We live in a world where appearance is everything. It goes to such extremes that substance no longer matters to many, just the semblance of something substantial. If one can appear to be benevolent, then they consider themselves, thus, while never bothering to put in the work required to be what they project. Work a term that most trumpet but never actually do, instead they spend half of their lives seeking to avoid any real effort of any kind. They rail against the injustice of the world’s persecution; persecution they believe has been unjustly wrought at the hands of seeds they have sown. A world where everyone is only too happy to imitate the haphazard approach to life that so many seem to propagate.
We live our lives set one against another, all while smiling and pretending to love our fellow man. A fraction of us comprises what is, in effect, a minority. We are the ones that feel born out of time, disconnected phantoms of a long-forgotten past. We glide from one illusion to the next, hoping to find a crumb of truth or anything authentic, but instead, we see more phantasms. Throngs that exist as cheap facades, imitations of what humanity should be, but never entirely made manifest before the eyes. The old souls, the loners, the intuitive, only see wisps of existence. The singular hope that keeps us moving forward is to find that one true refuge, one like no other that sees the world as we do and offers real love and affection, a safe harbor from this perpetual hell of idiocy.
That refuge is out there. It can be found, and once discovered, it will make all of the suffering and the enduring of the cheap dime novel characters that many affectionately call people worth it. Life all too often is like some low budget film; all the class of a wino and even fewer manners. We all have a purpose, it can be a painful journey for those of us that are observant and understand the depths of depravity to which humanity has become submerged. The outcasts, those with a gift not given to all, have a burden, unlike all the rest. We see what others don’t, we feel the things that others can’t or lack to capacity to feel. We spot the lies, the little deceptions played out daily, not just those inflicted upon us but all the ones inflicted upon those we know.
We often can’t communicate what we know to the people we choose to care about, because they don’t understand us. We find ourselves alienated from what many call ordinary people. To these “normies,” we are the crazy ones because we are different, we don’t conform to a society that no longer honors truth and integrity. It pays lip service to all the right ideas, but when it comes time to put up or shut its everyman for himself. Loyalty is just another illusion in a society built upon foundations of sand. This isn’t merely a critique of modern society, but historically as well.
All power structures follow similar patterns. Whether it be a social hierarchy, government, private institutions, and even religious foundations. Each creates adversarial roles among its constituents, ensuring that only the coldest and heartless among us ever rise to leadership roles. You have to be willing to crush the other fellow’s hopes and dreams so that you might realize your own, assuming that your dream is power. My goal has never been power. I dream only for love, acceptance, honesty, and peace every day and a place to hide away from the world with someone worthy of a love as strong as mine. Those of us that have found people difficult, those that are different, we are unique and very worthy of that place of refuge. There is a heart out there that yearns for each of us, for we are different because we were designed that way with purpose. Life is learning, and love is a journey, not merely a destination.
The Merits of Authenticity
Life is tumultuous and often a cruel teacher of the humanities. We emerge as babes, and some us remain such somehow unafflicted by the chaos that living upon this Earth generates. Society instructs us to hide our true nature and intent from the world in hopes that somehow we will emerge from life unscathed by the ambitions of others. In practice, we don masks of conformity to assimilate into a society of imposters. Each plays a role designed to fool others, and often many of us forget who we were before we began the masquerade. We establish norms for a society that in no way reflect our actual values and cheapen the lives that all of us lead. Continue reading “The Merits of Authenticity”
The Naivety of Babes
Life is the summation of experience. To say we have lived isn’t a statement made lightly. We grow old, and as our lives progress, we realize that living is about learning and that learning does not occur without suffering. It is the one constant of the human condition. To truly live is to live with the knowledge that we are all infants grasping at the tendrils of hope just over the horizon, recoiling from the inherent dangers we perceive real or imagined. To honestly exist is to realize that we know nothing of our fellow man and his struggles, we cannot grasp the depths of his insecurities and genuinely understand the turmoil that exists just beneath the surface. It is the folly of youth that seeks to reprimand and tell others right from wrong. Continue reading “The Naivety of Babes”
The Replay
