On a somewhat related note I’ve decided to talk a little bit about time. Time is on my side, yes it is.

One philosophy is that time is an illusion, the fact is, there is no time. The truth is, there is no time, no time to do anything at all, any time at all.

But back to the point, in our product based societies we rarely look at the alternative results in time based productivity. What if you could achieve more in less time? Did you lose that productivity?

In other words, is unrealized potential the same as losing that potential?

In productivity terms yes. Take that elusive mass delusion known as money. If I earn dollars, in a given amount of time, but could have earned more dollars, in the same amount of time, I actually lost dollars. The same goes for non-monetary matters.

For example: If I could sit under an oak tree, and ponder the lack of meaning in the universe without a point of view or apparatus with which to measure meaning, for 4 hours, but could have sat there for 8 hours, I lost 4 hours of pondering time.

So there is something to be said for not only realizing we are in the now, and now is the only time (pun intended) to do it, but to do it fast as well. To maximize….whatever it is.

Whatever, whatever, I do what I want.

In Loving Memory of Chewy

I’m awaiting moderation, no actually I’m not. But the thing is is that the thing is and the irony here is my favorite double meaning situation, where the true meaning lies in the perception of the meaning, as in all meaning, or lack of meaning as nothing has meaning. So the phrase makes me laugh. I’m awaiting moderation, to be moderate, not to be moderated.

Nived inspired me to write this up after a sweet conversation about the differences between self consciousness and insecurity.

First the definitions: self conscious and insecurity.

The answer is pretty obvious. But I’d like to clarify one thing, our discussion of self conscious referred to awareness of others observing one, not awareness of self. I see myself, and my life, as something else. . . . .Off Every Day

As for lack of confidence, is that a part of being aware of others observing one? No. More than ever, despite my own insecurities (pun intended) about the topic, I know that, no, being self conscious does not in and of itself indicate a lack of confidence.

What it could indicate, is vanity, not necessarily but there is a chance. Of course, being self referral, did I say that? nope, yeah, so being self referral I wouldn’t agree that self conscious people are also automatically to be assumed to be insecure, this can occur simultaneously, in fact I would say that insecure people are self conscious, but not a given the other way around.

Where does this all lead?

Nowhere

Do you ever feel pain when listening to John Lennon? How weird is that? What kind of phenomena is this when an unknown human being, personally, creates music (freaky enough as it is), dies at 40 and then I feel pain when I listen to this music?

As Dingo boy would say, get over it.

But still. Even after all these years, I miss John Lennon.

The human condition is such a pain. Pathetic.

April has been a lean month for expostulating on the meaninglessness of reality, or lack thereof.

I dig movies, why, I don’t know.

Acting has been freaking me out lately however, because as Marlon Brando pointed out, it is professional lying. Actors don’t act real at all, they act like people act in movies. Wow, they were good, I really believed. However, if you study the thing, real life is never like a movie, and I don’t mean the suspension of disbelief angle, I mean just how people behave.

Acting is surreal and freaky, and very entertaining. We can live vicariously through our famous actors who sacrifice so much to entertain, their identities, their sense of self and their sense of proportion.

I would be a really crappy actor.

My idea inspired by Michael Freemire.

Quantum physics or mechanics. Atomic level reality. Interconnectedness. Nothing really exists without the apparatus that defines it. Things aren’t real, no thing is real. (And nothing to get hung about. John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever) The nature of reality.

As I ponder some of the revelatory modern thinking coming out of the physics arena I still can’t help but look out my door and see the world. There it is, solid, real, and apparently consistent.

The irony of this is that physically speaking there is no physical, philosophically speaking the is is what you want it to be yet we all agree the sky is blue and the sun is yellow. I dealt with that quandary in the classic Devin Castles favorite Is the sun green? by Off Every Day. Yes, we all perceive differently. Yes, the sun may in fact be green, or are we all color blind?

