search for higher modes of thought as well as comfort in life that we will continue to live past death all end in the blank, intrinsically meaningless and apparent end of the road we call death.
Nihilists are famous for, as well as stereotyped as becoming jaded and miserable as a result of such observations on our mortality and the perceptive meaninglessness of life beyond conscious and intelligent existence, but in my opinion, they look at it in such an ungrateful, unappreciative aspect as if all of this isn't enough to satisfy them, and as far as I'm concerned, that's not only a selfish outlook, but an outlook which is both unnecessary and nothing but a waste of time, energy, and emotion.
At the risk of sounding slightly condescending (not that it really means much, as 'condescending' is also a matter of opinion and perspective), such negative observations are not something to be resisted with positive thought; they are simply incorrect. Not that there is a correct answer or observation to make, but any philosophy lacking the existential incredulity at the fact that we have the privilege to exist in any way, shape, or form at all misses one of the key observations in life.
So what, we're small and insignificant to the Universe? The only reason that suddenly became an inconvenience to us is because we realized there probably isn't a God, or God's, so such a downgrade in our egocentric perception of the bigger picture seemed like a slap in the face; as if we had suddenly become so much less as a result.
But in all honesty, Godlessness is more.
Sure, that illusory and comforting guarantee that there was always someone (or something) looking over us, as well as caring for us may be gone, and with it a sense of comforting certainty has disintegrated, but it's not as if the truth has been revealed to be a pessimistic meaninglessness.
In fact, the nature of human perception, after falsely acknowledging there was only that single aspect to the entirety of the Universe, couldn't comprehend how full the Universe really was once God suddenly became absent from it. Our first reaction to the lack of a deity was to replace one single observatory aspect with another; from the optimistic certainty of a God, to the pessimistic certainty of absolute meaninglessness.
It seems to be human nature to gravitate to polar opposite sides of one side or another (ex: good or evil, everything or nothing, left wing or right wing, etc) when the truth is, not only is there no objective truth to anything at all (think about that for a moment: it leaves room for the mind to acknowledge that if the truth is 'there is no objective truth,' it's up to you to decide whether there is or not, or perhaps neither is true), there are simply many, many different truths, some connected to one another, and others not related at all.
For this reason, I scoff at scientists as well as philosophers that believe there is some universal law that binds everything together. From our spec of dust floating around a spec of sand in an unbelievably large galaxy which is, in itself, a spec of sand in comparison to the unimaginable number of other galaxies, there is no way we can ever possibly know if there is a universal, overarching law to everything in existence, and the idea of 'law' is, in itself, nothing but a human perspective and a push for some sort of certainty.
As Voltaire once said: "Doubt is not a comfortable feeling, but certainty is absurd."
And I disagree with him in a sense. I do, indeed, find comfort in doubt, and find discomfort in anything that claims it has found certainty in everything, be it religious, philosophical, or scientific.
Or, as Bill Maher put it: "I don't know, and neither do you. So stop pretending that you do know."
Although my existential tendencies can occasionally be a burden during random dizzy-spells when I'm unsure of what's happening to me, I believe that the Universe and existence/ life itself are such beautiful and incredible things, whether meaningless or not.
Wikipedia describes Nihilism as: "the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value."
This is where things get interesting.
I agree that, beyond human perceptions, both individual and collective, there is no objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value to life. But within the realm of the human psyche there is an intrinsic value to life, as it's absolutely everything there is to the conscious mind. Once it's gone, life loses that intrinsic value which existed only to you (or, in a collective sense, to 'us') as a living, breathing, thinking, and seeing human being. Whether there is a heaven, a hell, a Paradise, Valhalla, reincarnation, or the Universe repeats itself over and over again infinitely, as far as I'm willing to put expectations on the concept of death and an end to my conscious existence, it all ends in absolutely nothing for all of us.
Our pursuit of knowledge and answers, and our search for higher modes of thought as well as comfort in life that we will continue to live past death all end in the blank, intrinsically meaningless and apparent end of the road we call death.
Nihilists are famous for, as well as stereotyped as becoming jaded and miserable as a result of such observations on our mortality and the perceptive meaninglessness of life beyond conscious and intelligent existence, but in my opinion, they look at it in such an ungrateful, unappreciative aspect as if all of this isn't enough to satisfy them, and as far as I'm concerned, that's not only a selfish outlook, but an outlook which is both unnecessary and nothing but a waste of time, energy, and emotion.
At the risk of sounding slightly condescending (not that it really means much, as 'condescending' is also a matter of opinion and perspective), such negative observations are not something to be resisted with positive thought; they are simply incorrect. Not that there is a correct answer or observation to make, but any philosophy lacking the existential incredulity at the fact that we have the privilege to exist in any way, shape, or form at all misses one of the key observations in life.
So what, we're small and insignificant to the Universe? The only reason that suddenly became an inconvenience to us is because we realized there probably isn't a God, or God's, so such a downgrade in our egocentric perception of the bigger picture seemed like a slap in the face; as if we had suddenly become so much less as a result.
But in all honesty, Godlessness is more.
Sure, that illusory and comforting guarantee that there was always someone (or something) looking over us, as well as caring for us may be gone, and with it a sense of comforting certainty has disintegrated, but it's not as if the truth has been revealed to be a pessimistic meaninglessness.
In fact, the nature of human perception, after falsely acknowledging there was only that single aspect to the entirety of the Universe, couldn't comprehend how full the Universe really was once God suddenly became absent from it. Our first reaction to the lack of a deity was to replace one single observatory aspect with another; from the optimistic certainty of a God, to the pessimistic certainty of absolute meaninglessness.