Humanity has a long history fraught with wars and disputes of all kinds. We have displayed an inability to coexist with others peacefully for any significant length of time. Despite our primal instincts we as human are drawn to order and structure. We quite frankly need to believe in something greater than ourselves in order to function for any length of time as civilized creatures. Throughout that history, we can see many examples of what happens to societies when the power structure breaks down. Humans descend into barbarism that advances to such a degree that those left standing long for a return to order and thus vigilantism gives over to structure and security in a hierarchical form. The catalyst that ignited the fires that incinerated and caused societal barriers to breakdown are forgotten, and humans once again enslave themselves to an idea. Continue reading “The Replay”
The Castaway
Life is a pursuit of happiness for some, and the search for money and power for others and these two goals are not always synonymous with each other. We often find ourselves beginning these journeys without ever knowing ourselves as separate and unique individuals. We copy the behavior that we like and disregard that which is displeasing in other people. Such behavior while viable is a shortcut to existing within the human framework we call society. Living in this manner is detrimental to personal happiness and identity. We all view the world through slightly different lenses, colored with the hue of our own biases and desires. Finding oneself among so much fabrication and betrayal is difficult and a very different journey for each person. Continue reading “The Castaway”
Unearthing Truth
Since the dawn of man, humans have been consummate explorers. We started by exploring over the next rise in search of resources and new horizons. From those humble beginnings, we began to understand the vastness that is Earth. We became so enthralled by this planet of ours that our ancestors believed it to be the epicenter of the universe. Such thoughts accompanied other thoughts such as the world was flat, dragons and other creatures populated unexplored distances, and that if one went too far, one would fall off the edge of our world. Economic necessity eventually dispelled such notions as a way was sought overseas to shorten the trade route known as the Silk Road with India. Continue reading “Unearthing Truth”
Unbarred Hearts
The world can be a dark and unforgiving place filled with a multitude of obstacles. Each of us makes our way through the morass as best as we can. It isn’t just nature that challenges us along the way. Fellow human beings also challenge us either directly or indirectly as they seek to procure resources for themselves and their families. The world can at times seem cold and unforgiving even to the strongest. At times, it seems as if it is every-man for himself. A kind word or helping hand can make a huge difference in the lives of all people. Giving has become a rarity in a society that is ever-evolving and ever-increasing in pace. Continue reading “Unbarred Hearts”
Reality:What is it really?
We have all got our notions of what constitutes reality. Philosophy tells us that reality is both subjective and objective. Science seems to embrace the objective nature of reality while acknowledging the limits of our perceptions. The objective is, of course, that which we can see, touch, and manipulate physically. Subjective reality relies on how each perceives the world based on personal bias, previous experience, and often what the viewer expects to see. Reality is far more complex than the average person cares to entertain within the limited scope of their existence. Instead, the vast majority are content to progress towards eventual extinction never questioning why or how they came to be or what if any meaning can be ascribed to life as we know it.
The Irredeemable
The heart goes where it wills. We often find ourselves led about as if controlled by puppeteers, due to the desires of our heart. The heart is big and all-encompassing in its capacity for darkness and light. We fill our hearts with love and despair, hate and disgust. A world where good and evil can exist within one soul, and where the greatest acts of love and evil can be carried out by the most malevolent and benevolent of us all. The soul becomes imbalanced within many of us, and we lose our way. Some find their way back from the encroaching darkness in time to save themselves from deliberate destruction. Many of those that darken the path to hate and despair never find their way out and self-destruction and destruction of those around them become as automatic as drawing breath. Continue reading “The Irredeemable”
Progressive Retrogression
Existence is a minefield, dotted with pitfalls aesthetically differing yet familiar in their consistent and constant barrage upon our consciousness. From birth we strive forward unsure of our place in the world, believing that we might gain sufficient wisdom with which to avoid our previous follies. Instead, as creatures of habit, we find ourselves drawn by invisible forces towards repeated violations of our well being. As we each differ slightly, we fall into traps seemingly constructed just for ourselves. We’ve been told that experience is the greatest teacher and we are but unwilling students. Still learning to avoid the desires of our souls that so often lead to calamity is a struggle without end. Continue reading “Progressive Retrogression”
Who can you rely on?
