"The heavier the head of rice, the deeper it bows." - Japanese proverb
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The life of a person whose mind is open flows along like a great river. Through its progress it takes in each new scene, absorbing the various minerals, plant products, and other elements of the regions through which it passes; all the while receiving inputs from its tributaries and thus becoming larger and richer.
The life of a person who has become firm in his view of any of life’s aspects becomes an eddy, swirling near the bank.
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Many Americans are satisfied with just enough information to enable them to win an argument.
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“If you are seeking someone to be a role model for your life, try to find a simple and humble person. Only among such people can be found true greatness.” - Leo Tolstoy in “Wise Words For Every Day”
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We should always plan for the future, but never count on it.
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Try to direct all your good qualities toward helping others. If you are strong, support the weak. If you are wise, help those who are not. If you are well educated, help those who have no education. If you are rich, help the poor. However, those who are proud think differently. They think that if they have something others do not, they should hold themselves above others and not share it. - Leo Tolstoy "Wise Thoughts For Every Day"
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Far too many Americans are far too certain about far too many things.
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Am I the only one who sees the absurdity of trying an 11-year old kid as an adult? The fact that the crime in question inflames our emotions more than some other is no reason to change our view of the differences between children and adults.
Is a child always a child, or does it become an adult when it makes a big enough mistake?
It seems to me that the desire to exact revenge on a child by trying it as an adult in order to impose a greater punishment demonstrates the fear in which most people live, along with their complete detachment from their own humanity.
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The only place where anything can exist in complete perfection is the human mind.
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Recently, on the television at the local bar, a "news" story was related about an electronic traffic sign - the type used to warn drivers of upcoming, temporary hazards. The sign had been altered to read "Danger! Zombies in area! Run away fast!" (Or something to that effect).
The commentator stated that she hoped that it was just a local kid who had staged the prank. I turned to the woman sitting next to me and said "I hope it was some old man who thought such a prank would be a lot of fun!"
Why is it that only young people are presumed capable of pulling such pranks? Why aren't we "adults" ever known to do so?
When I related the above story at work, a co-worker remarked that if it had been an adult, it was one with "Way too much time on his hands." My response to THAT was "Why DON'T we have enough time to act that way? What's wrong with our culture that we have only enough time to be serious and work, and never to act as the children we really are - albeit buried beneath countless layers of society's nonsense.
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People often wonder "What is the meaning of life?"
Whether they're pondering their own individual life or the purpose of life in general, I think the answer is the same.
Most times, people envision some grand achievement; a purpose founded upon some glorious service to humanity - another FDR, Martin Luther King, Jr., or Mother Theresa.
To me, the true purpose of our lives and "life" in general can be seen in the behavior of any plant or non-human animal.
What do the lives of an amoeba, a flower, and a lizard have in common? Every action they perform is geared toward one purpose and one purpose only: to perpetuate their own individual life so that each can contribute its part to the perpetuation of life on the broader scale.
From the moment it sprouts from its seed, a flower struggles to establish its life by taking nutrients from the soil and sun. Once it matures, it continues to use the available resources to sustain itself, but it also provides food for insects, birds, and sometimes humans and other animals. At the same time, its pollen is spread to fertilize other flowers of the same species in order to ensure that new flowers grow to replace it once its time is finished.
As humans, our purpose is the same - to develop ourselves as fully as possible, serve our fellow creatures in any way that is needed, and conduct ourselves in a manner that neither inhibits nor destroys nature's delicate, complex cycle.
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There is ALWAYS an easy solution to someone else's problem.
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We all know at least one person who thinks he's the smartest person in the world. To these people, I like to propose the following:
Imagine the positive half of a number line, starting at zero and extending out to infinity. Let's use this line as a scale representing all those things that it is possible for a human to understand.
Now, let's say the average human knows 5 million things. Where on the number line will the line representing their knowledge fall? No doubt, right up against the zero!
Now, let's say that our "smart" person knows 100 million things. Where, on the number line, will HIS line fall?
Considering that the line goes off into infinity, I'd suspect that his line would be so close to the average person's line as to be indistinguishable from it.
