Words of Wisdom

There are some things by their nature that are very subjective. For instance music is probably one of the most subjective topics I know. I love progressive rock. Some people will automatically say they hate that genre of music. My goal as a writer is not to confront you and say look Progrock is where it's at, and if you can't see that you must be an idiot. My goal as a writer is to get you to see why people in general like progressive rock.

This is my opinion: I love progressive rock. There's too much of this three guitars and a drummer crap out there calling itself rock and roll.

This is my story: Many people tired with the main stream three guitars and a drummer brand of rock music discovered the extended musical structures and intricate instrumental patterns and textures of the genre known as progressive rock. The often esoteric subject matter and frequent concept albums known to this genre created a new breed of rock music.

I'm not trying to get you to like progressive rock, just trying to help you understand why I like it.

So what's my point?

Yes, we all are biased in one way or another in what we believe. But that does not mean we can not present a logical and civil case for the basis of our beliefs. I am more than happy to talk to anyone about politics or religion, and enjoy hearing philosophical arguments. Where these conversations go bad is when A) it becomes personal in that my way is the only way and anyone who does not believe in my way must be an idiot or B) it becomes a sales pitch to convert you to my point of view.

“To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.”
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"With great power comes great responsibility" is a line linked to the Spiderman movies, an is the ultimate lesson that Spiderman teaches us.

While I have not been able to find any modern origin to that phrase, Variations on the phrase “To whom much is given, much is expected” have been used often.  

Some folks believe it is based on the biblical quote of Jesus of Nazareth.  In the Gospel According to Luke, Luke records Jesus as saying: "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."  (Luke 12:48).

Ever use the expression "brutally honest" to describe a statement or a feeling?  I have used it myself from time to time.

In choosing a new theme for my websites, I thought of many words and phrases, and I wanted to make sure any combination of words I used would be something that inspired thought in a positive manner.  I was reading through some material on the negative aspects of philosophy when the phrase "brutally honest" was used, and it caused me to pause and reflect on the meaning of the expression.

Something brutal is grossly ruthless or unfeeling. Brutality suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling or humanity.

While the truth may cause someone to feel bad, the act of telling the truth, in and of itself, is not something that suggests a lack of intelligence.

Honesty is defined as free from fraud or deception. Fraud and deception are grossly ruthless or unfeeling, aren't they?  And if honestly is to be free from fraud or deception, the phrase "brutally honest" is a combination of contradictory words.

Honesty is irrelevant of intelligence, feeling or humanity. The truth is simply the truth, no more, no less.

I am going to do my best remove the expression "brutally honest" from my vocabulary.

"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom."  - Thomas Jefferson

"No legacy is so rich as honesty."  -  William Shakespeare

Just revisiting some Random Thoughts on friendship I wrote a few years ago......

The internet can be a dark place.
Some people like to curse the darkness.
The internet can also turn darkness into light.
Light a campfire.

Friendship ... Just like a campfire,

Sometimes it takes quite a bit to get the fire going,
Sometimes it takes quite a bit to keep the fire lit,
Sometimes, like a campfire, to experience the warmth,
You have to run the risk of getting burned.

If you're not willing to risk getting burned,
It's not worth lighting the fire in the first place.

Spiderman has taught us ...

"With great power, comes great responsibility."

The internet gives us great power, but are we using it responsibly?

Wow, another month goes by, March is just about gone, and I noticed this is the first blog entry for the month. There's a lot that can be added here, on all topics. just need to make the time!

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it.
You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.”

... Quote by Harvey MacKay, a nationally syndicated columnist, one of America's most popular business speakers, and best selling author of "Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive"

"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."

-- Thomas Jefferson

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all... The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

... Former President Theodore Roosevelt in speaking to the largely Irish Catholic Knights of Columbus at Carnegie Hall on Columbus Day 1915,

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

... Benjamin Franklin