Our existence is a trial from which there is no escape. We all lose in the end. Time ravages all it touches from the highest peaks to lowest valleys. The human condition is one of continuous degradation at the hands of time, other people, and frequently ourselves. We feel besieged from every angle, and even imagine a multitude of horrors that never manifest creating a constant sense of urgency in our lives. Time, an illusion created by humanity ironically becomes his greatest enemy. Throughout our meager existence, we seek allies with which to face adversities that have been primarily forged by our fellow human beings. Continue reading “Who can you rely on?”
The Old Familiar Road
We enter this world by no choice of our own. Once we become cognizant of ourselves, we greet the world with wonder and fascination. We are not quite human in the sense we have yet to be touched by the evils of this world. We view everything through the lens of naivety. We are encouraged once we can communicate to dream big and dream often. We imagine what we will become in a world that to us seems so full of hope and love. The imagination of a child is beautiful and doesn’t deserve to be spoiled by the harsh realities that persist in life. That comes later and far too often. Continue reading “The Old Familiar Road”
The Mediocre
Life is spent pursuing happiness and security for one’s self and family. We fight daily not in open warfare but compete with our fellow humans for valuable resources. It would simply be a case of survival of the fittest but for one small detail. Sentimentality that is procured through relationships often forged as a means of advancement. Far to often hard work is looked over in favor of those that say the right thing and blow the proper amount of smoke up the right orifices. We find ourselves surrounded by individuals that in a truly equal opportunity world would be living on the street begging for handouts. Those of us that don’t pander to sentimentality and don’t seek to ingratiate ourselves to those in power through conversation but through hard work often find ourselves left behind. Continue reading “The Mediocre”
A Nation Divided
We are a nation constructed from the ashes of revolution and built from the blood and sweat of patriots. From that firey beginning, a country forged with liberty and justice sprang forth to lead the world as a shining example for the everyone to follow. The founders in their infinite wisdom formed the Constitutional Republic, fearing a democracy would lead to tyranny. We would not be ruled by a mob, where a simple majority allowed one group to dominate and tell those lesser in number how they must live. This grand experiment was fraught with uncertainty but eventually led to the development of one of the most powerful countries on earth. Today, we see a nation divided by ideologies seemingly as numerous as it populace coalesced around two teams, red and blue or right and left. Continue reading “A Nation Divided”
Renaissance
So much of our lives we encounter what at first seems like setbacks, and down the line, we discover that these perceived defeats were in fact blessings. Forces of corruption and evil abound in this world and the lives of even the lowest among us. Thankfully, in what seems like a universe with a sense of humor, these forces are so often inept and bumbling in their efforts to impart discord and division in the lives of humanity that they make their inevitable defeat a straightforward and simple task. Continue reading “Renaissance”
The Inspector General’s Report
The IGs’ report is due to be released tomorrow no doubt with heavy revisions from the DOJ. I sincerely hope that this will allow us as a nation to move on and put to rest this notion of impeaching our President over ridiculous charges of Russian collusion. While it is true that if you dig long enough you can find dirt on just about anyone when the scope of the investigation exceeds it’s stated purview then its time for the investigation to end. President Trump was never intended to win the election and forces within the government scrambled after he won in order to nullify a duly elected President. Continue reading “The Inspector General’s Report”
What does liberty mean to you?
We are fortunate enough to live in a part of the world that professes it’s love of liberty and freedom. Yet, the inescapable conclusion that anyone can’t help but reach is that liberty and freedom are eroding at an increasingly fast pace. We are told that racists and nazis are poised nearby ready to pounce upon our lives and destroy them and turn everything on its head. Certainly, when such people present themselves they must be dealt with in a swift and uncompromising way. However, at the same time, the equality we all strive for has been circumvented by those we have installed in power. We exist as guinea pigs in some antiquated experiment operated by a sniveling corrupt leadership. Continue reading “What does liberty mean to you?”