It seems to be human nature to gravitate to polar opposite sides of one side or another (ex: good or evil, everything or nothing, left wing or right wing, etc) when the truth is, not only is there no objective truth to anything at all (think about that for a moment: it leaves room for the mind to acknowledge that if the truth is 'there is no objective truth,' it's up to you to decide whether there is or not, or perhaps neither is true), there are simply many, many different truths, some connected to one another, and others not related at all.
For this reason, I scoff at scientists as well as philosophers that believe there is some universal law that binds everything together. From our spec of dust floating around a spec of sand in an unbelievably large galaxy which is, in itself, a spec of sand in comparison to the unimaginable number of other galaxies, there is no way we can ever possibly know if there is a universal, overarching law to everything in existence, and the idea of 'law' is, in itself, nothing but a human perspective and a push for some sort of certainty.
As Voltaire once said: "Doubt is not a comfortable feeling, but certainty is absurd."
And I disagree with him in a sense. I do, indeed, find comfort in doubt, and find discomfort in anything that claims it has found certainty in everything, be it religious, philosophical, or scientific.
Or, as Bill Maher put it: "I don't know, and neither do you. So stop pretending that you do know."
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Freedom's Aftermath, Part 2: A Short Story
"You need to understand, Mr. Kent. Terrance is of a significantly higher standing than you, and if a suitable.. comprehension is not reached very soon, there will be consequences." Narhul, the Conflict Mediator, stated monotonously between sips of coffee.
"I wish for Terrance to properly understand where he has erred, Your Honor." Kent replied.
"I understand. I really do. But errors are a part of our existence and they impede upon productivity enough as it is. Why do you feel the need to prolong this sting to Zanzari? Any longer and it will turn into an open wound."
"You speak in metaphors."
"Yes. I do."
"That is not normal business practice, Your Honor."
"As a Conflict Mediator, my initiative is to illustrate how insignificant any individual problem is in comparison to the Greater Good, and to do so, I need to make it clear how much damage is being done. Even now as we speak, an essential outlet of productivity has been halted due to your minor strain with Mr. Terrance." Narhul almost appeared slightly emotional as he perked-up in his seat, visibly frustrated with Kent's stubborn resistance.
"Mr. Narhul, Your Honor. You must understand that I am part of the Office of Rational Interpretation. I am no measly member of the Labor Proletariat. I earned this position through my access to, and development of thought processes entirely alien to you. You must understand, as I understand, that this Department cannot reach its full productive potential with Mr. Terrance in charge. He is entirely inept for the position he fills, and keeps us significantly behind schedule due to his lack of comprehensive ability."
Narhul, noting that a promotion would be an inevitable occurrence in the event that he played a part in getting an entirely foreign Department up to its full working potential, decided to humor Kent and linger on the subject.
"And what, exactly, do you mean by his 'lack of comprehensive ability,' Mr. Kent?"
"He does not understand the way that the Order Documentation from the Upper Echelons is worded. It is too thick for his miniature brain to process. As a result, we end up carrying out the wrong order, and do not figure this out until a Detective from the Office of Labor Affairs shows up on our doorstep to inform us that our budget is being reduced due to a lack of able contribution. One more incident, and this entire Department may disintegrate or be downsized and assimilated into the Department next door, thus causing permanent and irreversible damage to the entire economic construct of Zanzari."
"'Economic construct?' You speak as if it is nothing but an illusion."
"I am no fool, Your Honor. You and I both know how superficial all of this truly is."
Narhul fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He was aware of this truth, but it was a truth that had always been buried at the back of his mind. A bleak opinion worth nothing at all. And now this.. this stranger.. had said it aloud as if it were worth its weight in words.
He began to drop the idea a promotion in favor of simply turning this man in for dissidence. It would gain him further credibility, and simply add to his already outstanding record.
"I suggest you cease talking in such terms, Mr. Kent. Such views are blasphemous, you know."
"I speak them only in context. I consider these circumstances to be worth the risk."
Before Narhul could reply, there was a knock on the sealed metallic door to the right of him.
Getting up from his seat, he clicked on the Intercom and said, "State your designation, serial number, profession, and your reason for being here."
"Designation: Anson. Serial number: 8254-86-K. I am an Officer of the Peace escorting a citizen to these coordinates for reasons undisclosed to me."
"Thank you, Anson. Please put the citizen on the intercom."
"Yes sir."
"Citizen, please state your designation, serial number, profession, and your reason for being here."
"Designation: Sadie. Serial number: 5375-28-N. I am a Senior Document Verificationist from the Office of Sector Administration for 81-Z, and I am here on a Z.O.I.A. Authorized Certificate of Circumstantial Intervention into the conflict involving my offspring, Designation: Kent, Serial Number: 5376-29-Q, and Mr. Terrance, head of Kent's Labor Department."
"Admission granted." Narhul announced. Opening the glass-seal to the doors security controls, Narhul punched-in a series of numbers and then pressed 'Enter.' The door hissed open and Kent looked up with seeming indifference.
"Good morning, mother. How are you?"
"I am fine." Sadie replied, wearing her falsified emotional numbness like a mask.
She breathed slowly in order to keep her heart-beat at a suitable pace. It wasn't working quite as well as she had hoped.
"Are you sure you are alright, Mrs. Sadie?" Narhul asked, placing his cup of coffee onto the small table next to him, already quite suspicious.
"I am fine, Your Honor. May we get back to business?"
"Yes.. yes, I suppose so. Take a seat."
Sadie pulled a small chair up next to Kent, and did as she was told. There was a short pause in which Sadie attempted to blank her mind before Narhul spoke.
"And what is it, exactly, that you would like to contribute to this attempt at mediation, Mrs. Sadie?"
"My input." She replied bluntly.
Narhul gave her a sharp look of perturbed annoyance. So far, he had gotten nowhere.
"And what, exactly, is your input?" He hissed.
"I must first develop a satisfactory perspective on the situation at hand, Your Honor."
"I am not here to play games, Mrs. Sadie. You can either speak now, or forever hold your peace."
