Foolish Immunity

Like all things, we must not accept truths as truth until we personally understand why it is the truth. This is accomplished by challenging what people call the truth. Ask questions! If it's really the truth it will withstand any question without breaking a sweat, but if it's a lie, or just wrong it won't hold up so well. Many great thinkers have philosophized about morals, ethics, government, life itself etc. They have many different views and some just can't be solidified into just one view, because it is perspective. However, there are things that are just a matter of discovering the truth, but this is of course not without risk. Thinkers could have gone wrong somewhere in the many words they have spoken, after we are human, we are fallible. This is why it is so important to simply ask Why? How? etc. It serves as a fool proof system if every generation tests it, finding potential errors and also extending definitions further than what they already have been. This principle applies to more than just philosophies, it applies to life, such as people and authority. If we meet someone new for the first time, we do not know how they are. Are they sincere with integrity or devious and deceptive? We don't know so we cannot assume, we must stick to the principle. Ask questions and use logic! When it comes to authority, we must not submit blindly to it, ask questions! You've got the right! Once upon a time, an officer stopped me for no good reason. I was doing nothing and had nothing illegal so I didn't run or anything foolish like that. He then asked me to sit, and I demanded an answer, " Sir, with all due respect I see no reason to do so. Why do you ask me to sit?" He replied with "Just sit down!" I didn't understand why and therefore stood my ground until he gave me clarity to his reasoning. He said "Look, most people like to run off on me, and I don't know you so I can't assume you won't do that, so I ask of you to sit hindering your ability to get away!" His reply made perfect sense, and I would do the same, so I sat. After a search, he released me. There was nothing wrong with what either of us did, but he could have asked me to do something else, and I probably wouldn't know why, so what if it were something against my rights? Yes, he didn't do anything wrong be he could have, and because I don't know him, I have to take appropriate precautions which is to not assume, simply ask! And that is what I did. So you see this principle will help protect, secure and advance us humans. Protect us from abuse by forces such as authority which in many great men's eyes should not be trusted. Secure us by avoiding deviance and deception with questions providing clarity and also secure things such as philosophies by rechecking their truthfulness and accuracy. Advance us by taking things further but still retaining wisdom such as adding to philosophies and extending them. This principle will help prevent unnecessary things such as ideas supporting lazy habits of humans. For example the remote. Why? Why do we need it? Tell me because I do not know, and if you created it, you must know!
Just another method of thought which I live with, aiding me ever so deeply, ever so reliably.

"If you would be a real truth seeker, you must at least once in all your life doubt, as far as possible, all things."-Rene Descartes.
3.23.11

Passion

"When life hits you, you'll find out why I no longer have such an active imagination with such curiosity." is the gist of what I was told a few days ago. The older woman is intelligent and that I have to respect. However I am no idiot; I question why. Why? What is it about life that will make me stop? What is it that made YOU stop? She replied with "Kids, money, working" etc. So it occurred to me that these things were obstacles or as she called it "life". Life itself was in the way for her. She basically said to me "Alec, I know your in the age group that has a lot of time to think.. just think and think and think! Not me anymore.. I haven't the time. When life hits you, you won't either." I disagreed stating that many people don't question what's right in front of their faces, yet I do. I also stated that I have a lot to do! Besides school I have many side projects and studies I concern myself with, yet I still find myself thinking and thinking. Even though these projects are about my thoughts and these studies about my interests, I get distracted. Distracted from distractions essentially. So why her? Why has she stopped? I haven't. Yes, she is right about life and how it has not hit me, but I do believe my curiosity is me, I am curious so it will not die. What stopped her? Was she simply not as interested as I? I then asked her, "Do you believe life is sad?" She answered with "Yes I do." That might explain why she no longer questions. I myself, find sadness with the results of my questions and it really is difficult to continue, but I must. I then asked "Is ignorance happiness, to you at least?" She said "Yes". Further proving her perspective on life. I mean it must be sad, because if it were good why would she choose to ignore it? It seems to me that she chose kids, a partner and working over her liking of questioning things. These things seem to be necessity, but they aren't. As she pointed out to me, many great thinkers are older men without wives and kids that would tear him from his passion. So it is possible, people have done it. I have a passion for thinking, I am passionately curious. I , at this point in life, debate whether I would want to go to college, whether I want kids and a wife. Many people would drop dead over the thought as they see it as a routine. This is not me, it is only an option. I love to talk about what drives me, the many philosophies Lao Tzu, Confucius etc kept. I simply love it! That is what I want to do with my life, above all. Sure I consider going to college.. but for what? To support my passion. I want to become wealthy enough early in life, that I will not be forced to work the rest of my life, leaving room to do what I love; think! I think about having kids and a wife, but that is only one way to achieve happiness, but I believe there are multiple if not many. If a wife and kids are going to pull me from this dream and passion I say no. This is what happened to the lady above. She chose her partner and kids over what I chose, my contemplations. Perhaps I can have both, but I shall see in time. Perhaps, you're asking why I love to think so much. To some extent I cannot explain why. As for the other, I wish to help the world. How will I help? Doing what men life Lao Tzu and Confucius have done, thinking up the morals they live by and teaching them. Da Vinci even, the man had many ideas and had many journals that later aided science because all he did was think. There is a lot we can do. Also, I simply just wish to understand the world, and to come to terms with myself and why I am; why I exist. Although I would love this, there is a chance that I will just be wise with nothing more to offer than my rambles. To me that doesn't sound so bad, but I wish for more of course. Even if I do end up a wise old man with not much to show for myself except my findings, I shall still consider myself a success. I gave an effort. Not just any effort though. I gave an effort towards a struggle not many dare to face. An effort that many, such as the woman above, has declined. The effort is discovering why I exist, why people exist, their purpose, self actualization etc. If the world were to try they would all be successes. The truth is, not everybody can be as great as Lao Tzu, Confucius, Einstein, Da Vinci etc. but we can all try and that is where my mind is at today.
Confucius says "It doesn't matter how slow you go, just do not stop."
I say "It doesn't matter how far you get, just give it an effort and you went far enough for me."