Service
I’m an Army veteran and I’m proud of serving my country. It is difficult for some to understand what branch loyalty means to a veteran. I’m Army through and through and would be offended if I were ever described in any other way. I’ve encountered members of some branches that don’t seem to understand the concept of honor and loyalty. I can only guess that it is because given the option they chose the cowards way and hid from any actual danger except the danger presented by their sub-par training and intellect. I won’t mention any specifics but let’s just say when you are more of a danger to yourself than the enemy some reevaluation should take place! Continue reading “Service”
The Diversification of Delusions
Diversity seems to be the darling of pop-culture. It is encouraged in everything from fashion, leadership, hiring policies, and even the choice of personal relationships. Diversity isn’t extended to thought, however, if that train of thought happens to diverge from the narrative espoused by those in control. The media and government officials tell us we must accept that which they deem acceptable even if that choice disagrees with actual reality. We are to believe that choices made on our behalf are deliberated and agonized over until the best route for future existence is chosen. In reality, though, such decisions are made in an attempt to mold our existence into one that the political elite and those that bribe them believe are better than traditional values such as family, faith, and most importantly the ability to question power. Continue reading “The Diversification of Delusions”
Faith in People/Movements
Faith can be a beautiful thing to have. If we love someone implicitly then we put our trust and faith in their steadfastness. Faith that is placed in the fallible though is very likely to disappoint us in a myriad of ways. We place faith in our elected representatives to faithfully represent us, to be our voice to advocate our values. What we have unfortunately discovered is that most people forget to be our voice and instead act in their own interests and of those more affluent than themselves. Movements spring up across our nation promising change, what we usually end up with is the status quo in new clothing. New faces are simply compilations of those that came before them, nothing is new under the sun. Continue reading “Faith in People/Movements”
Have we reached a Crossroads?
This country was founded on the concept of liberty and freedom from persecution by those with unmitigated power. It established the precept that all men are created equal while much of the country existed in a paradox which still enslaved some of their fellow men. Gradually sanity prevailed through toil and bloodshed, and equal rights were granted to all citizens, and a golden age sprung forth of real freedom and liberty. As our country has advanced technologically and economically one form of servitude has been replaced by another that is more insidious. It convinces many people of their freedom while tightening the noose of control under the guise of security and safety. Forces exist within our country that has operated above the law and persecuted the powerless and makes laws that they have no intention of following. Continue reading “Have we reached a Crossroads?”
The Q-Anon Phenomenon
The Q-Anon saga appeared out of nowhere with some mysterious entity promising classified intel relevant to current events aimed at some broader plan to take out the globalists. I stumbled upon this by chance due to an odd post by someone I follow and have taken a brief journey down the rabbit-hole of disinformation and lies. The releases by this Q are always produced with enough vagueness that speculation follows of their true meaning, countless scenarios laid out for the desperate group that imagines some omnipotent force in the shadows as their ally. It is not dissimilar to the television psychic that throws everything they can dream of against a wall until something sticks; it’s a con game.
The Root of the Syrian Conflict
Conflicts throughout history have always materialized due to monetary concerns. Sure as has been taught by the political leaders of old, the real reasons for conflicts are almost never given to the general public.No one would openly support a war based on greed unless they too were getting a piece of the pie. This might sound like a jaded outlook on world affairs, but it is very accurate I can assure you. Our intelligence agencies have a long history of covert actions against foreign governments meant to topple them and failing that to manufacture a compelling reason for embroiling our nation’s soldiers in a war meant only to line the pockets of the elite. While Syria is embroiled in this civil war, the ideologies of the combatants while undoubtedly vital to them is of no consequence to those manipulating the action on the ground. They are tools that men in our outdated intelligence communities use to achieve a political end by not only manipulating the local forces but our very own politicians and citizens at home. Continue reading “The Root of the Syrian Conflict”
Trade war on the Horizon?
Those of us alive today are no strangers to conflict, now we face what could amount to a trade war that might very well lead to another cold war amongst rival powers. I recently read an article about the potential for new tariffs and a threatened response by China. It seems like a no-win situation for either country as we are the main consumers of Chinese made products and both economies are locked into a symbiotic relationship for better or for worse. I will post a link to the article below, please share your thoughts.