Sadie had expected such a card to be played. It was not as if Zanzari was going to play fair; egalitarianism was out of the question. It was productivity that mattered.
She would have to appeal to this omnipotent, unalterable truth or she would get nowhere.
"I wish to ameliorate this dismal situation to the best of my ability."
Stupid, STUPID. she screamed at herself inside of her head. She had appealed to nothing! Simply stated what had been implied upon her arrival.
"You are beginning to sound like a member of the Labor Proletariat, Mrs. Sadie."
Her eyes began to dart back and forth. It felt as if every emotion she had ever repressed was about to burst out of her in tandem; as if she had reached some sort of crescendo in her existence.
"Tell me something, Mr. Narhul." Sadie said, nearly in a whisper.
"I.. well, what-"
"What do you think justifies all of this?"
Kent's head shot up to look at his mother in shock.
"Justifies what?"
"This.. existence. This day-to-day exploitation of our fellow human beings."
Narhul stood up from his chair. "Mrs. Sadie, I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you out-"
Crack.
Narhul lurched backwards, hitting his spine against the armrest of the chair he had previously been sitting in. Grasping onto his broken nose in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding with one hand, Narhul grasped onto the chair to his right with the other and made an attempt to pull himself up, his back pulsing with pain as he did so.
Sadie watched him.
That poor wretch of a man, she thought.
Just as he was about to hoist himself up, she kicked him in the left side of the rib cage as hard as she could. He yelped in pain, still holding his nose, but detached himself from the chair, almost voluntarily allowing himself to drop to the floor into order to tend to his injured side.
Significantly muffled beneath the obstruction of his hand, Narhul yelled, "MRS. SADIE, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST BY ORDER OF THE ZANZARI OFFICE OF INTERNAL AFFA-"
THUD.
The metal chair that Sadie had been sitting on came crashing down on Narhul's head and upper body. It took Sadie a moment to register the fact that it hadn't been her this time, and her eyes shot up to see Kent breathing hard between gritted teeth, a look of almost unnatural rage etched across his face.
"Kent-"
"I feel, mother. I feel." and almost as soon as it had appeared, that look of unnatural rage melted into tears of desperate fear and anguish, and Kent launched his arms around his mother and began to sob uncontrollably into her shoulder.
It took Sadie a moment to realize what was going on, but as soon as she did, she embraced her son in kind.
"I've.. I've been studying our society." Kent spoke between sobs.
"And I have too much to say, but not enough time."
Sadie simply listened, tears beginning to stream down her face as she held her son even closer.
"All I can say to describe it is this.. I love you, mother. I love you so much."
Sadie began to cry as well, and she began to stroke the back of Kent's head. Something about this was liberating. It was as if the entire world simply faded away into some sort of distant nightmare.
It was as if everything was false but this.
"I love you to, son. More than anything in this world of ours. More than.."
She paused for a moment, aware of the fact that what she was about to say was a death sentence.
"I love you more than I ever loved Zanzari."
The lights suddenly shut off, and they were left in pitch darkness, holding one another. Narhul could be heard returning to consciousness once again and, as such, he began to moan in severe pain.
"Aaaahhh." he wailed.
No words. Simply wailing. He was in unbelievable pain, but..
Sadie felt as if his wailing liberated her even further. She had freed him from numbness.
She had made him feel something. Something tangible and real.
It seemed so distant, the sound of the Peace Officers demanding surrender from outside the shut door.
It seemed so distant as they counted to 4.
It seemed so distant, even as the force and heat of the explosion swept across her and Kent, throwing them in unison to the ground.
She knew they could have simply opened the door. It was a fear tactic they had used in blowing it up.
And in one final act of rebellion, Sadie refused to be afraid.
As if their minds resided in the same body, Kent whispered, "Mother, I'm not afraid.. I'm not afraid anymore."
She didn't say a word in response. She simply continued to stroke the back of his head.
His hair was so soft, she noted.
So soft.
"Stand up, hands on your head, Citizen. Let go of one another slowly."
It was still dark, save for the epileptic movement of red-dots from the Peace Officer's weapons and the faint glow of light emitting from where the door had once been.
"You have"
"Your father"
"Until the count"
"Would be proud"
"Of three."
"Of us." Sadie whispered.
"Yes.. yes he would be." Kent whispered back.
"One,"
"I wish I could have told him how much I loved him."
"Two,"
"I think he knew, Kent."
Sadie opened her eyes and looked up into the barrel of the gun placed 3 inches from her face.
"I know he knew."
"Three."
"I wish for Terrance to properly understand where he has erred, Your Honor." Kent replied.
"I understand. I really do. But errors are a part of our existence and they impede upon productivity enough as it is. Why do you feel the need to prolong this sting to Zanzari? Any longer and it will turn into an open wound."
"You speak in metaphors."
"Yes. I do."
"That is not normal business practice, Your Honor."
"As a Conflict Mediator, my initiative is to illustrate how insignificant any individual problem is in comparison to the Greater Good, and to do so, I need to make it clear how much damage is being done. Even now as we speak, an essential outlet of productivity has been halted due to your minor strain with Mr. Terrance." Narhul almost appeared slightly emotional as he perked-up in his seat, visibly frustrated with Kent's stubborn resistance.
"Mr. Narhul, Your Honor. You must understand that I am part of the Office of Rational Interpretation. I am no measly member of the Labor Proletariat. I earned this position through my access to, and development of thought processes entirely alien to you. You must understand, as I understand, that this Department cannot reach its full productive potential with Mr. Terrance in charge. He is entirely inept for the position he fills, and keeps us significantly behind schedule due to his lack of comprehensive ability."
Narhul, noting that a promotion would be an inevitable occurrence in the event that he played a part in getting an entirely foreign Department up to its full working potential, decided to humor Kent and linger on the subject.
