"How do I know about the world? By what is within me." ~ Lao Tsu
Thursday, December 30, 2010
My self portrait finally finished!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Who is John Galt? The rationality of selfishness
This is an essay I wrote for the Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest recently. Although I didn't win I definitely enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged, it is a very eye-opening book and expresses a lot of new ideas one may not have considered. The story is prophetic of what we are seeing today in the US. In saying this I must also make clear that I am neither liberal nor conservative in my views. There is much more to life than just two opposing political views so I opt out — until my vote actually counts and we can actually get some independent, thinking lawmakers in Washington that aren't bending over for whoever offers them the most money!!
Question: According to John Galt, selfishness is both moral and practical. Explain what he means by this and how events in the story illustrate and dramatize his point. (Atlas Shrugged, 50th anniversary, paperback edition, page numbers from excerpts are in parenthesis)
I asked my father what his definition of selfish was. He said it means to 'prefer one's own best interest above everybody else.' When asked if selfishness is good or bad, he described it as 'the root of all evil.' I asked my mother what it meant to be selfish. She said it was to put one's self 'above all other people and above God, to satisfy one's own desires at the expense of others.' I asked her if selfishness was bad. She said it was 'the source of all sin.' I was raised to believe in these same ideas and had I been asked a year ago if I believed that selfishness was immoral I probably would have answered yes. I no longer hold this opinion due to personal experience with the failure of these ideas.
In Atlas Shrugged, John Galt poses his philosophy that selfishness is not only moral and practical, but is the only way to hold true moral values. He explains that '... to live requires a sense of self-value ... that the first precondition to self-esteem is that radiant selfishness of soul that desires the best in all things, in values and matter and spirit, a soul that seeks above all else to achieve its own moral perfection ...' (934) According to Galt, 'man's life is the standard of morality' and 'one's own life is its purpose' (928) — not the servitude of others who are undeserving. In the simplest of terms, if one wishes to live on earth one must act in one's own self-interest to survive — that is, they must use their own ability to think and reason so they can feed and cloth themselves. If one fails, they alone must suffer the consequences — not blame someone else.
My parents hold that in no case is it okay to be selfish. There are many people who hold this opinion today, but why? The fact remains: I have had to act selfishly in order to preserve my own moral values, self-esteem and well-being on many occasions — as many people do. But there is often a sense of guilt that goes along with it — a cloudiness that doesn't let one feel good about acting selfishly but instead leaves a sense of fear — fear of punishment. This fear is the tool with which the looters and hooligans in Atlas Shrugged brought down the whole of existence. Instead of asking why all the factories where closing and violence was breaking out, they were asking, who. 'Who is going take the blame? Who can we enslave to our benefit? Who can we devour next?' This is a tactic that many individuals use on a more intimate level — in relationships. They try to force the mind of their victims by using verbal abuse and violence. In these dangerous situations the only way one can get out and break the destructive cycle is to say, 'No!' — an act of the most pure and righteous selfishness. Those in abusive relationships must choose their own best interests over those of whom wish to abuse and destroy them — by removing themselves — just as John Galt removed the men of the mind from the world. There is no 'unselfish' way to do this. One should not give their oppressors the tools (and the permission) with which to send them to slaughter. By doing this, one is forfeiting all the good that they could have contributed to the world.
In his radio address, Galt states: 'We are on strike against the dogma that the pursuit of one's happiness is evil. We are on strike against the doctrine that life is guilt.' (925) He is careful, however to state that, '... neither life nor happiness can be achieved by the pursuit of irrational whims.' (928) The key to true happiness, is the use of one's own moral reason. Atlas Shrugged illustrates the dire consequences of rejecting reason to the irrational whims of those in power and the dangers of going along with the majority even if that majority is propagating ideas which are causing destruction and chaos.
