I love reality checks. I would say I'm on a high horse more often than most, and its nice to be reminded that you still have work to accomplish. I made a promise to myself last night, one that I intend on keeping, and it all revolves around this idea of progression. An interesting concept, progression. It has so many implications. First, it states, without pulling any punches, that something is not perfect. It acknowledges flaws immediately. At the same time it is full of promise. When combining both these ideas, progression is really nothing more than an increase of the stakes. It is a promise that the way things were will not continue; We are done with the old, so much so that there is a new standard by which we judge things. Progression is necessary, it seems, to keep something that you hold dear. It is awesome that she challenges me in this way.
Thats it for now. Not much time to write because of so much work. But Europe next year will be worth it. Peace for now.
21 May 2008
15 May 2008
Adding To Perspective
Here's a metaphor for all of you. Perhaps first a little background. In the summer of 2005 I was lucky enough to go to the Grand Canyon with my sister father. It was a near spiritual experience for me, lots of time to think. Time to just get away and reflect on things. When we claimed out of the canyon, up the North Rim, the trail leads past a very flat rock that looks out on the path you have just traveled. Being at the end of the final set of switchbacks, you can see the first bend in the path all the way up the side to where you are, a view that was impossible while climbing up. I thought this is a useful metaphor for perspective.
At the Beginning of the day, all you can see is a goal, a final destination, looming, sometimes daunting, in front of you miles away. You can also only see the path in front of you, maybe a fork in the path. Either way, you are limited to the foreseeable future. As you get into the day, and the sun rises, it gets hotter, and the perspective changes. You fail to see the promise felt at the beginning of the day, too embroiled in the struggle and the present, hiking up switchbacks, stopping for water or food. The journey is proceeding, but based on the present trials. Even if you can see what lays behind you, it isn't fully appriciated. Finally, at the end of the journey, it dawns on you. You understand the Beauty of what you have just accomplished, of the scenery that was there all the time.
If we want to get away from this romantic vision of a journey, it can be viewed in this way: The trials seem paltry when viewed from the outside. Experience always seems dire because it is more real than extrapolation. Thinking about the journey that is to come or has passed is not nearly as real as the experience at hand.
Perspective works in both ways. It can put experience in its place, as not that important in the overall picture. On the other hand however, it can cloud the present feelings in a false sense of grand meaning. Either way, perspective is interwoven into every memory and thought that we have.
At the Beginning of the day, all you can see is a goal, a final destination, looming, sometimes daunting, in front of you miles away. You can also only see the path in front of you, maybe a fork in the path. Either way, you are limited to the foreseeable future. As you get into the day, and the sun rises, it gets hotter, and the perspective changes. You fail to see the promise felt at the beginning of the day, too embroiled in the struggle and the present, hiking up switchbacks, stopping for water or food. The journey is proceeding, but based on the present trials. Even if you can see what lays behind you, it isn't fully appriciated. Finally, at the end of the journey, it dawns on you. You understand the Beauty of what you have just accomplished, of the scenery that was there all the time.
If we want to get away from this romantic vision of a journey, it can be viewed in this way: The trials seem paltry when viewed from the outside. Experience always seems dire because it is more real than extrapolation. Thinking about the journey that is to come or has passed is not nearly as real as the experience at hand.
Perspective works in both ways. It can put experience in its place, as not that important in the overall picture. On the other hand however, it can cloud the present feelings in a false sense of grand meaning. Either way, perspective is interwoven into every memory and thought that we have.
11 May 2008
What if...
What if Barabas was an insurgent against the Roman empire. What if Barabas was being held by the Romans for rebelling and trying to lead Israel to freedom? Can you blame them for wanting a rebel leader back instead of some dude who promised to be the Messiah and did no earthly rescuing? I can't...
Which brings me to my point. Which is somewhat ironically Point of View. Who thinks about all the people who died on the death star? I think alot of problems could be solved around the world with just a dap of the golden rule. Thats the cure for agression. Not this fix from above. change is a grass roots thing, and only there will it have any chance of working.
Which brings me to my point. Which is somewhat ironically Point of View. Who thinks about all the people who died on the death star? I think alot of problems could be solved around the world with just a dap of the golden rule. Thats the cure for agression. Not this fix from above. change is a grass roots thing, and only there will it have any chance of working.
09 May 2008
Schmitt and the Realists
Here's a paper I just had to write for 506. Check it out if your interested in the problems of a universal declaration of human rights and an end to wars of aggression as mandated by a multi-national world authority. the formatting is weird cause i don't quite know how to use the wisc webspace yet, but im working on it...
http://mywebspace.wisc.edu/jtmorrison/web/506.2.5.txt
ps, besides all of the problems accompanying this line of universalist thought, i can't stand for simply for its universality. Universal is the lack of individuality and freedom, no matter the subject, and this is a door I will never support opening. A moral hegemony is the most frightening entity I can think of in the public sphere.
JTspruce
http://mywebspace.wisc.edu/jtmorrison/web/506.2.5.txt
ps, besides all of the problems accompanying this line of universalist thought, i can't stand for simply for its universality. Universal is the lack of individuality and freedom, no matter the subject, and this is a door I will never support opening. A moral hegemony is the most frightening entity I can think of in the public sphere.