So, what's the big deal?
Speaking of big deals, such "smart" people are often impressed with themselves, and view everyone else as "stupid."
But then, if everyone else really IS stupid, why should anyone think that being smarter than all of them is something to be proud of?
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Considering human relations, it seems to me that humanity is divided into two groups - the large group of people who prefer to focus just on their immediate concerns, with no serious consideration about the larger forces at work that effect their lives, and the smaller group that DOES know how things work. This smaller group also consists of two sub-groups; one that tries to share its perspective with the masses, helping them to see things more clearly, and one that seeks to take advantage of their ignorance.
It is the latter group that always wins, of course. Since it is always easier to deceive than it is to enlighten.
This is because, in order to deceive someone, you need only appeal to their ego. To enlighten them, however, you must contradict it.
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If your primary goal is simply to be better than everyone else, your standards are WAY too low. Aim higher. The general public is a poor standard for achievement.
Every day, strive to be better than the person you were the day before.
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Just as an entire mature oak tree is contained in a single acorn, the wisdom of the universe is contained within our own minds. If we just give our minds free rein to engage in honest inquiry about life we can experience the limitless wonders and joys that are available to every one of us.
How sad is it, then, that so many of us devote our mental activities to nothing more than "success," defined as the accumulation of "things" or the applause and respect of our peers.
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We all experience the same things, in infinitely different ways.
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It has occurred to me that my compassion for all beings and my complete acceptance of every person just as they are may be the reasons why I don't seem to "fit in" anywhere. Perhaps people can't find a way to make me fit into their "camp" since, really, doesn't "everyone" belong to a particular group that shares a common set of values? And don't most, if not all, of these groups' values contain the exclusion of some type of person? Maybe my camp is just too large for people to accept.
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Nothing would exist if the overriding force governing all creation were not totally "pro-life." If it were divided between "good" and "evil" or "life" and "death," it would cease to exist the instant it came into being. The "Divinity," as I call it, has only one purpose - to create and perpetuate life. All evil is committed by those who fail to recognize that they are a part of the Divinity.
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It is often said (and I'VE often said) in political "discussions" that "capitalism provides the most wealth for the most people."
While this is, certainly, a fact, would it not be better to have a system that simply provided "enough" for "everybody"? This is what I think motivated the communists to create their systems. Where they went wrong, I believe, is in organizing themselves at the national level. Any nation that has a large population spanning a large area will be too diverse to be effectively governed from a single location. Corruption and abuse of power, such as was experienced in the former Soviet Union and what America has been experiencing for quite some time, will be the inevitable result of organizing ANY powerful national government.
The so-called primitive cultures such as the Native Americans had it right. They were primarily organized at the clan level. Whenever food was found, caught, or killed, EVERYONE got a piece of it. The more valuable citizens - leaders, good warriors, good hunters, clothes makers, cooks, and caregivers would get the better cuts of meat or larger portions of food, with lesser portions being given, in decreasing degrees, to each successive group in accordance with their contribution to the community.
Even the "lazy and shiftless" got SOMETHING, albeit the least amount and poorest quality.
Such a system recognizes the common bond we have with all humans, as well as the world around us.
But of course, such cultures are utterly incapable of defending themselves against cultures like ours.
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Concerning any proposed effort to help or call attention to the poor, both those who work (often hard, or two or more jobs), and those who don't, many Americans seem to have the attitude of "I'VE got plenty. What are THEY complaining about?"
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"Forgiveness" is one of the main tenets of the Christian faith, as it should be with any faith. Forgiveness is not only important for welcoming the offender back into the community but, where repentence is absent, it allows the offended party to forget about the offense and move on.
Forgiveness is also important, to me, because to be able to TRULY and FREELY forgive someone for his faults and offenses means that you are fully aware of your own faults and imperfections and would, presumably, want others to forgive YOUR offenses. Being able to freely forgive others their wrongs acknowledges that we are all part of the Divinity or "god."
So then, why does the Christian god withhold His forgiveness from us and throw us into the "fiery pits of hell" simply because, by using the mind which he presumably gave us, we were unable to fully accept his existence as the Christians described it?