James Taggart presents us with a good example. He is the president of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad, yet he never acts in his own interest to make his company successful, or even to keep his trains running safely. He wines and dines with his powerful friends in Washington and helps them to devise new rules and regulations to confine businesses — including his own. Taggart Transcontinental eventually becomes the last operating railroad in the country because all the others are forced to close down due to a government-ordered railroad consolidation plan giving Taggart the biggest portion of the profits because he owns the most tracks — even though most of them are non-operational. Because the railroads are not efficient, the remaining industries suffer and go bankrupt when they can't ship their goods or receive adequate supplies. It becomes obvious that Taggart Transcontinental will eventually go bankrupt as well for lack of industrial customers and factories left to make the steel and motors which the railroad so desperately needs to rebuild aging tracks and engines. Taggart and the men in Washington blame the business owners for every problem and eventually they are left with no working factories, no men to run them and no one to blame as the motor of their world eventually stops just as John Galt said it would. The true nature of James Taggart and his Washington pals is finally revealed when they attempt to force the mind of Galt himself, by manipulation, intimidation and finally electro-shock torture. We see that it was not greed or selfishness that was driving them, but hatred — a hatred more vile than any imaginable, a hatred for life and all those who try to live it. They were at war against moral reason using the false pretense of brotherly love as their guise.
Francisco d'Anconia, while speaking to Hank Rearden, states that 'the worst guilt is to accept an undeserved guilt ... You have been paying blackmail not for your vices but for your virtues,' he says. (421) This undeserved guilt is the weapon which looters and abusers use against whomever is willing to accept it and take on the burdens, grievances and horrors of others — at the expense of their very life! And what is worse, this is what they want to present — as love. A world where no form of selfishness is accepted is a world where the undeserving, abusive and violent prosecute and punish the hard-working, talented and generous — not because of anything they have done wrong but because of all they do that is right! It was because of this undeserved guilt, that Rearden was made to feel badly for pursuing that which he knew to be right and just. Rearden Metal, was stronger, lighter and more efficient than regular steel, yet the government, media and even his own family made him feel as if he was guilty of some great treason for having achieved so much when others had achieved so little.
When the powerful men in Washington tried to seize Rearden's metal operation, along with all the other factories in the country, they were trying to capitalize on the inventions and labor of these men while simultaneously destroying everything they had worked to create for themselves. But without the thinking, reasoning minds of these men to run the factories, they were made useless, and the world's motor continued to break down. Most people lost motivation after the government seized everything. Nobody wanted a 'thinking' job, no matter what the pay — it just wasn't worth the burden and the loss of free-will. Money itself was loosing its worth because there were no goods or services to back it up. Trains began to break down and there was no one to fix them. Factories stopped without warning, workers disappeared. Instead of a world of brotherly love, as had been promised by the all the leading men in Washington — it was quite the opposite. Deception was rewarded instead of honest work. Those who had abilities tried to hide them for fear they would be forced to work overtime for someone else's benefit. Most simply lost the will to live, for living freely was not allowed.
When we reject our own moral reason — selfish ambition — we throw ourselves on the irrational whims of whomever chooses to tell us what is right and wrong. We give them permission to hold power over us. We see in Atlas Shrugged that a world where men are not permitted to act in their own self-interest, to preserve their life, the way they see rightfully fit, is a world full of fear and loathing of one's neighbor — a world where everyone blames everyone else and no one is responsible, a world easily taken over by those with the most weapons and brute force, a world of terror.
Question: According to John Galt, selfishness is both moral and practical. Explain what he means by this and how events in the story illustrate and dramatize his point. (Atlas Shrugged, 50th anniversary, paperback edition, page numbers from excerpts are in parenthesis)
I asked my father what his definition of selfish was. He said it means to 'prefer one's own best interest above everybody else.' When asked if selfishness is good or bad, he described it as 'the root of all evil.' I asked my mother what it meant to be selfish. She said it was to put one's self 'above all other people and above God, to satisfy one's own desires at the expense of others.' I asked her if selfishness was bad. She said it was 'the source of all sin.' I was raised to believe in these same ideas and had I been asked a year ago if I believed that selfishness was immoral I probably would have answered yes. I no longer hold this opinion due to personal experience with the failure of these ideas.
In Atlas Shrugged, John Galt poses his philosophy that selfishness is not only moral and practical, but is the only way to hold true moral values. He explains that '... to live requires a sense of self-value ... that the first precondition to self-esteem is that radiant selfishness of soul that desires the best in all things, in values and matter and spirit, a soul that seeks above all else to achieve its own moral perfection ...' (934) According to Galt, 'man's life is the standard of morality' and 'one's own life is its purpose' (928) — not the servitude of others who are undeserving. In the simplest of terms, if one wishes to live on earth one must act in one's own self-interest to survive — that is, they must use their own ability to think and reason so they can feed and cloth themselves. If one fails, they alone must suffer the consequences — not blame someone else.