JTspruce
08 May 2008
I'm a Man, man
Got to love the Navy's (or the Armed Forces' in general) recruitment tactics. Recieved a call from our favorite recruiter, just doin his job, trying to get me to commit immediately to the Navy. To do so, however, would be to pass up the opportunity to go to Europe next year, something I'm not willing to do. He called into question if i was truly commited to doing it. I understand that he has to do that; he doesn't know me well enough to know I have made a commitment to myself to do this, and only an act of God will get in the way of it. So I can't really blame him. Which brings me to the point of today...
Here's an idea about being a great man.
The difference between a good man and a great man cannot be determined by accomplishments. Many good men are considered great because of their circumstances only. The great must know they are great on the inside, know without a doubt who they are. I do not mean to imply anything here, I can only one day hope to be a great man. Regardless, my definition of greatness has nothing to do with accomplishments. Importance and Greatness are not similies. Greatness relies on an inner peace, an absoluteness about who you are and what you are doing in this world. It is a realization of ability and a challenge to fufill yourself to your greatest potential. Constant redefinition of this is also part of it. It is a wonderful duality. The certainty of the necessity of change. Knowing that you are doing your best to be who you are and at the same time realizing the need to change that person for the better. In a way, it relates to the concept of Christian humility. Regardless of how hard you try, you will sin. It is a certainty. You can be the best and still have room for improvement. Humanity is flawed from the start, and yet there is hope. You can find strength, and there is hope for the future. It is def. something to aspire to.
Some day...
sweet.
post script.
Snack pack. what a find. my favorite.
the end.
Here's an idea about being a great man.
The difference between a good man and a great man cannot be determined by accomplishments. Many good men are considered great because of their circumstances only. The great must know they are great on the inside, know without a doubt who they are. I do not mean to imply anything here, I can only one day hope to be a great man. Regardless, my definition of greatness has nothing to do with accomplishments. Importance and Greatness are not similies. Greatness relies on an inner peace, an absoluteness about who you are and what you are doing in this world. It is a realization of ability and a challenge to fufill yourself to your greatest potential. Constant redefinition of this is also part of it. It is a wonderful duality. The certainty of the necessity of change. Knowing that you are doing your best to be who you are and at the same time realizing the need to change that person for the better. In a way, it relates to the concept of Christian humility. Regardless of how hard you try, you will sin. It is a certainty. You can be the best and still have room for improvement. Humanity is flawed from the start, and yet there is hope. You can find strength, and there is hope for the future. It is def. something to aspire to.
Some day...
sweet.
post script.
Snack pack. what a find. my favorite.
the end.
06 May 2008
Post Script
http://freedom.indiemaps.com/
frickin sweet. awsome map, gets you thinking about how they come up with these numbers...
frickin sweet. awsome map, gets you thinking about how they come up with these numbers...
No Drama in the Somma
It is summer. Almost. Just barely. Almost. School likes to tease us by giving us nice days during which we must study study study. Oh well. Good thing I am practiced at telling school to go fuck off...
Which brings me to my point. Liberalism vs. Realism. A world state vs. Realism. I can't get the images of Firefly out of my head when we deal with issues like these in class and in readings. The image of the total state doesn't scare me so much as disgust me. If we can't trust our governments currently, how on earth can we trust the moral loftiness of a world state. The end of war doesn't jibe well with my view on power structure. There will always be something worth fighting for. There SHOULD always be something worth fighting for. If you can't find anything, you don't yet know how they are abusing you using a power structure to mask their intentions and actions. We have been warned, from the depths of history, to guard against those who would make us passive by showing us the "good life", by those who will redefine honor, duty, and virtue to suit their needs. Pleanexia or Sophrosyne? The Protestant Ethic or The Hive of Bees? The World State or the pit fight for your own view of truth. Kant or Schmitt? It is not a relative matter. Power structures must be kept local to minimize the damage done by their misuse. They will never cease to be misused. Ethics will shift with time, in no uncertain terms. What we agree as right today will not be so to our children's children. To codify them is to ban gay marriage in the state constitution. Utterly ridiculous. The choice is easy. At least for me.
Peace for now.
Which brings me to my point. Liberalism vs. Realism. A world state vs. Realism. I can't get the images of Firefly out of my head when we deal with issues like these in class and in readings. The image of the total state doesn't scare me so much as disgust me. If we can't trust our governments currently, how on earth can we trust the moral loftiness of a world state. The end of war doesn't jibe well with my view on power structure. There will always be something worth fighting for. There SHOULD always be something worth fighting for. If you can't find anything, you don't yet know how they are abusing you using a power structure to mask their intentions and actions. We have been warned, from the depths of history, to guard against those who would make us passive by showing us the "good life", by those who will redefine honor, duty, and virtue to suit their needs. Pleanexia or Sophrosyne? The Protestant Ethic or The Hive of Bees? The World State or the pit fight for your own view of truth. Kant or Schmitt? It is not a relative matter. Power structures must be kept local to minimize the damage done by their misuse. They will never cease to be misused. Ethics will shift with time, in no uncertain terms. What we agree as right today will not be so to our children's children. To codify them is to ban gay marriage in the state constitution. Utterly ridiculous. The choice is easy. At least for me.
Peace for now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)