Religious Cloaks
Religion has been the foundation of societies around the world, both pre-modern and what we call modern society today. This in itself is not a weak bedrock for a community foundation. However, as we’ve advanced into recent times, the litmus tests that were previously administered to members of any religious sect are no longer equipped with any real teeth to malign hypocrites that are pervasive in virtually every religion today. While this is blatantly true in the southern United States where I live, it goes on in various corners of the globe. People cloak themselves in righteousness, and if their iniquity is found out, the religious leaders prevaricate to cover up the sins of those that they consider upper-crust. They point to a passage in the bible for example and explain away the trespass as a mental aberration brought about by the devil’s temptation, simultaneously crucifying those that they deem less critical to their financial well-being. Continue reading “Religious Cloaks”
The Greatest Loss
Life is a journey filled with victories, some of them pyrrhic in nature, and losses that leave us in search of where we went wrong. Losing those we love is one of the greatest heartbreaks one can ever suffer. However, if the one we lose is ourselves, then no loss can prepare us for the harsh reality of a world where trust in ourselves is lost, and love for life is but a fading memory. There are many roads that can lead us to the desolate wasteland of self-loathing, the routes that lead to a resurrection of our souls are usually only traversed by hard work and a commitment to being a better person. The seemingly less perilous path is often the most dangerous to our well-being, and we usually take it because it requires little effort. Continue reading “The Greatest Loss”
Information in the Digital Age
We exist in a period of instant access to information both great and small. There was a time in the not so distant past when people might expect privacy in their lives. Today that is becoming a fantasy of times gone by, that we run the risk of consigning to the dustbin of history. Cameras are everywhere, and facial recognition software hardwired into the camera we are told creates safety in our lives. If you carry a smartphone, then GPS tracks your location continually. I’m sure we all had those annoying popups on our phones asking us if we’ve been to some restaurant or store. When we visit websites, our IP addresses are tracked back to our location and saved into memory, tracking cookies are embedded that overcome VPNs and still identify who we are. They tell us all of this is for our safety. Continue reading “Information in the Digital Age”
Visions
We live in a world where appearances are everything. Sadly, many people still believe that seeing is believing. A society focused on fabricating an illusory reality around every aspect of their existence still manages to fall for carefully crafted distortions of that reality. Contrary to our designs of manipulating the perceptions of those around us we are still bound by our biological imperative to trust our senses. Our senses deceive us more often than not, for if that weren’t the case, the utopia that many people dream of would be manifest before our eyes. Instead, we inhabit a world besieged by violence, a cruel and uncaring wasteland of discarded dreams and ruined souls. We need to develop a new level of perception, a way to sift through all the lies and traps laid out for us by the merciless denizens of the world. Continue reading “Visions”
Thy Branches doth Grow
We learn if we pay attention while we are in school that there are three branches of government. The Judiciary, Legislative, and Executive branches. However, the government has expanded beyond what is evident to the average citizen. It operates compartmentalized as a money-making enterprise. One group rarely knows what the other group is doing, but each pursues its self-interests. The government routinely grants contracts to private entities whom they pay handsomely to accomplish a wide variety of missions. We have seventeen intelligence agencies, and this does not include the private contractors that have experience in that field. Over five million people within the country have security clearances, and the number promises to grow as sub-contracting continues to be such a lucrative enterprise. The implications of such a large number of clearances should be obvious, and it serves to decrease the security of our nation. The more moving parts of a machine, the more likely it is to fail. Continue reading “Thy Branches doth Grow”
The Political Landscape
Politics in our country has always been a minefield made even more dangerous by bellicose rhetoric from both sides of the aisle. We elect representatives with the hope that they will represent our concerns in an honorable and common sense way. We have been doing the same thing for decades and expecting different results. Money and power drive the political landscape of our nation and those without neither do not have adequate representation at a governmental level. I’m sure some politicians start wide-eyed and sure that they will be different from those that came before them. The reality is that power corrupts and unchecked power will corrupt even the most stalwart of individuals. Continue reading “The Political Landscape”