"And what, exactly, do you mean by his 'lack of comprehensive ability,' Mr. Kent?"
"He does not understand the way that the Order Documentation from the Upper Echelons is worded. It is too thick for his miniature brain to process. As a result, we end up carrying out the wrong order, and do not figure this out until a Detective from the Office of Labor Affairs shows up on our doorstep to inform us that our budget is being reduced due to a lack of able contribution. One more incident, and this entire Department may disintegrate or be downsized and assimilated into the Department next door, thus causing permanent and irreversible damage to the entire economic construct of Zanzari."
"'Economic construct?' You speak as if it is nothing but an illusion."
"I am no fool, Your Honor. You and I both know how superficial all of this truly is."
Narhul fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He was aware of this truth, but it was a truth that had always been buried at the back of his mind. A bleak opinion worth nothing at all. And now this.. this stranger.. had said it aloud as if it were worth its weight in words.
He began to drop the idea a promotion in favor of simply turning this man in for dissidence. It would gain him further credibility, and simply add to his already outstanding record.
"I suggest you cease talking in such terms, Mr. Kent. Such views are blasphemous, you know."
"I speak them only in context. I consider these circumstances to be worth the risk."
Before Narhul could reply, there was a knock on the sealed metallic door to the right of him.
Getting up from his seat, he clicked on the Intercom and said, "State your designation, serial number, profession, and your reason for being here."
"Designation: Anson. Serial number: 8254-86-K. I am an Officer of the Peace escorting a citizen to these coordinates for reasons undisclosed to me."
"Thank you, Anson. Please put the citizen on the intercom."
"Yes sir."
"Citizen, please state your designation, serial number, profession, and your reason for being here."
"Designation: Sadie. Serial number: 5375-28-N. I am a Senior Document Verificationist from the Office of Sector Administration for 81-Z, and I am here on a Z.O.I.A. Authorized Certificate of Circumstantial Intervention into the conflict involving my offspring, Designation: Kent, Serial Number: 5376-29-Q, and Mr. Terrance, head of Kent's Labor Department."
"Admission granted." Narhul announced. Opening the glass-seal to the doors security controls, Narhul punched-in a series of numbers and then pressed 'Enter.' The door hissed open and Kent looked up with seeming indifference.
"Good morning, mother. How are you?"
"I am fine." Sadie replied, wearing her falsified emotional numbness like a mask.
She breathed slowly in order to keep her heart-beat at a suitable pace. It wasn't working quite as well as she had hoped.
"Are you sure you are alright, Mrs. Sadie?" Narhul asked, placing his cup of coffee onto the small table next to him, already quite suspicious.
"I am fine, Your Honor. May we get back to business?"
"Yes.. yes, I suppose so. Take a seat."
Sadie pulled a small chair up next to Kent, and did as she was told. There was a short pause in which Sadie attempted to blank her mind before Narhul spoke.
"And what is it, exactly, that you would like to contribute to this attempt at mediation, Mrs. Sadie?"
"My input." She replied bluntly.
Narhul gave her a sharp look of perturbed annoyance. So far, he had gotten nowhere.
"And what, exactly, is your input?" He hissed.
"I must first develop a satisfactory perspective on the situation at hand, Your Honor."
"I am not here to play games, Mrs. Sadie. You can either speak now, or forever hold your peace."
Sadie had expected such a card to be played. It was not as if Zanzari was going to play fair; egalitarianism was out of the question. It was productivity that mattered.
She would have to appeal to this omnipotent, unalterable truth or she would get nowhere.
"I wish to ameliorate this dismal situation to the best of my ability."
Stupid, STUPID. she screamed at herself inside of her head. She had appealed to nothing! Simply stated what had been implied upon her arrival.
"You are beginning to sound like a member of the Labor Proletariat, Mrs. Sadie."
Her eyes began to dart back and forth. It felt as if every emotion she had ever repressed was about to burst out of her in tandem; as if she had reached some sort of crescendo in her existence.
"Tell me something, Mr. Narhul." Sadie said, nearly in a whisper.
"I.. well, what-"
"What do you think justifies all of this?"
Kent's head shot up to look at his mother in shock.
"Justifies what?"
"This.. existence. This day-to-day exploitation of our fellow human beings."
Narhul stood up from his chair. "Mrs. Sadie, I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you out-"
Crack.
Narhul lurched backwards, hitting his spine against the armrest of the chair he had previously been sitting in. Grasping onto his broken nose in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding with one hand, Narhul grasped onto the chair to his right with the other and made an attempt to pull himself up, his back pulsing with pain as he did so.
Sadie watched him.
That poor wretch of a man, she thought.
Just as he was about to hoist himself up, she kicked him in the left side of the rib cage as hard as she could. He yelped in pain, still holding his nose, but detached himself from the chair, almost voluntarily allowing himself to drop to the floor into order to tend to his injured side.
Significantly muffled beneath the obstruction of his hand, Narhul yelled, "MRS. SADIE, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST BY ORDER OF THE ZANZARI OFFICE OF INTERNAL AFFA-"
THUD.
The metal chair that Sadie had been sitting on came crashing down on Narhul's head and upper body. It took Sadie a moment to register the fact that it hadn't been her this time, and her eyes shot up to see Kent breathing hard between gritted teeth, a look of almost unnatural rage etched across his face.
"Kent-"
"I feel, mother. I feel." and almost as soon as it had appeared, that look of unnatural rage melted into tears of desperate fear and anguish, and Kent launched his arms around his mother and began to sob uncontrollably into her shoulder.
It took Sadie a moment to realize what was going on, but as soon as she did, she embraced her son in kind.
"I've.. I've been studying our society." Kent spoke between sobs.
"And I have too much to say, but not enough time."
Sadie simply listened, tears beginning to stream down her face as she held her son even closer.