Here is what I am getting at, if we all create our own reality, yet we are all interconnected, yet we are all individual, yet we all agree on the same reality, yet we all create our own reality, you see where I am going, the dichotomy of that thinking becomes nearly hypocritical and rationalistic. Get on with it. Live life. Ponder later.

I look up, raindrop in my eye.

Ah yes. The greatest country in the history of the world.

Built on freedom, tolerance and self governing through agitation and opposition to tyranny.

How far we have come.

As we tenuously cling to all of the above and the people are lulled ever deeper into a sense of helplessness the cycle prepares to repeat. Will the US survive? Absolutely.

The very core of our identity (I am a natural born US Citizen, literally not just constitutionally) gives us the tools, the power, to renew ourselves, our country, our identity and wash ourselves clean of corruption and plutocracy.

Why mobilize?

Why not?

Well let’s see. Eat. Breath. Sleep.

Create. Recreate. Okay, those don’t necessarily make a living depending on your point of view but hey, we’re philosophical here.

The reality and the perception are two different things as insanity and nived seem to have grasped.

Just another example. Shall I reiterate?

Humans make a living in the most fundamental way, yet believe a profession or job or career is how they make a living. This is out of touch with reality, the way of things.

Get in touch.

Define defining. Something that sets a trend? Something that indicates a paradigm shift?

Here in the US we are on our way.

Check it.

Yes indeed.

The thought of many things is not necessarily the way of things, in fact, rarely. The way of things is what one comes to grip with or not. When one does get a grip on the way of things, then, one can move in other directions and change the way of things, albeit slowly, but surely, or not.

Is this contradictory? Does achievement as identified by the individual come at the expense of the way of things? Or is achievement the way of things?

Still, hope springs eternal, that one will become what one is not, or do what one does not, until the day when one can let it all go.

You have to let it all go, Neo.

Well, promised to address this.

Be whatever you want to be.

Now really, defining oneself is not as simple as it seems. If I were a mechanic, or carpenter, or musician, or beautician, no wait, I am, well, suspend that for a second, if I were a physicist, is that what I am?

No, literally I am whatever I, or the group defines. Say, human being. Take it out of the biologically literal and we usually wind up at craft, or career, or work of choice, or work of force as the victims would proclaim, so we are Doctors and Lawyers and so on.

Be whatever you want to be? Another touchstone of the insane, we measure ourselves by our daily work, and yet, any given meaning (where there is none inherently of course) usually has an underpinning of emotional, ethical, values, love, joy, contentment, peace. So what am I?

I am honest.

“Oh, if there’s an original thought out there I could sure use it now” Bob Dylan’s Knocked Out Loaded Album

Ever feel that way? Ever feel that your thoughts are endlessly repeating? Girl, girl, rock and roll, bike, gun, girl, the meaning of the universe, girl, soil health, girl, math, girl, responsibility, girl, music, rock and roll, girl, rock and roll, girl, rock and roll, rock and roll, rock and roll, rock and roll, girl, you get it, rock and roll.

So it goes with my brain. (Love “and so it goes” by Kenneth Patchen. Judy is a big fan. I never have read much but what I have is all that and more. . . and so it goes. Gotta read that junk soon.)

Now that I realize that my readers need really concise language that cuts right to the point, with no brain exercise required, no thought, no effort, instant comprehension. . instant comprehension’s gonna get you. . . gonna knock you off your feet, I will make no effort whatsoever to accommodate that ridiculous request or implication or contradiction or criticism.

What does it mean? It means a lot. Keith Richards – funny tune about. . girls, rock and roll, girls, rock and roll

So lets stop pointing fingers for a second and talk a little bit about responsibility.

