Life On A B-I7

Don’t Be Fooled

Trump rules (note the use of the word “rules” over the more appropriate “leads”) by declaring emergencies. Don’t be fooled. Not every event that occurs every day is an emergency. If you believe this nonsense you are a sucker. Trump’s use of emergency declarations as a means to implement policy is completely out of hand. He is on a pace to announce 70 emergencies in his administration, which would almost match the total number of Presidential emergencies announced over the last 45 years. I’m sorry, things are not bad enough to warrant that approach to governing.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 48

Train your mind with humility. Assuming you have the answer and acting without study and reflection often leads to wrong choices.

The Constitution

The Constitution of the United States was intended by our Founders to be a living document. As society evolved, the Founders expected that the meaning and application of the Constitution would evolve as well. Tools were provided to accomplish that goal. The notion that today we can magically infer what the Founders intended the document to mean when it was written so long ago and apply that original meaning across the expanse of time is ludicrous. The conservative right has found an argument for interpretation of the Constitution that unthinking people easily swallow. It would be better for all of us if the Founders could return long enough to put out a podcast clearly outlining how we should be interpreting the product of their hard work. I fear that unless that happens (sadly it will not) we are on a path that will see the best accomplishments of our history become little more than polluted memories. I for one intend to hold on to those cherished memories even if there are some bent on destroying them.

After writing these words I went out to the mailbox to find this month’s Atlantic Magazine. Emblazoned on the cover were these words by Jill Lepore, a teaser for the cover story inside.

”The authors of the Constitution believed that it could, and should, change over time. The process of amendment is built into the document. Why have we abandoned — and all but forgotten — this essential democratic tool?”

[Inside] “is the story of how partisans of the legal philosophy known as originalism have undermined the process of constitutional evolution envisioned by the Founders. The Constitution is not a living document, originalists say. In the words of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, it is ‘dead, dead, dead.’ And the only people who can be trusted to interpret its meaning, they argue, are the originalists themselves.”

Pardon me, that is simply wrong, wrong, wrong.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 47

You don’t need to shout about your good deeds, just move quietly on to the next one. You are the only person that truly needs to notice your work.

Our Response to Political Violence

If flags are going to be flown at half staff for the assassination of a right-wing activist then flags should also be flown at half staff for the assassination of left-wing activists.

The fact that we have entered a new era in our history where a distinction is made based on party affiliation is an indication that we are loosing our way as a nation.

I object to the use of the terms “right-wing” and “left-wing.” As a country we have become more politically intolerant than I ever dreamed we would become. I’m appalled.

Please view this as not only my denunciation of all political acts of violence but also my condemnation of treating others that do not share the same political views as an enemy instead of as a fellow citizen.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 46

Don’t put off the work you know you should be doing. Keep it simple and do it with passion. When it comes to discussing your work, be clear in your conversation. It doesn’t hurt to speak in complete sentences either…

Words to Live By

I have to repost. “Words are not violence, violence is violence.” If someone’s words anger you, that is a natural human reaction. Anger never gives you justification to hurt someone. Never. Even those of us (myself included) that do not have what it takes to physically harm, much less attempt to murder a fellow being, still have to remind ourselves of this. I admire George Packer for putting such a noble thought into so few words. Living by these words is the key to peace and security for all of us.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 45

Take care of your own improvement day-by-day. This entails a willingness to engage in self-reflection each day. Honestly assess what you have done and what you need to do today to make you ready for tomorrow.

Charlie Kirk

Three days ago the outspoken right-wing organizer Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered. There are those calling for vengeance against his left-wing opponents. Retribution is not the answer. Retribution, especially that dealt through the use of violence is an authoritarian response. America has, at least up until now, prided itself on avoiding authoritarianism as a response to heinous acts. In the words of George Packer, “words are not violence, violence is violence.” Let’s keep these two concepts distinct from one another. Violence (in all its forms) is not a solution for political positions that are different from the ones that we may hold.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 44

Learn to love that which you are good at. Cherish those things and strive continuously to improve those skills. If you learn to love those things, they will be your refuge.

Nothing New Under the Sun

From the early 1800’s to the late 1800’s there was a concerted effort by the French government to suppress political thought using censorship. It didn’t work. The eagerness with which our current administration is attempting to limit political expression through the withdrawal of funding for public media and the far to frequent use of the phrases “fake news”, “enemy of the people” and “witch hunt,” is equally repulsive. History has demonstrated that censorship of thought cannot successfully be achieved. It’s time the administration grew up and started acting like adults. If not acting like adults, at least realizing that they are not any smarter than their historical antecedents.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 43

Philosophy is not only for the spirit, it is also for the ordinary life. The more you understand yourself and your responsibility, the better you are able to live a good life. Philosophy can deliver you to that end. Do not think that philosophical study is above you.