"All I can say to describe it is this.. I love you, mother. I love you so much."
Sadie began to cry as well, and she began to stroke the back of Kent's head. Something about this was liberating. It was as if the entire world simply faded away into some sort of distant nightmare.
It was as if everything was false but this.
"I love you to, son. More than anything in this world of ours. More than.."
She paused for a moment, aware of the fact that what she was about to say was a death sentence.
"I love you more than I ever loved Zanzari."
The lights suddenly shut off, and they were left in pitch darkness, holding one another. Narhul could be heard returning to consciousness once again and, as such, he began to moan in severe pain.
"Aaaahhh." he wailed.
No words. Simply wailing. He was in unbelievable pain, but..
Sadie felt as if his wailing liberated her even further. She had freed him from numbness.
She had made him feel something. Something tangible and real.
It seemed so distant, the sound of the Peace Officers demanding surrender from outside the shut door.
It seemed so distant as they counted to 4.
It seemed so distant, even as the force and heat of the explosion swept across her and Kent, throwing them in unison to the ground.
She knew they could have simply opened the door. It was a fear tactic they had used in blowing it up.
And in one final act of rebellion, Sadie refused to be afraid.
As if their minds resided in the same body, Kent whispered, "Mother, I'm not afraid.. I'm not afraid anymore."
She didn't say a word in response. She simply continued to stroke the back of his head.
His hair was so soft, she noted.
So soft.
"Stand up, hands on your head, Citizen. Let go of one another slowly."
It was still dark, save for the epileptic movement of red-dots from the Peace Officer's weapons and the faint glow of light emitting from where the door had once been.
"You have"
"Your father"
"Until the count"
"Would be proud"
"Of three."
"Of us." Sadie whispered.
"Yes.. yes he would be." Kent whispered back.
"One,"
"I wish I could have told him how much I loved him."
"Two,"
"I think he knew, Kent."
Sadie opened her eyes and looked up into the barrel of the gun placed 3 inches from her face.
"I know he knew."
"Three."
'Hedonism,' and 'What it is that Society Owes me by its Very Nature.'
I am so much of a hedonist that I have come to believe that society owes me more than it really does.
And I need to humble myself in some way, shape, or form by properly putting the bare-bones of what I do believe society intrinsically owes me into writing:
1: Society owes me respect. That means, not beating me down or neglecting me because of anything I have thought or said about the concepts I must live within the constraints of.
2: Society owes me freedom. That means, all of the basic democratic freedoms, but also the freedom to live outside of societal conventions and not be made to feel as if I am doing something wrong in doing so.
3: Society owes me opportunities. If I could become financially comfortable as a result of doing something I love, it may not be contributing to the manual labor aspect of our sterile economy, but it does indeed stimulate it in some way, shape, or form.
4: Society owes me the right to dissidence. That means, no suppressing my discontent with the status quo, or marginalizing me as a result of my strong political views. It means I should not be looked on as a problem to society as a whole, so much as part of the solution, even if the problem itself is unsolvable.
5: And most importantly, society owes me the right to live. That means, not stealing a majority of my time on this Earth from me by bogging me down with school (unless I so choose to be there) or jobs; especially minimum wage jobs. I refuse to toss my life away in order to stimulate an entirely abstract mathematical construct and gain my meager share of the symbolic value in order to simply exist.
And I need to humble myself in some way, shape, or form by properly putting the bare-bones of what I do believe society intrinsically owes me into writing:
1: Society owes me respect. That means, not beating me down or neglecting me because of anything I have thought or said about the concepts I must live within the constraints of.
2: Society owes me freedom. That means, all of the basic democratic freedoms, but also the freedom to live outside of societal conventions and not be made to feel as if I am doing something wrong in doing so.
3: Society owes me opportunities. If I could become financially comfortable as a result of doing something I love, it may not be contributing to the manual labor aspect of our sterile economy, but it does indeed stimulate it in some way, shape, or form.
4: Society owes me the right to dissidence. That means, no suppressing my discontent with the status quo, or marginalizing me as a result of my strong political views. It means I should not be looked on as a problem to society as a whole, so much as part of the solution, even if the problem itself is unsolvable.
5: And most importantly, society owes me the right to live. That means, not stealing a majority of my time on this Earth from me by bogging me down with school (unless I so choose to be there) or jobs; especially minimum wage jobs. I refuse to toss my life away in order to stimulate an entirely abstract mathematical construct and gain my meager share of the symbolic value in order to simply exist.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
"How do we reverse the consumeristic mindset, and remove the singular goal of individual prosperity?"
Is the blatantly provocative status a friend of mine put up on Facebook earlier today.
This led, quite expectantly, into a long yet interesting debate with people supporting different sides getting involved. For the sake of personal privacy, no ones real names will be released; instead, I will be using their initials in order to differentiate who is saying what.
The debate is as follows:
J.M.: We don't.
V.A.: You're the most conceited person I know.
J.M.: I'll take it as a compliment :)
T.F.: The only actually way is if everyone participated at succeeding at this goal. If only a few people do it, they will be looked down on by society. If 95% of people do it, society will look down on the "consumerism mindset."
T.B.: The people who created it..
V.A.: Four Chicago economists.
T.B.: yeah, the material cycle , we need to eliminate the idea of ownership , because for the most part its not the good that we want its the use it provides if we had facilities that lent out goods for the use of that good we would be much more sustainable in Vancouver a company is taking car and multiple people lease a car and share it when they need it and they have found 1 car can fit the needs of 100 people comfortably.
J.M.: the idea of individual prosperity has been here forever.. it's the only thing that has been pushing us forward.. without it, we would still be hunting game and picking up weed. And consumeric mindset is merely a catalyst... and at this time, it's the only thing that keeps the system from collapsing... so yeah, think about that before you criticize..