My parents hold that in no case is it okay to be selfish. There are many people who hold this opinion today, but why? The fact remains: I have had to act selfishly in order to preserve my own moral values, self-esteem and well-being on many occasions — as many people do. But there is often a sense of guilt that goes along with it — a cloudiness that doesn't let one feel good about acting selfishly but instead leaves a sense of fear — fear of punishment. This fear is the tool with which the looters and hooligans in Atlas Shrugged brought down the whole of existence. Instead of asking why all the factories where closing and violence was breaking out, they were asking, who. 'Who is going take the blame? Who can we enslave to our benefit? Who can we devour next?' This is a tactic that many individuals use on a more intimate level — in relationships. They try to force the mind of their victims by using verbal abuse and violence. In these dangerous situations the only way one can get out and break the destructive cycle is to say, 'No!' — an act of the most pure and righteous selfishness. Those in abusive relationships must choose their own best interests over those of whom wish to abuse and destroy them — by removing themselves — just as John Galt removed the men of the mind from the world. There is no 'unselfish' way to do this. One should not give their oppressors the tools (and the permission) with which to send them to slaughter. By doing this, one is forfeiting all the good that they could have contributed to the world.
In his radio address, Galt states: 'We are on strike against the dogma that the pursuit of one's happiness is evil. We are on strike against the doctrine that life is guilt.' (925) He is careful, however to state that, '... neither life nor happiness can be achieved by the pursuit of irrational whims.' (928) The key to true happiness, is the use of one's own moral reason. Atlas Shrugged illustrates the dire consequences of rejecting reason to the irrational whims of those in power and the dangers of going along with the majority even if that majority is propagating ideas which are causing destruction and chaos.
James Taggart presents us with a good example. He is the president of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad, yet he never acts in his own interest to make his company successful, or even to keep his trains running safely. He wines and dines with his powerful friends in Washington and helps them to devise new rules and regulations to confine businesses — including his own. Taggart Transcontinental eventually becomes the last operating railroad in the country because all the others are forced to close down due to a government-ordered railroad consolidation plan giving Taggart the biggest portion of the profits because he owns the most tracks — even though most of them are non-operational. Because the railroads are not efficient, the remaining industries suffer and go bankrupt when they can't ship their goods or receive adequate supplies. It becomes obvious that Taggart Transcontinental will eventually go bankrupt as well for lack of industrial customers and factories left to make the steel and motors which the railroad so desperately needs to rebuild aging tracks and engines. Taggart and the men in Washington blame the business owners for every problem and eventually they are left with no working factories, no men to run them and no one to blame as the motor of their world eventually stops just as John Galt said it would. The true nature of James Taggart and his Washington pals is finally revealed when they attempt to force the mind of Galt himself, by manipulation, intimidation and finally electro-shock torture. We see that it was not greed or selfishness that was driving them, but hatred — a hatred more vile than any imaginable, a hatred for life and all those who try to live it. They were at war against moral reason using the false pretense of brotherly love as their guise.
Francisco d'Anconia, while speaking to Hank Rearden, states that 'the worst guilt is to accept an undeserved guilt ... You have been paying blackmail not for your vices but for your virtues,' he says. (421) This undeserved guilt is the weapon which looters and abusers use against whomever is willing to accept it and take on the burdens, grievances and horrors of others — at the expense of their very life! And what is worse, this is what they want to present — as love. A world where no form of selfishness is accepted is a world where the undeserving, abusive and violent prosecute and punish the hard-working, talented and generous — not because of anything they have done wrong but because of all they do that is right! It was because of this undeserved guilt, that Rearden was made to feel badly for pursuing that which he knew to be right and just. Rearden Metal, was stronger, lighter and more efficient than regular steel, yet the government, media and even his own family made him feel as if he was guilty of some great treason for having achieved so much when others had achieved so little.