What is that? What is taking responsibility. I just read a Carol Burnett quote, of all people, Carol the great philosopher, in Ecological Home Ideas, along the lines that only she can change herself, no one else can. Just thought of it. It didn’t inspire this post, Insanity did, of course, but now that I am off and running on the responsibility gig again I remembered the quote. Somebody out there likes me – David Bowie

Taking responsibility is to realize the truth that all our thoughts and actions derive from us, intentionally, by us and due to us. I know, I know, who wants that? How can I go on if I can’t say “it’s not my fault”. Easy, actually. No subconscious, no unintentional, no accidental.

If you accept that for a moment, think about it, reflect upon it, there comes the idea of freedom from manipulation and pain, by recognizing control of us is ours.

We can control ourselves if but we would. Manipulation, derivation, obfuscation, lazination, crazy Nation, will cause reactions, but, we can also learn to act, only act, never react. Each movement carefully and instantly produced from a life time of disciplined study and inward visits.

Yuck.

The idea of reaching an end while still adhering to principle and law, is the opposite of the common usage of this slogan itself. Typically means to an end refers either to a convenient mean, or an unethical mean, but rarely to a valid common mean, like a hammer for instance, a mean to driving a nail. 6/29/07.

That is the idea I present here. The means to an end does not literally have to mean (pun intended) a bad method, unscrupulous method or immoral method though we do usually reserve the phrase for at least a sort of blasé nonchalant attitude toward the means if not when considering the means to be unscrupulous.

So what I am floating here is a means to an end literally, nothing groundbreaking or original of course, but simply food for thought regarding the “what” versus the “how” and how (pun again intended) we get hung up on the means or how and base the what or end on ridiculous limitations.

Well, the means to an end is a necessary evil, or in this case normal every day occurrence, the end however is ours to make.

This is the day for all of us to really think about what the United States was founded upon, is and will be into the future. This is the day to read and reread the Declaration of Independence, a document heard round the world, and an excellent guideline for all citizens to take responsibility for their governing. Reading the works of John Locke can shed even more light on why and how the United States of America came into being.

Today is the day to be reminded and to educate ourselves.

And to think about freedom.

What make this country great is its birth from an inherent opposition to imperialism.
What makes this country great is tolerance and understanding.
What makes this country great is its ownership by the people.
What makes this country great is a balance between social policy and free markets.
What makes this country great is personal responsibility to our country and ourselves.
What makes this country great is the opportunity to grow, or not grow.

What makes this country great is remembering what makes this country great.

Let’s make sure our United States stays true to itself.

You know, we all talk about problems, issues, challenges and so on, and usually there is someone or something at fault in our descriptions and tirades. Almost without fail this blame goes to an external force. Much like the blame game of life played on a personal level, the blame game of politics extends to society and governments. We the people point our fingers and continue our apathetic bloated lives. I don’t extend this globally, just to our so called first world. (Get ready to revisit the Declaration of Independence tomorrow.)

As I insist on personal responsibility so do I insist on cultural responsibility.

Anything human and human affected you see in this world you don’t like, don’t value, don’t believe to be healthy, blame on yourself, blame on us. Personally and as a group. And the blame extends way beyond what most of us can see. For example, most of us value clean fresh water while at the same time destroying such sources on a global level.

This idea of blaming ourselves reminds me a bit of the famous Walt Kelly quote from Pogo.

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us

This is a play on the word deluded. If your integrity is diluted do you become deluded? Or is being deluded a sign of a diluted morality? A diluted sense of reality?

Or would deluded be an enriched sense of reality?

Mass delusion is a sign of religion. Mass dilution is a sign of moral decay.

Old concept. Old overused phrase, maybe. But I do ponder on this one all the time, momentarily, both puns intended.

We can only be here now. We are only here now. We exist instantaneously at all times, literally. Yet, the past and the future haunt us. We spend our lives striving to be something we are not, to have something we have not, to understand something we do not, to conceive of purpose we do not have. Everybody, yeah everybody.

We are cursed by the vanity of humanity and the pain and suffering of self awareness and self pity.

Only the enlightened will realize the truth, we are in this moment for good.