P.K.: Eliminate individual prosperity and ownership? They tried. With horrible results.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union idealism counts for fuck all as far as history is concerned.
J.M.: Socialism/communism simply doesn't work.. It has been proven so many times.. Believing in it and promoting it is insane and irresponsible.
P.K.: Also saying the Chicago School is responsible for consumerism is utter bullshit. Capitalism has been around in one form or another for centuries. We are only seeing its most
current iteration: ownership and trade goes back before written history.
Me: Capitalism in its rawest form is not a terrible thing. Nor is communism, socialism, or any other kind of 'ism' (save for fascism or Nazism). The Chicago School didn't create capitalism.. it created disaster capitalism, in which you take advantage of the circumstances created out of a serious disaster and make it work towards your own personal gain, whether that means you individually, your organization/corporation, or private industry in general. For example.. in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a bunch of different corporations worked together to rebuild New Orleans in the image of 'free-market economics,' in which they privatized the entire school system as well as bought destroyed properties in order to sit on them until they were worth something again (whether that meant leaving them the way they were, or developing them into something feasibly marketable). The purely consumerist culture was created by a small clique of individuals following the Second World War; the first such example of disaster capitalism in which they took advantage of everyone's preoccupation with the post-war situation world-wide and created as well as implemented the early version of the consumer-driven culture we live in today.You two seem to assume that when someone is against capitalism or consumerism, and toys with the idea of abolishing ownership, that they are somehow automatically placed under the label of 'communist' or 'socialist.' You do this in order to polarize their arguments and render them 'invalid' inside of your head because both 'communism' and 'socialism' bring-up memories of people like Stalin and Soviet or Chinese atrocities. You do this so you can simply demonize your opposition. You don't open your mind to the ideas they lay down.Jakub, you especially seem to believe that the free-market economy is the one and only way to go. It is just as flawed as communism, socialism, the barter system, etc. etc. etc. because it is a HUMAN CONSTRUCT. All human constructs are blatantly flawed, as well as can and will disintegrate to the point where they become close to being blatantly evil. This is what has happened with every previous ideology, whether political or economic, and is the reason why there should always be new ideologies in the works which can be implemented as soon an old system, true and tried or not, becomes destructive and draining to the world and its people (or, an individual country and its people). Capitalism has gotten to this point where it is hurting people worldwide, both psychologically and physically, for countless different reasons. Communism started out fine and eventually got to that point as well. Hell, even Nazism was fine to begin with.. what a great economic boost Hitler was! But then all of a sudden, he and his ideology began to mentally and physically harm people, and needed to be discarded.
J.M.: The example you gave is heartbreaking, but i dont really see anything wrong with disaster capitalism and people who participate in it.. yes, some people get rich because they are smart and use their opportunities that are on the market... they do no harm to others, so what's the problem?Communism has been in my country for 41 years and it got us nowhere... I do believe in free economy and private ownership.. I don't know anout you, but I wouldn't want random strangers sleeping in 'my' bed... ;)And i don't know what you see as the beginning of communism, but the Big October Revolution certainly wasn't fine. It's not like communism should have ever been there for people in the first place.. Germany just wanted Russia out of the war and communism seemed like a harmless choice to them at that time... Then it got ironic, but that would be out of topic here :)
V.A.: "Disaster capitalism harms no one"........lol
J.M.: it's the disaster that hurts, not capitalism...and if you really find that amusing, throw in some arguments so that i can laugh with you..
Me: The problem with disaster capitalism is that it is blatantly taking advantage of others misfortunes; people who have little, and now probably have less as a result of this disaster. It sneaks its way in during times like these to force the afflicted to become completely dependent on them for their exclusive monetary benefit, not the benefit of the general public that needs this money in order to properly rebuild their communities or whatever it was that was destroyed.The other problem with disaster capitalism is that it's so profitable, that many corporations have, in the past, engineered disasters in order to take advantage of the circumstances arising out of their aftermath. For example; in 1980's Chile, I think it was, a socialist-leaning leader was fair and rightfully elected to office. He wished to nationalize the resource economy, and the foreign corporations which owned these resource outlets (obviously) very much disliked this idea, and they would lose valuable profit as a result. They then funded a military coup carried out by General Augusto Pinochet, who, after violently and destructively seizing control, not only allowed these private companies to keep their holdings, but gave them more due to the economic advice of the Chicago School economists that were acting as his economic consultants. People began to starve even more-so than before, the minimum wage was abolished, Pinochet's military dictatorship hunted down and murdered (or kidnapped) dissidents and others who disagreed with the way things had recently become, and the corporations that had started this all got exactly what wanted. The entire country become completely dependent on them due to their control of the countries vital resources, and an absolute killing in profits was made as a result.And I don't think a 'lack of ownership' in the way you're interpreting it would mean the abolition of personal boundaries. It would still be your bed, and it would still be quite strange if someone tried to sleep in it stating it was never your bed to begin with.And the violent birth of communism was only as a result of Tsarist resistance and the bourgeois class defending their position to the last breath, regardless of how futile it might have been. Communism did indeed improve the lives of the general populace for a short while following the end of the war economy. Short, as in 25 years or so. Then it disintegrated to the point that it did nothing BUT harm people. Capitalism is now reaching that point in its existence.
B.P.: look at communist china they had some capitalist regions and some communist regions it is purely on the leader and how they form the societies goals and ideologies with propaganda. really consumerism won't go away over night but cutting back and trying to promote different alternatives that won't harm our environment and third world countries is a good start and by going to university I realized that more than half the people here want to change that. So capitalism is harmful especially because the media tries to form this idea that what you own is who you are but really no one gives a shit. so i guess people are doing stuff to find alternative goods and products that are less harmful. Because a pure form of political ideology will never be reached. Man is flawed. That's all I gotta say. and J.M., you have no sense of how the poor live i suggest you go to a third world country and see the living conditions for yourself before you talk like a fucking no it all. that is all :)
Me: And P.K., just because the idea of "ownership and trade" goes back before written history does not mean that this was in any way, shape, or form capitalism. Capitalism sprouted from it, not it from capitalism. You interpret it in a way that suggests you believe it somehow supports free market economics and the way the system is designed today, and that is a blatant misinterpretation.