When the powerful men in Washington tried to seize Rearden's metal operation, along with all the other factories in the country, they were trying to capitalize on the inventions and labor of these men while simultaneously destroying everything they had worked to create for themselves. But without the thinking, reasoning minds of these men to run the factories, they were made useless, and the world's motor continued to break down. Most people lost motivation after the government seized everything. Nobody wanted a 'thinking' job, no matter what the pay — it just wasn't worth the burden and the loss of free-will. Money itself was loosing its worth because there were no goods or services to back it up. Trains began to break down and there was no one to fix them. Factories stopped without warning, workers disappeared. Instead of a world of brotherly love, as had been promised by the all the leading men in Washington — it was quite the opposite. Deception was rewarded instead of honest work. Those who had abilities tried to hide them for fear they would be forced to work overtime for someone else's benefit. Most simply lost the will to live, for living freely was not allowed.
When we reject our own moral reason — selfish ambition — we throw ourselves on the irrational whims of whomever chooses to tell us what is right and wrong. We give them permission to hold power over us. We see in Atlas Shrugged that a world where men are not permitted to act in their own self-interest, to preserve their life, the way they see rightfully fit, is a world full of fear and loathing of one's neighbor — a world where everyone blames everyone else and no one is responsible, a world easily taken over by those with the most weapons and brute force, a world of terror.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
A year of thanksgiving
Today is thanksgiving and looking back over the past year since, I have much to be thankful for.
It has now been one full year since I have had even a drop of alcohol — I feat I once feared was impossible. You see I used alcohol as my stress-reliever and although it did not interfere with my work or life in a conventional sense, it did interfere with my self esteem. I think on some level I felt out of control. I worked at a job that was unfulfilling, I was in an abusive relationship and I just felt powerless. Taking a stand for something was my first step to recovering a sense of control in my life.
By refusing alcohol I committed to find better, more productive ways to alleviate my stress. This led me to pick up on some old hobbies and new ones. It has also brought me back to my goal of completing my BFA degree in Illustration. The abusive relationship has dissolved and I feel a new sense of purpose and anticipation in my life.
I am so thankful for my life and the joy of being me and finding out daily what that means. I am thankful to my family and friends for sticking with me through the tough times. And I thank myself for finding the strength within to change for the better.
It has now been one full year since I have had even a drop of alcohol — I feat I once feared was impossible. You see I used alcohol as my stress-reliever and although it did not interfere with my work or life in a conventional sense, it did interfere with my self esteem. I think on some level I felt out of control. I worked at a job that was unfulfilling, I was in an abusive relationship and I just felt powerless. Taking a stand for something was my first step to recovering a sense of control in my life.
By refusing alcohol I committed to find better, more productive ways to alleviate my stress. This led me to pick up on some old hobbies and new ones. It has also brought me back to my goal of completing my BFA degree in Illustration. The abusive relationship has dissolved and I feel a new sense of purpose and anticipation in my life.
I am so thankful for my life and the joy of being me and finding out daily what that means. I am thankful to my family and friends for sticking with me through the tough times. And I thank myself for finding the strength within to change for the better.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Self Portrait in progress
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Make it Yourself: Toothpaste
Anyway enough with the doom and gloom. Good news is you can easily make you own toothpaste that works and helps kill germs in the mouth. On top of that, just think of all the waste you'll be diverting from the landfill by making your own and keeping it in a reusable container! Tooth decay is no simple matter, however, so for those of you who wish to take responsibility for your health, I recommend reading the book, 'Cure Tooth Decay: Heal & Prevent Cavities with Nutrition' by Ramiel Nagel. This book is an easy read, offers some great advice and has several different recipes for homemade toothpastes as well. The recipe I am offering below is a little different and works great.
Natural Toothpaste
(all ingredients available at any health food store)
2-4 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
2-4 drops peppermint oil
2 drops clove oil
3-5 tablespoons baking soda (natural variety, aluminum-free)
Mix all ingredients together in small glass jar. Add more baking soda as needed until toothpaste reaches the desired consistency. Peppermint oil is a natural teeth whitener and breath freshener. Clove oil is a natural disinfectant that is great for the gums. If you have a tooth ache you can put a small amount of clove oil directly on the sore area for instant relief (it makes your mouth totally numb);-)
Monday, November 1, 2010
Where did I come from? My cultural identity dilema
I have often wondered where I come from. Being a multi-generation American with multi-random European roots, I seem to have lost all connection to a traditional culture of any kind. I have asked my mother and all she can do is tell me about my grandparents and great grandparents or speculate based on family names. My father can only tell me about his father, who I never met, and his mother, who died when I was only three. These little tid bits of information are not enough!