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Concerning my understanding of life and the world around me, and how best to live, I am always seeking information that will expose the flaws (which no doubt exist) in my thinking. Is this not how children approach the world? Is this not how the young of any species live? This is most important for the other animals, since a mistake on their part could mean certain death. We human animals are insulated, to an extent, by our family and social networks, from the dire conequences of our mistakes.
This doesn't diminish, but simply hides, the importance of always questioning ourselves. Sooner or later, a society that bases its actions on pride, ego, and/or delusions will reach an unpleasant end.
When discussing "issues," do you seek out views that challenge your own, or only those that tend to agree with you? Do you listen to what the other person is saying with an intent to actually learn his perspective, or simply to find points that you might challenge with your own views?
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Much seems to be made these days about the "dumbing down" of the American people. Since I seriously doubt that Americans are somehow "losing brain power" I must suspect that the problem stems from something else. In the chapter titled "Economy" in his book "Walden," Henry David Thoreau observed how the typical American spent so much time engaged in earning his living that he had no time for his education. Thoreau wrote "How can he remember well his ignorance - which his growth requires, who has so often to use his knowledge?"
In my view, not only are most Americans today distracted by their labors, we also must contend with continuous distractions from the electronic media. Add to this the constant message of fear with which we are bombarded by those media ("Buy this product or the opposite sex won't like you!" "Buy this product or you'll get sick and die!" "Do this exercise - eat this food - take this pill - vote for this politician, or ELSE!" etc.) and one might suspect that Americans have practically no time to think serously about anything except what particular monster is hiding around the corner waiting to pounce on us.
Along with conditioning us to be afraid, much of our media, particularly advertising, the mainstream "news" shows, and talk radio, tend not to inspire or raise people up, but instead to appeal to what we already feel or believe. This simply reinforces our belief that our ignorance is wisdom, further diminishing the incentive to question our own understanding.
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If you suffer from low self-esteem, remember that your low opinion of yourself only applies to the person you are TODAY. Tomorrow, if you're willing (we're ALL able), you can be an entirely different person.
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What if ALL government health care programs were eliminated, and EVERYONE (including employers) stopped buying health insurance? What would the health care industries do? Would they all close down, laying off all of their employees? Or would they find a way to provide adequate care to everyone at an affordable cost? In such a situation, might people not alter their attitudes about what "care" is really necessary, thereby reducing demand and so lowering costs as well?
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An April 19, 2008 "Sound Off" in the Sun Herald titled "Defective People" described sex offenders as "defective people who do not see children as innocent."
While I'm by no means an expert on the subject, I would tend to agree that people who sexually molest children (or anyone else, for that matter) ARE "defective" in some way. However, I think it's important to acknowledge that ALL of us are "defective" in our own ways. Fortunately for most of us, our "defects" don't cause us to harm others.
Addressing the term "defective," however, is important in this instance, I believe, because much scorn, ridicule, and/or hatred is usually directed against child molesters. Does this make sense? If we already agree that they're "defective," how can we judge them as "bad people"? Cannot someone who has cancer, or some other terminal illness, or Downes Syndrome, be considered as "defective"? Do we scorn, ridicule, or hate them?
This is not to say that we shouldn't take strong measures to protect our children from sexual predators. We certainly should, although I think our children are far better protected from such people by nurturing communities that watch out for each other than they are by strict laws that provide harsh punishment for sexual offenses. (After all, would you allow your child or a child of one of your neighbors' to get into a car with a stranger, just because there are laws against him molesting children?)
The issue is, I believe, how we view such people. While we MUST punish them and keep them away from our children, are we really justified in heaping scorn and hatred on their heads?
I don't think so. Their defects just happen to be different from or more severe than ours, and have more severe consequences. For that, they should be pitied.
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Any fool can make a rule and every fool will mind it - Henry David Thoreau
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Concernng the construction of a wall along our border with Mexico: a wall that can keep people out can also keep people in.
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Imagine a few flowers striving to grow and flourish in accordance with their nature, in the midst of a stifling bed of brambles, also striving in accordance with their nature. Does this not reflect humanity? Which are you? A flower? Or a bramble?