More material will be added when (and if) it appears.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The problem I have with faith
is that it's a mindset. Its handing control of your brain over to a prevailing idea and causing said idea to become a base point around which every other mindset and idea must work around. Yes, the same can occur with political ideologies and philosophies as well, but religion is more potent in this aspect as it is less superficial in significance to the individual than the other two are. Unlike politics or philosophy, religion embodies a mindset that tells you where you came from, where you are, and where you're going and the way it is, is the way it is, period.
In truth, we must not hand our mind over to any sort of prevailing idea, be it religious, political, psychological, or philosophical. All ideas should be given their due time and due entrance into ones consciousness. Should an aspect of an idea demand the subjugation of your mind to it's dogma, teachings, or will, said idea should be thoroughly studied from the outside before one delves into it's insides as so one can properly resist the ideas demands of subjugation with a clear and educated open mind.
In truth, we must not hand our mind over to any sort of prevailing idea, be it religious, political, psychological, or philosophical. All ideas should be given their due time and due entrance into ones consciousness. Should an aspect of an idea demand the subjugation of your mind to it's dogma, teachings, or will, said idea should be thoroughly studied from the outside before one delves into it's insides as so one can properly resist the ideas demands of subjugation with a clear and educated open mind.
Science is Faith
Or, at the least, entails faith.
"Science is only a metaphysical faith in the uniformity of Nature."
It's a label and a mindset like anything else is, but it is a more credible faith than religion as it does not require blind faith and, although on an individual level a blind faith in science may be found, science itself encourages skepticism and asks one to search for personal proof as it seeks to constantly improve on itself, for better or for worse.
It is also more credible in the sense that it promises nothing, and in the event that it becomes stringent and arrogantly close-minded (which can and has occurred), it is not inevitably tethered to any sort of tradition or dogma (or, at least, not unalterably), and it's entire consensual construct is alterable to the point that, under the right circumstances, it can be overhauled and rebuilt entirely, unlike religion or other fundamentalist ideas which root themselves unchangeably in the past, causing their outsides to be malleable, but leaving the inner core untouchable and locked behind the doors of some sort of perceptibly objective blind faith.
"Science is only a metaphysical faith in the uniformity of Nature."
It's a label and a mindset like anything else is, but it is a more credible faith than religion as it does not require blind faith and, although on an individual level a blind faith in science may be found, science itself encourages skepticism and asks one to search for personal proof as it seeks to constantly improve on itself, for better or for worse.
It is also more credible in the sense that it promises nothing, and in the event that it becomes stringent and arrogantly close-minded (which can and has occurred), it is not inevitably tethered to any sort of tradition or dogma (or, at least, not unalterably), and it's entire consensual construct is alterable to the point that, under the right circumstances, it can be overhauled and rebuilt entirely, unlike religion or other fundamentalist ideas which root themselves unchangeably in the past, causing their outsides to be malleable, but leaving the inner core untouchable and locked behind the doors of some sort of perceptibly objective blind faith.
Friday, September 9, 2011
My Bucket List: Part 10
81: Create a man-cave; have a large map of the world on one wall, surrounded by maps of different countries/ cities/ towns/ locations in general on all the rest of the walls. Also have inspirational/ anti-authoritarian posters and a personal library at the back, as well as 2 computers (one for gaming, one for research and study in general).
82: Visit the island of Midway in the Pacific Ocean.
83: Live on a generally small island far out in the ocean for a year or two.
84: Learn "Ocean" by John Butler on guitar.
85: Learn to play electric guitar.
86: Learn more music theory.
87: Walk from Vancouver, British Columbia to Calgary, Alberta (yes, hitch-hiking will be the cheat/ safety clause in this situation).
88: Walk from Paris to Luxembourg.
89: Walk from London to Canterbury.
90: Visit Chililabombwe, Zambia.
82: Visit the island of Midway in the Pacific Ocean.
83: Live on a generally small island far out in the ocean for a year or two.
84: Learn "Ocean" by John Butler on guitar.
85: Learn to play electric guitar.
86: Learn more music theory.
87: Walk from Vancouver, British Columbia to Calgary, Alberta (yes, hitch-hiking will be the cheat/ safety clause in this situation).
88: Walk from Paris to Luxembourg.
89: Walk from London to Canterbury.
90: Visit Chililabombwe, Zambia.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My Bucket List: Part 9
71: Swim in an infinity pool in Dubai, U.A.E., with a romantic partner.
72: Swim in an infinity pool in Indonesia with a best friend (and/or a group of friends).
73: Take a boat out into the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no landmass in sight, and stay a few nights, whether alone or with other people.
74: Swim whilst in the middle of the Pacific Ocean; let myself feel the waves and move with the current (albeit within a safe distance from the vessel) and feel enveloped in the greater scheme of things as a result.
75: Write a book detailing my political views, in-depth.
76: Explore Papua New Guinea.
77: Visit the Congo.
78: Explore China.
79: Write a political manifesto and create a new, alternative ideology.
80: Go on an international hunt for the greatest cup of coffee in the world.
72: Swim in an infinity pool in Indonesia with a best friend (and/or a group of friends).
73: Take a boat out into the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no landmass in sight, and stay a few nights, whether alone or with other people.
74: Swim whilst in the middle of the Pacific Ocean; let myself feel the waves and move with the current (albeit within a safe distance from the vessel) and feel enveloped in the greater scheme of things as a result.