It seems to me, that to know my origins is of utmost importance so that I can better understand who I am, what my unique history is, and where I am going. I think that by better understanding where I came from I can make sense of the problems I have faced in my life thus far and be able face future issues with more confidence. Truth is, I really don't know who I am — and how could I really know if I have no knowledge of my heritage and the various people who eventually brought me into existence?
Why is it that the only history we feel we need in the U.S. is what they teach us year after year in public school?? We all have histories which are important to forming our identities. I feel this issue is of deep importance to our sense of worth and our connection to the world at large. Slowly we seem to be loosing cultural diversity to the encroaching Western culture that seeks to destroy all that is out-of-the-mold and unacceptable to its 'pop culture' standards of bland fast food, plastic fashion fads, bad reality shows and stupid music.
What has happened to our pride in where we come from? I have read that some tribal people groups can trace their lineage back to the first man and woman. I believe the Hawaiians are among these. In the Kumulipo creation chant, they trace their lineage all the way back to creation itself. How wonderful and powerful to have such knowledge and connection to the earth and to one's culture of origin! I truly envy these people who have not lost their cultural identity as I have. Sometimes I feel so lost, so disconnected from the earth, I could live anywhere and still not feel that I belong. I want to know more about my relatives and anything possible about my ancestors. What lands did they come from before America, what foods did they eat? What religions did they observe? What clothing did they wear? What kind homes did they live in? What methods of food gathering, growing and hunting did they use?
I read recently that every day there are languages around the world that go silent with the death of the last speaker. There are hundreds of cultures every year that die to the spread of Western culture. Why can't we learn from the various cultures of the world instead of making everyone conform to the same way? With the death of every culture is the loss of valuable knowledge. Many of the indigenous cultures of the world had mastered the art of sustainable living. Yet we can't seem to stop destroying our resources. Why did we not consult the leaders of these ancient cultures and learn from them? Why does Western culture continue to trample out anything that does not fit its mold? Why do we allow this? Why are children who have a cultural identity of their own shunned at school and made to feel ashamed of their beautiful heritage?
To all those of you who have any sort of ancestoral knowledge, any cultural identity or native language. Be proud of who you are! Hang on to whatever knowledge remains in you and pass it to your children, friends and family. Now is the time to bring this knowledge out into the light before it is too late. The world needs to learn and remember the millions of cultural roots that nourish it and give it life. With the death of cultural and bio diversity comes disease and destruction. We must embrace all the differences that make us, us. It is because of this diversity that animals, plants and humans are able to evolve and co-exisist.
It seems to me, that to know my origins is of utmost importance so that I can better understand who I am, what my unique history is, and where I am going. I think that by better understanding where I came from I can make sense of the problems I have faced in my life thus far and be able face future issues with more confidence. Truth is, I really don't know who I am — and how could I really know if I have no knowledge of my heritage and the various people who eventually brought me into existence?
Why is it that the only history we feel we need in the U.S. is what they teach us year after year in public school?? We all have histories which are important to forming our identities. I feel this issue is of deep importance to our sense of worth and our connection to the world at large. Slowly we seem to be loosing cultural diversity to the encroaching Western culture that seeks to destroy all that is out-of-the-mold and unacceptable to its 'pop culture' standards of bland fast food, plastic fashion fads, bad reality shows and stupid music.
What has happened to our pride in where we come from? I have read that some tribal people groups can trace their lineage back to the first man and woman. I believe the Hawaiians are among these. In the Kumulipo creation chant, they trace their lineage all the way back to creation itself. How wonderful and powerful to have such knowledge and connection to the earth and to one's culture of origin! I truly envy these people who have not lost their cultural identity as I have. Sometimes I feel so lost, so disconnected from the earth, I could live anywhere and still not feel that I belong. I want to know more about my relatives and anything possible about my ancestors. What lands did they come from before America, what foods did they eat? What religions did they observe? What clothing did they wear? What kind homes did they live in? What methods of food gathering, growing and hunting did they use?