Umbral Display
You hear the phrase you only get one chance to make a first impression. Such a statement conjures up images of the result of failed attempts at being everything to everyone you meet. If one ever actually becomes everything to everyone then at that point they have lost every connection with their souls. If we must parade about haphazardly placating all we meet then at the end of the day we have been crucial to all and destructive to ourselves. We betray ourselves each day of our lives when we put on facades to perform for others. They never learn the real you, and likely they spend most of their time crafting the perfect face for the world that is equal in self-betrayal. How does society function in a world of shadowy figures that never reveal their true nature? It doesn’t appear that it does with a significant degree of success. Sure we all have basic needs met in most cases, but our hearts turn to stone within a world of lies. Continue reading “Umbral Display”
Identity: Defined by you or Society
We like to consider ourselves independent and free from the labels of society. However, passive stances upon the designs of others have led to some of the most significant tragedies of history. Governments, for example, take freedoms a little at a time and perhaps because their encroachments don’t affect us directly we ignore it. Eventually, as is often the case they wind up at our doors and demand our servitude. Having ignored the persecution of those not within our click, we are surprised when the same abuse is brought down upon us. Principles are about standing up for someone that can’t stand for themselves. This should be second nature to men within any society. Today our world is populated with men that are controlled by an overarching and insidious political agenda designed to malign and disenfranchise men as a segment of the population. Men aren’t allowed to be men and are told that they are what is wrong with society. While it is true that men populate the prisons and commit violent acts, it is but a symptom of a culture that no longer encourages men to be men.
The lost art of Friendship
Friendship is the bedrock of any society. Strong connections with others that have similar goals in life are instrumental in leading a productive and healthy life. As we have become advanced in so many ways, the societal norms have changed dramatically as well. There was once something called social contract, a series of unwritten rules that everyone followed that made for a more harmonious existence. This construct has become muddied over the decades until we are left with isolated pockets where they still exist but in ramshackle form. Other areas are devoid of any social construct, and society has seemingly reverted to its roots of tribalism and dog eat dog. Continue reading “The lost art of Friendship”
The Season of Renewal
It is that time of the year again! The grass will become green, flowers will bloom, and mother nature will embrace us with its warmth. This is my favorite time of the year because everything that was once devoid of vibrancy will blossom into radiant beauty. It is also the time for all of us to take stock of our lives and renew our sense of purpose. This time of the year has no room for negativity and only a positive outlook on the future. I am infused with a purpose and strength that I never feel at any other time of the year and am looking forward to the challenges ahead. Continue reading “The Season of Renewal”
The Military Parade
The President has announced a military parade. At this point, it would seem that the parade will be held on Veteran’s Day. It is a rare occurrence for those of us in the United States. We seem to have lost respect for those that serve and those that have served. Anyone that has is usually proud of their service, and whether they be Army, Navy, Airforce, or Marines, they consider themselves that for life. They took an oath to defend the constitution against all enemies whether foreign or domestic. They risked their lives so others wouldn’t have to do so. A parade to honor those that are serving and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice seems only fitting when less than one percent of the population serves as fighting men and women. Continue reading “The Military Parade”
The Resolute
Existence is challenged by the persistence of time. Its passage ravages all things and grinds them into dust. However, examples abound in nature that proves that resolve can lessen the deteriorating effect and allows some objects to last for millions of years. The mountains we see today are the product of plate tectonics and receding glaciers that carved jagged peaks that have existed long before any human being was on earth. These mammoth structures do erode over time, but they have been in existence long before us and will remain long after we are gone. Change is a constant that there can be no dispute. The earth is made of sterner stuff those most of its inhabitants. Many are all too happy to be carried away by whatever external force prods them. Like leaves upon the wind, they glide through life with no discernable self-control. This form of existence is the easy path in life, and more often the easy route isn’t the correct one.