The other day I had occasion to visit with a man who appeared to be under a lot of stress. Made me think about zen and letting it all go. Made me think about how being under stress is an externalization of an internal process. Made me think about how all the spiritual study in the world falls flat if one let’s the little stuff dominate.

Stress. Pain. Emotion. All created by us as a reaction.

But what is this reaction really? An action that reflects our core. Here we go again. I am getting tired of using this word but I have to say it again, it comes down to what you value. Values aren’t only positives, they are also negative. So those of us who stress, value stress or we wouldn’t do it. Before Hazel goes off on being at the whim of reality I do want to acknowledge that these philosophies are dealing with concepts, not absolutes in the practical sense, but absolutes in the literal sense. Only I control me. How I do that and to what affect comes down to how well I know myself, physically and mentally.

So letting it all go reflects our values really. Values are the core of everything human beyond physical hard wired reactions. Those too are values but mastering the physical body is probably a greater challenge than mastering the mental body. Someday maybe. And yes it has been done.

The strange conclusion reached here is that stress like all perception is a self imposed pain that we are either addicted to, or we don’t have the vision to see that we are making our own pain. John Lennon once said “no one can harm you, feel you own pain” in his absolutely fantastic song I Found Out off of Plastic Ono Band, his first solo album. That nails this topic perfectly.

We really are our own worst enemies, would but that we would just focus on ourselves we could become Off Every Day.

Letting it all go will lead you to a way of being that can be frightening in its detachment but very cool in its calm.

Now that I am in the arena of slogans I find myself analyzing the deeper meanings, or rather the other interpretations of such slogans.

Don’t Settle For Less, I like it, if you see life as an accumulation of stuff, materialism, or in the case of an advertising slogan don’t settle for anything but us.

But then again, what if don’t settle for less is a reference to the realization of the meaning of life? Or spiritual enlightenment? Or philosophizing truth? Finding truth?

As all of the oblique approaches to a phrase begin to congeal, I start to really settle. . . for less.

This is a pretty simple idea, or shall I say fact. The fact is. . . you are who you are or should that be you are whom you are but that doesn’t have nearly the ring to it.

In essence this fact states that we are all fixed, static, solid, set, unmoving or in another way we are all complete beings with a set of tools, our minds and bodies, that are already in place and unmovable. Provocative because this opens the whole not so appealing nature vs. nurture debate, a debate we aren’t having here.

Accepting that we are who we are is difficult for most people I have ever observed, especially in this western United States of America culture where contentment is not present and success is based on a set of external values that few ever achieve where we are typically led to believe negative views of ourselves, not led literally, as we are all responsible for ourselves, but led by circumstance to tend toward seeing ourselves in a negative light. This is an illusion produced by mass delusion.

So this is really a repeat of my bit on seeing yourself. Seeing yourself is step one and is tantamount to accepting yourself. I ain’t talking about some crazy break down crying love thyself bogus crap, I am talking about simply seeing the truth.

This reminds me of The Matix scene where the boy, one of the hopefuls, is bending spoons and Neo has a chat with him. The kid has a British accent which of course lends a nice flavor to his philosophical discussion of reality. Do not try to bend the spoon; that’s impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon. Then you will see, it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself. That is one side of the conversation probably not verbatim but you get the gist. This opens yet another great topic for Nothing Has Meaning but lets stick to our discussion here.

Peeling back the layers of polarity and illusion to reveal self, accept self, and understand that the self exists, as it is, begins the inexorable journey to contentment.

This is really about letting go, letting go of everything, then deciding what you want to hold on to, with point of view and values. Seems like a dichotomy, and it is, suffice to say we humans generally get involved with reality. And Letting Go has such a crappy connotation but there isn’t really a better way to put it, or a more effective way. Letting go of emotion, letting go of attachment, letting go of reality, letting go of meaning.

The Matrix has the letting go bit too, but instead using the Matrix metaphor, the digital virtual reality.

So expose the core and you’ll see more, and relax for a change.