75: Write a book detailing my political views, in-depth.
76: Explore Papua New Guinea.
77: Visit the Congo.
78: Explore China.
79: Write a political manifesto and create a new, alternative ideology.
80: Go on an international hunt for the greatest cup of coffee in the world.
Why I Admire Republican Senator Ron Paul
Although I find my stomach churning at some of the blatantly ridiculous things he has to say about an entirely deregulated free-market economy, I still find myself admiring Ron Paul in a strange, abstract way.
I believe it's because he has emancipated himself from a stereo-typically rightist arrogance, in which he feels he will 'always know best, regardless of everyone and everything,' and will actually listen to other people in order to form his own personal political philosophies, whether I agree with them or not.
He's not like other Republicans who simply take their views from some sort of ideal 'love of the family' and a 'love for Our Lord.' He quite literally knows what he's talking about, inside and out... and his welcome contrast in the arena of Republican perspectives on foreign affairs is very much enlightened and realistic, and doesn't seek to make war with every country that shows signs of dissidence to the American police-state.
Regardless of all of this, he is still a 'profits-over-people' Republican like the rest of the party, and would destroy the final vestiges of the welfare state the first chance he got. It is for this reason that I would not support his becoming President, although I do believe were it to come down to a vote between him and Obama, and he came out on top, he would end-up pleasantly surprising the world's progressive-leaning individuals more than anyone would expect.
He has more of a heart than John McCain, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Dick Cheney combined, and has a tinge of empathy any severely neoconservative Republican would likely find to be a sign of blatant weakness.
Whilst half of the Republican Party is simply made up of selfish and willfully ignorant individuals, another quarter is made up of profit-centered geniuses who lack empathy and proper interpersonal skills, affected by that characteristically rightist arrogance that gives them a license to believe 'they know best,' regardless of what others may say. The last quarter is made up of individuals who share similar characteristics with Ron Paul; they believe in the principals of American universalism and the inherent political correctness of the free-market economy as the 'perfect system,' but regardless of all this, they still carry a torch for the well-being of all people, and are willing to admit when the opposition is correct on a certain matter. They are also well-learned and have the strength to stand-up to their compatriots should they feel a good jostle is required in order to cease a complete and utter neoconservative takeover in which everyone in the party subscribes to the absolute dogma of a certain individual or group, regardless of how absurd the ideas may actually be.
So, thank you, Ron Paul, for acting as an apt representation of the last pulsing vestige of humanistic rationalism within the American far-right.
Your contrast is a welcome addition to the political scene.
I believe it's because he has emancipated himself from a stereo-typically rightist arrogance, in which he feels he will 'always know best, regardless of everyone and everything,' and will actually listen to other people in order to form his own personal political philosophies, whether I agree with them or not.
He's not like other Republicans who simply take their views from some sort of ideal 'love of the family' and a 'love for Our Lord.' He quite literally knows what he's talking about, inside and out... and his welcome contrast in the arena of Republican perspectives on foreign affairs is very much enlightened and realistic, and doesn't seek to make war with every country that shows signs of dissidence to the American police-state.
Regardless of all of this, he is still a 'profits-over-people' Republican like the rest of the party, and would destroy the final vestiges of the welfare state the first chance he got. It is for this reason that I would not support his becoming President, although I do believe were it to come down to a vote between him and Obama, and he came out on top, he would end-up pleasantly surprising the world's progressive-leaning individuals more than anyone would expect.
He has more of a heart than John McCain, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Dick Cheney combined, and has a tinge of empathy any severely neoconservative Republican would likely find to be a sign of blatant weakness.
Whilst half of the Republican Party is simply made up of selfish and willfully ignorant individuals, another quarter is made up of profit-centered geniuses who lack empathy and proper interpersonal skills, affected by that characteristically rightist arrogance that gives them a license to believe 'they know best,' regardless of what others may say. The last quarter is made up of individuals who share similar characteristics with Ron Paul; they believe in the principals of American universalism and the inherent political correctness of the free-market economy as the 'perfect system,' but regardless of all this, they still carry a torch for the well-being of all people, and are willing to admit when the opposition is correct on a certain matter. They are also well-learned and have the strength to stand-up to their compatriots should they feel a good jostle is required in order to cease a complete and utter neoconservative takeover in which everyone in the party subscribes to the absolute dogma of a certain individual or group, regardless of how absurd the ideas may actually be.
So, thank you, Ron Paul, for acting as an apt representation of the last pulsing vestige of humanistic rationalism within the American far-right.
Your contrast is a welcome addition to the political scene.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
My Bucket List: Part 8
61: Join (or start) a rap/ slam poetry group.
62: Get enough books to be able to create my own little library.
63: Make a million dollars doing something I love, or in order to gain leverage to do something I love (this is not a priority).
64: Become incredibly good at freestyle rap and slam poetry.
65: Rise in love.
66: Visit the Caspian Basin area of Russia.
67: High-five an Arab man at the site of the former World Trade Center (to make a political point regarding the arbitrary judgments of people of Arab descent. Basically, an elaborate, blatantly offensive trolling operation).
68: Burn an American, Canadian, Russian, British, and Chinese flag.
69: Attend the Burning Man festival.
70: Non-violently protest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
62: Get enough books to be able to create my own little library.
63: Make a million dollars doing something I love, or in order to gain leverage to do something I love (this is not a priority).
64: Become incredibly good at freestyle rap and slam poetry.
65: Rise in love.
66: Visit the Caspian Basin area of Russia.
67: High-five an Arab man at the site of the former World Trade Center (to make a political point regarding the arbitrary judgments of people of Arab descent. Basically, an elaborate, blatantly offensive trolling operation).
68: Burn an American, Canadian, Russian, British, and Chinese flag.
69: Attend the Burning Man festival.
70: Non-violently protest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
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