Choosing your Battles
Life is filled with conflict. It is a fact that none of us can escape no matter how withdrawn we become over the course of our lives. Today, many battles take place on a daily basis for the public to absorb into their psyche on the evening news. These fights are rarely predicated on matters of principle but instead focus on trivialities. We have become accustomed to viewing this circus every day. In our personal lives, we are hard-pressed to escape individual battles that are increasingly pedantic and nonsensical. We all have a choice. Do we fight every engagement no matter the triviality, or do we focus on principles and fight only the most important battles? Continue reading “Choosing your Battles”
Sins of the Past
History is a subject that many fail to comprehend. The horrors of past are the most oft-repeated and what many will cite when questioned about their knowledge of the matter. Lessons from history though never quite sink into the human psyche. While the actor’s appearance may change over millennia, the results of their actions are repeated over and over again. We so often fail to appreciate the significance of the mistakes made by those that have come before us. We tend to be stubborn and resolutely follow the same patterns once tread by our ancestors and never learn the significance of their mistakes until we too fall into the same quandary. Religion teaches us morals and is a guideline by which to live a righteous lifestyle. Too often though, I see those espousing such beliefs while not truly understanding the moral responsibility that they have to question poor behavior when they learn of it. They tend to equivocate endlessly when a sin is brought to the forefront of conversation to which they have also fallen prey. Continue reading “Sins of the Past”
How to recognize the Narcissistic Manipulator
Throughout life, we encounter numerous types of people. As we approach middle-age, we begin to realize that variety among our peers is in short supply. People tend to learn by mimicking others and originality is merely a word with little meaning in modern society. However, we encounter those frequently in life that would be classified as toxic or a negative influence on the quality of our lives. These people operate under a separate set of rules than the rest of us. They are narcissistic, and use Intel they glean in various ways to manipulate their targets into a form of servitude. They take many forms and wear many masks but here today I hope to shed light on the darkness of the narcissistic manipulator. Continue reading “How to recognize the Narcissistic Manipulator”
Do we get the Government we deserve?
A phrase that one occasionally hears tossed about is that citizens get the government they deserve. Whatever metric we choose to measure it by this would seem to be apt in so many ways. A vocal segment of the population is responsible for putting people into power and re-electing them. This segment is a minority of our country’s citizens. They get the government they want, and those of us that are apathetic to the whole process get the government we deserve because we refuse to engage in the future of our country and our children. We care about our children on the local level but fail to effect lasting change that will affect the lives of our children and their children long after we are gone. Continue reading “Do we get the Government we deserve?”
The Society of Now
We live in a time when technology allows us the ability to communicate instantaneously and order items straight to our home without ever leaving the house. The satisfaction this creates is one of almost instant gratification. People have lost whatever modicum of patience they have remaining. We expect immediate results and presume to know the whole story about an event that takes place. However, in a rush to satisfy this indulgence of the opulence of expectation we are often given false information. This leads to entire movements whether they be political or societal that are based on incorrect assumptions about the nature of truth. Continue reading “The Society of Now”
Fiscal Responsibility
We as Americans have not done a great job as a society in managing money and staying out of debt. It should hardly be a surprise then at the national level our government is the most significant debtor of us all. The National Debt doubled under President Obama. Conservatives railed against this unrestrained approach to spending the futures of generations to come. They promised a return to fiscal conservatism and to balancing the books of our nation. Continue reading “Fiscal Responsibility”
Meeting with the man that wasn’t there.
Day to day living is fraught with a whirlwind of decisions that are made on the fly. Scheduling the daily regimen of workouts, meals, and family decisions and then meeting those obligations on the best of days is a tedious monotony. On the worst of days, it can seem as if nothing will go as planned. When we add more people to our decisions and into our lives, this necessarily complicates all facets of them. Many people though greet each day as a physical presence, but emotionally they are but a shadow of their true selves. It begs the question, in a world that depends almost entirely on logic and rational thinking how can so many exist that hide their true nature? Continue reading “Meeting with the man that wasn’t there.”