Part of what illumination means, other than nothing inherently, is that vision clears and extremes fade. By this I mean that finding neutrality becomes possible. All too often, in fact almost universally, we are polarized, have an extreme opinion, one way or no way. Now I am not referring to living extremely, for example, drinking alcohol in mass quantities or not drinking alcohol at all, that merely reflects a lust for life, I am referring to modes of thought, paradigms, concepts and relating these ideas to each other.

Polarization can be a real drag if you want to have a conversation that involves meaningful exchange. (Remember Twin Peaks? When Bobby’s father referred to meaningful exchange? Hilarious!) Basically you are not communicating but listen to twin diatribes, or you wind up nodding your head while thinking. . . what an idiot.

So I am pondering this place of contentment that is reached when you are willing to acknowledge the truth, that meaning is not objective, and that peace is in fact the absence of extremes, or poles, or polarization. That is when the ride can become almost so serene as to be pointless, which of course it is, anyway, pointless.

The point I am making (pun intended folks) is that on the teeter totter of life the middle is where contentment lies, the middle is where true thoughtfulness can be achieved, and the middle is also where one would appear to be less passionate, but in fact, ever more passionate. Because then the desire to communicate can actually be increased due to the revelation that there is a place, where I can go, when I feel. . . no, not a Beatles quote but, there is a place of peace that doesn’t involve anything at all.

Peace out.

Nived and I discussed this at length once, verbally and in writing.

I have to admit his arguments are compelling, though in the theme of the post on core issues are just a bit outside the concept here.

The more I ponder, the more I see the truth of the idea that our actions, how we live, what we do, display our true intents and desires and ultimately values.

Of course I had reached this conclusion before I ever considered anything at all to do with anything to do with actions speak louder than words. The idea is obvious.

When an idea stands up to scrutiny, then you have something.

Nived points out that just because we may or may not do something to achieve something we desire does not mean we do not value that thing.

Agreed.

Again, that is a little off the track of the core concept, that what we truly desire we seek and achieve. That a failure or a perceived failure to achieve a desired goal is in fact not a failure at all but a complete lack of true commitment to that goal. That what we want we get. That the what of the equation can be unlimited and that the how actually defines the what in actuality, actually.

We are all successful at achieving what we want in the how we do it.

So where is the bottom line? What about starving abused children? What about the holocaust?

All good questions. Remember this is a concept, philosophy, philosophizing.

Concepts are big, not detailed.

The result is the title, you are getting what you want.

But are you getting what you need? The Stones were wrong.

Today we lost Barbaro.

Today the world lost Barbaro.

What was it that made this horse so different?

Our perception?

The symbol of unbelievable greatness coupled with a great heart?

Whatever it was he is gone and we are all the less for it.

Barbaro is free.

One thing that is clear, desire and action are separated.

You look at what people say they desire and you look at what they do and more often than not there is almost no connnection at all.

Conventional desire is a measure of everything one is not, rather than a goal one moves toward.

Action on the other hand is ultimately the truth of anyone’s desires displayed for all to see. Look at what they do and you see the true person.

Turn that inward and look at what you are doing, or not doing, or how you are acting, or not acting, or behaving, or not behaving and if you have the brass you may just find out what you really are, what you really value.

Which brings us to values.

Values are the root of all action. Yikes. Scary thought. But if you really observe yourself, and others, a clarity of being emerges and you can see what you, and others, really value and hence what they really are.

This can be a painful experience as the realization of the connections and nature of relationships are evident in truth, and we realize we aren’t all that, we aren’t close to some people, and we are close to others.

This also can evince what we value in terms of materialism and spirituality. Again, potentially painful for those of us who purport spirituality and serenity while chasing down the American dream with a vengeance.

Actions speak louder than words.

True that.

Thank god I’m an atheist.