I read recently that every day there are languages around the world that go silent with the death of the last speaker. There are hundreds of cultures every year that die to the spread of Western culture. Why can't we learn from the various cultures of the world instead of making everyone conform to the same way? With the death of every culture is the loss of valuable knowledge. Many of the indigenous cultures of the world had mastered the art of sustainable living. Yet we can't seem to stop destroying our resources. Why did we not consult the leaders of these ancient cultures and learn from them? Why does Western culture continue to trample out anything that does not fit its mold? Why do we allow this? Why are children who have a cultural identity of their own shunned at school and made to feel ashamed of their beautiful heritage?
To all those of you who have any sort of ancestoral knowledge, any cultural identity or native language. Be proud of who you are! Hang on to whatever knowledge remains in you and pass it to your children, friends and family. Now is the time to bring this knowledge out into the light before it is too late. The world needs to learn and remember the millions of cultural roots that nourish it and give it life. With the death of cultural and bio diversity comes disease and destruction. We must embrace all the differences that make us, us. It is because of this diversity that animals, plants and humans are able to evolve and co-exisist.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Easy Breezy Mararoons
These macaroons are a breeze to make, using simple ingredients and not too sticky sweet. They come out looking elegant with little effort, making them a perfect treat for a garden tea party or whatever social gathering you may have going on. As always, I recommend using as many locally-produced ingredients as possible. They are fresher and it is always nice to support our local farmers and beekeepers whilst limiting our fossil fuel dependence.
Easy, Breezy Macaroons
Makes about 12-16
Ingredients:
4 egg whites from local chickens
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons of raw organic honey
2 cups shredded organic coconut (non-sweetened)
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Separate eggs and put whites in a medium mixing bowl. The yolks may be saved and used in smoothies, homemade ice cream or simply fried up with butter for breakfast — contrary to popular belief, egg yolks are one of the healthiest foods available when they come from healthy, happy chickens. A good deep yellow yolk contains many essential nutrients such as vitamin D and A in bio-available form as well as all the essential amino acids. So don't feel guilty for indulging, your body needs these nutrients. For more on nutrition go to westonaprice.org
Whisk the egg whites up by hand for just about ten minutes until lightly foamed. Add vanilla and honey and continue to whisk until honey is dissolved. Add coconut one cup at a time, making sure to stir well. Add more coconut if needed until liquid mixture is completely absorbed. Using a small ice cream scooper or spoon, scoop rounded balls of coconut batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool, serve and enjoy.
Make it yourself: Deodorant
My first solution to this problem was to try to find a 'natural' deodorant from my local health food store. But this did not prove effective. In my experience, the natural 'deodorant' I purchased seemed to make my odor worse. On top of that I still had the issue of plastic waste.
Reducing plastic and oil dependency is a huge concern of mine as is limiting the chemical burden I place on the environment everyday. How much plastic and styrofoam can we divert from the landfill if we pack our own lunch everyday and make our own deodorant, toothpaste and moisturizers stored in reusable containers? How much cleaner will our water and soil be if we limit the chemical pollutants we wash down the drain everyday? How much energy will we be giving our bodies each day if we don't expose them to harmful chemicals and substances? In a year's time, these small changes can add up to quite a big difference for our bodily health, our finances and for the health of our environment.
Simple Natural Deodorant
Makes about a month supply
2-4 tablespoons organic unrefined/virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda
2-4 drops tea tree oil
2-4 drops lavender oil
Put all ingredients in a small clean glass jar and stir well. If you are reusing a jar and cannot get the smell out try soaking for a day with hot water and a couple drops of essential oil-- any work but I use lavender or tea tree as they are also disinfectants.
Apply deodorant to skin prior to dressing so that you don't get any on your clothes. If you live in a colder climate then you can soften the deodorant in a sink of hot water before applying. Coconut oil has anti-viral and anti-microbial properties and tea tree and lavender add to these benefits when used as a deodorant. The baking soda simply helps to absorb unwanted odors.
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