My Ideas for Prison Reform
Correctional facilities in the United States house more than two million inmates. Despite the name, they have failed to correct some sixty-seven percent of the individuals incarcerated there. They go on to re-offend within three years of being released. (Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 30 States in 2005: Patterns from 2005 to 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4986) This creates a cycle of catch and release that only produces more hardened criminals that further endangers our society. Continue reading “My Ideas for Prison Reform”
No Substitute for Experience
The greatest teacher one will ever have in life is one’s own experiences. Unfortunately, the negative ones have the most power to instruct us in the coarseness of reality. When we are young, the majority of us follow our hearts, and we imagine a world in which everyone views the world in the same way. The world, however, is the great teacher and it will teach us many hard lessons that guide the person we become. The animal kingdom is an excellent example of what life is actually like as an adult. Adults compete for resources with one another and look out only for themselves and their families. It isn’t like this in every respect as there are still groups of people that understand the value of friendship and working together for the betterment of the community. As you grow, you become more isolated in the sharing of your real emotions, and this is a universal defense mechanism against the pain inflicted by those that wish to use your desires for manipulation. This molds us the into various incarnations of the modern human being, and not all of them are good. Continue reading “No Substitute for Experience”
The Dichotomy of Social Standards
We share the earth with one another, each society drawing upon its core beliefs to adopt ethical and social standards for behavior among its citizens. While I can’t be sure if every nation on earth has the same issues, it does seem apparent that these rules are stringently applied to one group while simultaneously allowing another group a tremendous amount of leeway. The dominance of pc-culture has further stretched the limits of cogency to once widely accepted standards of behavior. Many dare not speak their minds for fear of alienating a segment of society that has only just been manifested from the imaginations of neurotic individuals. Thus these standards that were so poorly applied systematically before these new manifestations of delusional identity disorder have further deteriorated. Continue reading “The Dichotomy of Social Standards”
The Corruption of Reliable Leadership
The role of a leader means different things to different people. It used to be someone that made difficult and sometimes agonizing choices to benefit their charges. Increasingly, in this modern caricature of all things honorable we call life it has become less obligatory for a leader to represent their constituents with any sense of honor or loyalty. Machiavelli had an incredible insight into human nature, but he was only out for what benefitted him. He might suggest doing the right thing but only in circumstances that were beneficial to the leader in question. He would have been just as happy ordering the executions of the leader he was advising’s entire family if it would have advanced his political agenda. While this man had an almost omnipotent understanding of our fellow man, he often used this to justify acts of evil. He did not see the world in terms of good and evil, though he recognized the need to appear righteous as a form of assuagement for the folks that were not in his political circle. If any of this sounds familiar to you, it should; this is the playbook by which our elected leaders and many of those appointed ones in the FBI and DOJ use to plan their stratagems for controlling and mitigating the population they play at leading. Continue reading “The Corruption of Reliable Leadership”
The SOTU Address: My Reaction
Each year we are either treated or are horrified by what we call the State of the Union address. The state of it, however, is never something we can quantify in an impassioned speech. For the many that watched their eyes told them a much more convincing narrative of the status of our nation than any mere statement could have done. Every presidency has its detractors and supporters, but in this increasingly polarized environment, the battle lines are drawn. Continue reading “The SOTU Address: My Reaction”
The Felonious Nature of Choice
We are told life is about choice and to some degree that is true. It’s when you drill down into the minutiae of life that you begin to see how few options we as individuals have. Through advertising, we are told what is acceptable and on what we should spend our money. The government tells us how we must conduct our lives, where we can live, and what we can do on property that is supposed to be ours. I speak of property not just concerning assets but as each person owning one’s self. We are taxed for every moment we exist. This seems to be the antithesis of self-determination and forging one’s path. Continue reading “The Felonious Nature of Choice”
Living or Imitating?
Sensory overload is a problem in modern times. Often, you will see groups of friends sitting together all staring at their phones in silence. We make little time for social interactions. We prefer talking through messaging and find it difficult to connect with new people in any meaningful way. A significant portion of us fawn over celebrities and hang on their every word as if they are more informed than us ordinary folk. We often live our lives waiting for the next movie or the next professional sports game to take place. We call it entertainment, but for many, it appears to have the detrimental effect of producing a sedentary lifestyle. A lot of people seem to live vicariously through these public figures while forgetting to stand up and write their own story of life. Continue reading “Living or Imitating?”