I said that once, thinking it was pretty funny. I asked Kevin Sanders if he thought it was pretty funny. He kind of paused for a bit, looking maybe a bit not getting it, and I said come on man think about it and then the light of comprehension dawned and he did think it was pretty funny. Oxymoronic in fact.

Not his word.

Still, atheism by definition and common use is not believing in supreme beings or a being. Really though it has more to do with not adhering to simplistic supernatural suspension of disbelief and blind faith.

Deism is also interesting.

Neither have anything to do with what I am on about. Truth. Fact. The Is.

A new term is needed.

Truthist. Truthism. Hey Colbert I was here long ago so don’t get all bent about originality.

a pledge or promise; obligation

Using definition #4, probably the most common in terms of daily usage, I think about desire and goals and what that really means. I think about actions speaking louder than words, really means that actions contain truth of motivation and words contain truth of contemplation.

We watched a movie the other night. Something about the Fastest Indian about a man who raced his 1920 Indian motorcycle for the simple purpose of going faster than anyone else in his class.

The film stars Anthony Hopkins, and though not a great film, certainly provocative in some sense. We were watching a DVD. We checked out the special features. Therein was the real great part of the movie, the man himself, Burt Munro.

Unbelievable.

Amongst the fabulous time we got to spend with Burt we got to see people speaking about Burt. The one that really resonated was the young man describing Burt as one of the few free people. Why was he free? Because he did what he wanted and wants to do.

That, of course, got me to thinking. I’ve always seen that truth, truth like Devin talks about it, the truth of feelings and opinions, is displayed by what we do. Our actions belie our true belief, feeling, intent. Joe Middleton the other day scoffed at the idea that someone wants to be doing something they aren’t, when they aren’t shows that they really don’t want to do that other something.

So Burt shows us that what we truly desire can easily be achieved.

All it takes is commitment.

Look it up.

I’m fresh out.

Happy Birthday Judy!

Reading my favorite blog (last time I want to use that word as a noun, a verb, or anything else) Fit To Print I am reminded of the upcoming US midterm elections.

What little I have seen makes me wonder.

When did we stop talking about relevant issues? Why do we fixate on ridiculous irrelevant personal behaviors? Criminal, lecherous and unethical behavior is one thing, to be exposed, but one’s taste in entertainment? Cheess. Really.

Why don’t we start talking about survival? Why don’t we introduce ourselves to the truth? Why don’t we do unto others as we would have them do unto us? Why don’t we start reading and stop watching like brain dead zombies out of Dawn of the Dead 41? Why do humans have such a penchant for the miscreant behaviors of pedestal posted celebrity politicians to be knocked off like ten pins?

Focusing the conversation onto the truly relevant issues is something which will not likely occur in our existence. Humans will pander to the base lusts of the formidable power of greed and then once the earth is spent, cease to exist.

Good riddance.

The earth however, has until the sun goes red giant.

This is a rare condition that by that virtue rarely afflicts anyone, ever.

When one comes down with a case of this affliction one will be severely at odds with society.

This society frowns upon a consistent and definite code of ethics because you cannot pack on the pounds, win the applause and gain the world with such a code. Or cut deals.

In essence, one must let go of principles, concepts, meaning, righteousness, correctness, truth or any other concrete principles or ideas to participate in our society.

Unless you want to be a troublemaker.

Every human on this earth originates somewhere.

The question is when? Apparently, if your culture was recently overthrown by an invading culture then you become aboriginal and they become occupiers.

I bring this up because I’ve been thinking about myself, my favorite topic.

My parents are both US Citizens, one blue blood going back to the beginning of the invasion, one the son of immigrant Greek folks who came over just after the turn of the 20th century.

So I am a native American. Born in Redwood City CA USA. But I am not aboriginal with evidence. The Penobscot blood can’t be proven. But I could say I am aboriginal to Greece probably.

When does the merging of two cultures blur to the point that we no longer distinguish between the invaders and the original, at least recently, inhabitants?

We are all original human beings.

What motivates me?