9/11

Today is the day to honor those who perished on 9/11 when the twin towers in lower Manhattan were destroyed. Not only did innocent people die that day but many brave first responders also perished. The best way to honor all the fallen is with an act of kindness. It will not only honor their memory but it will also make the world a better place. The event that occurred yesterday (unspeakable) is a perfect example of actions that degrade and lower us. We must rise above our worst impulses, not only in our actions but also in our thoughts, if we are ever to become a truly humane society.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 42

Accept the responsibility for your life’s outcome and you will be better able to steer your ship to the proper shore. This is accomplished by having self-respect.

Watershed Moment

Just to be clear, the Supreme Court of the United States has thrown 250 years of democracy in the toilet and turned the country into an authoritarian dictatorship with their ruling in July of 2024 that a sitting president can not be prosecuted for any criminal act.

Just to be clear, starting a sentence with the word “just” is bad grammar and makes no sense… Those of you who understand such things are probably abhored with me.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 41

Read and study to live. Acquiring knowledge is the true calling of every person. That is what separates us from the beasts and brings us true happiness.

I’m Having a Bit of Trouble

It’s September 9th already. Where in the hell does time go? I’m almost a third of the way through the month and I haven’t accomplished a damn thing, at least that’s how it feels.

I’ve certainly thought about doing a lot of things… That’s the problem. I spend too much time thinking and not enough time doing. I suppose thinking is good. Thinking and not accomplishing is better than not thinking and not accomplishing. It would probably be better however if I got in the habit of doing both.

I know this will sound like a bit of a stretch, but part of my problem is I chose to study Political Science in college. Let me explain. It made me too sensitive to how our country is run. The current reality in that area is down right depressing. It’s affecting my emotional outlook. I’m embarrassed to be an American. If I hadn’t studied Political Science during my formative years, I might be a more focused and a happier person. (Or that could just be an excuse.)

That raises the natural question, why did I choose to study Political Science? The answer is simple, I fell in love with a woman that was a Political Science major. There’s no better reason than that, right? It so happens her father was the Dean of the department, so naturally I declared Political Science my major and selected him as my advisor — to increase my chances of winning the favor of his daughter. A brilliant strategy. I did manage to wrangle one Sunday dinner out of the gambit. I suppose it would have been a brilliant strategy, if I had wanted to spend my life in academia. My love interest followed in her father’s footsteps but I didn’t quite have the inclination to do the same, so my plan never quite came to fruition.

What followed the failure of that plan is not all bad, in fact I have to admit, things have worked out pretty damn well over all. (Oddly enough, the person that became the love of my life is pretty damn politically astute, as it turns out.) The only side effect of all this is I probably take political issues a bit more seriously than most voters, and that can have a negative influence on my outlook at times.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 40

Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. Remember this, you are rising to do your work. That thought alone can bring you joy and inspiration. Get rid of the snooze button. We can only be of service to ourselves and others when we are moving.

Beer

What does the beer you drink say about you?

I stopped in at my neighborhood tap room for a glass. The bartender asked me for my choice, I told him I wanted a beer that was “exactly like me.” That drew a strange look and silence. He was waiting patiently for me to elaborate so I told him I’d have the “Irrelevant IPA.” To his credit he burst out laughing. (It would have been another matter if he hadn’t batted an eye.)

I finished the draft and as I was walking out my bartender friend asked me how my beer was. I looked at him and smiled and told him I was “feeling much more relevant now.” We both got a good chuckle out of that.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 39

It’s not easy. Do good, even if it requires hard work. Don’t be afraid to do what is hard.

Gustave Flaubert

Gustave Flaubert wrote five words per hour. Madame Bovary was written at that pace. I suppose you might say that is why it is such a good work. Although I can’t say that for sure since I haven’t read it yet (it’s on my lifetime reading list.) It’s really no wonder I’m not a good writer, My best calculation is that I write at a rate of roughly 111,600 words per hour…

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 38

Your job is to keep the flame of goodness in you alive, today and everyday. If other people fail to keep the goodness in them alive, that’s on them. As long as you take care of your flame, the world is a better place.

Injury

I’ve injured my leg. It hurts. I’m playing Pickleball anyway but I am being careful. I have no idea how I did it. This is about day six. I’m going to give it a rest next week (after playing two more times…) hopefully that will put me on a fast track to healing. I’m not used to being injured and I’m not enjoying the experience all that much.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 37

It’s how you look at it. Do you “have-to”, or do you “get-to”. For the stoic, it is the latter. Out of “get-to” comes enlightenment.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 36

To find our duty is our obligation. Once found, we must follow it. No shirking, no shrinking. This holds true in every phase of our life.