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A few of the communications I've received in response to this web site made me realize that my statement on the home page about how my "brutal honesty" limits the number of friends I have may be misunderstood.
I was not saying that I'm insensitive with my honesty. I am perfectly able (and usually willing) to observe the normal social restraints on "truth" when interacting with people on a casual level. The honesty I'm speaking of concerns my approach to life, and how it seems to differ from most people's.
As I've said in some of my letters and essays, it seems to me that most people reach a certain level of understanding about life and the world around them and then STOP learning. I suspect the level at which their learning stops is greatly effected by their regular circle of friends and/or co-workers. Consequently, people tend to stay in groups that share their own views and opinions, as well as the unspoken desire to not have those views and opinions challenged.
I, on the other hand, (at least, the way I view myself to be) have always questioned everything, ESPECIALLY those things about which I'm most certain. To me, there is always more to the story. Consequently, "normal" people, I fear, are annoyed by my presence because their preferred method of human interaction (verbal, anyway) consists not of exploring new concepts and ideas, but simply in sharing common views and beliefs. I'd hear what they are saying and think "Hey! I know a few things about this that may help them see the larger concept!" And so I'll voice my views, and be met with complete silence until someone changes the subject.
This is the "honesty" I speak of on my home page. Yes, I'm a klutz with most people. I'm just a klutz on a higher plane, I suppose.
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A flower, or anything else that lives, gives something back to the environment that is of benefit to it in exchange for the things it takes to benefit itself. It draws nutrients from the soil and energy from the sun, but gives food to bees with its pollen or to the birds with its seeds. It also gives food to parasitic insects, but if this becomes excessive the flower is destroyed.
In the end, the flower dies, giving the elements it had taken from the world back to it, either directly or through insects, animals, or molds that feed on its dead flesh.
I wish to live as a flower. I want to simply grow and become more of what I am (which, for a human, is constantly changing). To do so, I need other people - both to inspire me and bring out my best qualities, and to give me honest criticism when they believe I'm in error. Of course, we all act as parasites toward our friends on occasion. This is to be expected, understood, and readily forgiven. However, when our friends act in ways that work to destroy us or stunt our personal growth, it's time to part ways. This is the primary reason why I am alone today.
Another reason I parted company with my friends is that, to me, they are blind. As humans, unless we're highly disciplined (or work at being so, being aware of the need for it), our entire perception of life and the world around us is distorted and perverted by our conscious minds. Our fears, insecurities, resentments.........our professional training, philosophy, political perspective, our economic situation, all of these and I'm sure many more latch on to the information we take in from the world, perverting our perception of life, and then color the views that we give back to the world. Only the truth can promote and support life. Failure to adhere to the truth, as much as is humanly possible, sets us on the path to destruction. Of course, this is why human institutions ALWAYS decline. Most people are COMPLETELY blinded and so destroy everything around them including, eventually, themselves.
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I've read where the first astronauts to orbit the moon were stunned when they were able to view the earth from so far away. Being able to see what earth actually is, a very tiny ball floating in an incredibly hostile environment, humbled them. It made them realize just how fragile our existence is.
I think people are "trained" to not perceive this fact. An example is the nightly news during winter time when the meteorologist tells us that "cold weather will be coming from the west" or "off of the Great Lakes," or from some other place on earth.
Cold weather comes from one place - outer space. I don't know how cold it actually is out there, but I suspect it's a few hundred degrees below zero. Certainly cold enough to kill every life form on earth in a matter of minutes if we were all exposed to it.
The only reason life is able to exist on earth is because our atmosphere traps a good deal of the sun's heat, instead of just reflecting it away as the moon does. It gets cold for us in the winter because during that time the earth's northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun. The coldness of any given day is determined by atmospheric conditions that trap more or less heat for us. That cold you feel is actually outer space reaching in and touching you.
All this may seem simple and obvious, but I suspect a lot of people just don't think about what, exactly, is going on around them. But also, I suspect, it doesn't really matter in a practical sense. People will do what they do.