What motivate you?

What do you want from life?

Easy questions, hard answers. Rhetorical really.

Sometimes one gets to the point where one is basically a whore. Or shall I say, a less direct and less honest whore. Or shall I say, we are all whores all along the way.

We fancy that we are just and true while driving toward one goal, more, more of everything, more life, more stuff, more. . .

Caution and fear then dictate our actions since we might lose that chance. Fear of losing sight of the material dream, or fear of losing all that stuff we have worked so hard to think we have.

A prostitute provides a service for a fee and that is that.

We all do the same but somehow along the way we find that, name the number, and bam, you own the man (Stingray). Principles don’t count, only dollars.

Materialism is such a shallow and meaningless concept when one factors in the fact that no matter what, no matter how far from real biological life you go, no matter how many plastic houses with plastic toys in a plastic insulated world you have, you are still just a mammal or as Lennon would say “just a human”.

Who wants to be reminded of that?

Who wants to know that all the trappings are just a bunch of pointless and useless junk?

So I find myself wondering what my price is, if I have one.

Nope, sure don’t, and that is my fault.

“I have a thought, you want to know, you can’t be bought, neither can I” is really a stupid line from a stupid Off Every Day song that smacks of none other than stupidity unless you delve into the concept underneath that, essentially that all choices are conscious and that we can’t be bought, really, literally.

So do we compromise? Or is the action based on conscious choices?

How does this tie with ambition?

Well lets just say that ambition is the compromising expression of a desire to possess the world and win the war against deprecatory peers.

I don’t have any.

You know its such a drag, to face another day. John Lennon.

In the 2002 film starring David Gulpilil called The Tracker we see many questions posed by the film, and answered by the viewer. Typical of a film I suppose but what isn’t typical are the powerful close-ups, overwhelming soundtrack, context and David Gulpilil.

Also on the DVD is a documentary of David Gulpilil by Gulpilil. The title is One Red Blood.

Gulpilil narrates and after being taken on a snapshot of his life he sums up that we are all brothers and sisters, with one red blood.

I dug that idea, despite leaving out some of the bloodless beings, because the concept uses color to unify rather than divide.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Category: Culture and Values

What is vertical integration? The short answer is controlling everything in a process from the beginning to the end.

I came across this term recently while continuing to read the history of the oil industry, The Prize, in reference to John D. Rockefeller and his plan to control the world oil industry. Rockefeller isn’t credited with using the term but is credited with being the first real world example of using vertical integration on a massive scale.

So I’m thinking about how this can impact our lives. I’m thinking that controlling everything from the top down in one’s own life would lend a sort of ability to reach a satisfactory end. I’m thinking, yes, but we are particles in the breeze, we can’t control anything.

Then I think, no, my contention is that the individual is ultimately responsible for themselves so control is in fact always present. We control our decisions based on conditions we may not control. We can however move to a place where the conditions are right, mentally and physically. This reminds me of holistic management.

Holistic management is a reference to seeing the big picture, acknowledging the big picture, when making decisions. Coined by Allan Savory of Holistic Management International the process simply refers to being aware of all implications before making a decision.

Our ability to make informed decisions affords us vertical integration of our lives.

Now use it.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Category: Culture and Values

Now that we have established a basis for perception we can move forward to the definition of our agreed upon frameworks within which to live.

This is known as values, or in the sum of group values, culture.

An interesting phenomena is culture, and as we break down the basis of all things we can see more clearly the what, why and how of culture and the what, why and how of evolving culture.

The foundation of culture is our values.

Our values come from what appears at first blush to be a complex set of variables but in truth derive from our basic needs and then by extension our basic desires, the electives so to speak, the pleasure affecting pastimes.

We all need clean air, food, water and shelter, the most basic physical needs. (Hazel would probably add companionship to that as well, hard wiring and all, for now let us start with the physical needs literally.)

Why then are these needs still lacking in so many cultures?

Lack of commitment.