Tainted Wisdom

Dale Carnegie once said that "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". Dale was a wise man. Early in life, most Americans hitch their entire political & religious belief system to what they where 'told to do' as children. There is no more a perfect example of true ignorance. Most Americans are convinced that their tiny worlds are the 'truth'. With no true research or study outside of these extremely 'bias' points of view that they grew up within their immediate communities, half of America take what they are told to do and run with it. They do no research, they do not look beyond their tiny personal worlds - they just do what everyone else around them is doing. That makes them sheep. Yes, half of America is nothing more than sheep. I'm sorry to say that listening to those as ignorant as you and the bias news/media sources that support them (aka - Rush Limbaugh, Micheal Moore, Fox News, etc.) does not make you 'informed'. Being truly informed takes effort - you must first find 'non-bias' sources. Non-Bias sources are not sources that 'Average' or 'Most' Americans look to (duh, half of Americans are sheep to begin with!). Non-Bias resources are resources that affiliate with no political party. That have no political agenda. They do research on facts as best they can, look at ALL sources they can. They research studies and apply those studies done by non-bias parties as best they can. FactCheck.org is a great example of a non-bias resource (or as close as you are going to get).

The sad truth is that there is nothing I can write to ever get anyone who has already made up their mind to open it up. To think beyond their small town, city, state or country.  To ask these types of people to have a more  'worldly' view or open mind is laughable. Once again, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". They have already made up their minds. For them to think outside of the 'reality' they are in is inconceivable. Pride scorns the truth. Did you know that 'Agnostics' know 3 times as much about religion as their fellow peers? There is a huge difference between those doing research to  'find the truth (aka Agnostics) and those doing research to 'support' what they think they already know as the truth. You can chose to support your beliefs based on everything and ALL facts worldwide - or you can choose to support your facts based on a predefined support group that knows nothing of anything outside of their group. Your choice.

I'm not going to lie - doing true research on everything out there is very resource intensive. I wish I could say that more people would take the time to look at ALL sources of information before they make a decision on anything. But the truth is they don't. 99% of people just don't have the time. It's so much easier to have Michael Moore or Rush Limbaugh just tell you what to do. It's so much easier to have your local 'bias' church just tell you what to believe in. Do you think religious terrorists are any different? Do you think those that blow themselves up in the name of 'God' ever look beyond the brain washers that talk to them? They don't. And you are no different. You believe in (just as they do) the brain washed bullshit you were taught. You don't try to understand anything outside of your personal world. You are more interested in keeping in tune with the flock (to keep up your reputation) or to NOT DOING ANYTHING AT ALL - preferring to watch shows like  'BridalPlasty'  because you are to stupid to know how to think... period (anybody that watches that crap should have their license to vote revoked). Seriously - you are a  dumb, dumb, dumb ass bitch (or gay guy) to watch that shit. Hey - why not use that one hour a week to do some NON-BIAS research on the future of our country? There really is no excuse other than you are dumb - please stay away from the voting booths if this is how you wish to 'do your research'.

In the end this is all futile. Tunnel vision is so much easier. Being a sheep is so much easier. Not thinking is so much easier. The only reason that 'Dis Information' is so successful is because of people like you - you are America. You drink the kool-aid you are given. You are a sheep. If you truly want to be your own person, start thinking for yourself - do your own research. Find the best non-bias media sources. Look beyond REINFORCING what you THINK is true and start looking into what IS the truth. The truth won't be black and white. Once you can break free from those chains, you will be truly free (and smarter).

 

This is a response to an email from a friend in which he argued the virtues of the 40 hour work week. I had a hangover when I wrote this response, so go easy on me.

I have come to recognize that my 40-hour workweek is a product of my having failed to live my life the way I should have lived it. So I serve as an ant in an anthill, running around with all the other ants back and forth on the highway, to the grocery store, the gas station, to work. I feed the queen fat bugs, but I only get a taste of the carcass. Work does suck when the benefit of your labor isn't yours but ends up in someone else's belly. That's why I most envy the artist (sans compromising with an editor). Your entire work product is yours. I don't think there is anything innately good about being a drone working the 40-hour workweek, as if the gods have put the necessity of it in our sinews. The 40-hour workweek is punishment. It is something idle slaves are forced into by the whip master because if they weren't made to work, they wouldn't work. I'm saying that the only people needing a 40-hour workweek are the ones that couldn't get off their feet and live life differently (or should I rather say work toward their self-defined purpose with passion from an early age?) than all the other ants, or slaves.

If I were to do it all over again, I'd live by 4 rules, and as a result, this day I'd be unshackled of the curse the 40-hour workweek, and of women, both of which devour the benefit of a man's labor:

1. Never marry or share finances with anyone.

2. At 18, enlist in a government job that pays retirement after 20 years service, and get as many college degrees as you can during this 20-year service.

3. Never borrow money, not one penny.

4. Save 1/2 of everything you earn, and put it in dividend-paying stock portfolio, and never sell what you buy, unless the payout is insane.

If I'd done these 4 things, I'd be traveling the world on a vacation that never ended, and writing my stuff every evening at my hotel in France, or Rome, or Moscow. Yeah, there is still a period of servitude and perhaps risk of death in battle, but at least you have a time-certain payout on your investment of the very years of your life, your flesh and blood, and your soul.

If only my friend Bud had instructed me on women when I was in high school. His words won’t leave me and it is a tragedy my ears first took them in at age 38, 20 years too late:

"People are always trying to set me up with these women looking for relationships. I tell them I don't need a relationship because I feel whole as I am. I don't need another person to complete me. I'm not that insecure. Of course they respond with 'you're gay, aren't you?' because they have one-dimensional thinking. I reply by saying, 'I'm not gay. I love vaginas. I just don't want to own one.'"

All I should have to say is “make a list.” Actually, it’s more like “make a list and do the shit on your list.” There is no certain formula for making your list, but it helps to specifically state what you are going to do and when you are going to do it.

For instance, if you want to lose weight, an item on your list, “lose weight,” isn’t likely to work as well as “don’t eat any bread from January 2008 to February 2008,” or “don’t eat snacks from January 2008 to February 2008,” or whatever. I once went on a diet and lost 10 lbs in one month. On my list (an electronic spreadsheet), one of the listed items was: “don’t eat sugar, bread, rice, potatoes, or pasta from January 2007 to February 2007.” Every morning I’d read my list, and I’d read, “don’t eat sugar, bread, rice, potatoes, or pasta from January 2007 to February 2007.” Guess what? I lost weight. I lost 10 lbs in one month.

Another example: I learned to type as an adult. I did it by putting on my list:

“LEARN TO TYPE
Buy typing program after work on Monday, at Best Buy, at 6:30pm.”

When Monday at 6:30pm came, I was at Best Buy and guess what I bought?

I then changed my list:

“LEARN TO TYPE
Install program after work on Tuesday at 6:30pm”

And finally:

“LEARN TO TYPE
Practice with typing program every day from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.”

In two months, I was typing 60 words per minute without looking at the keyboard.

In summary:

1. You are more likely to do something if you write it down and read it daily.
2. You are more likely to get something accomplished if you specifically spell out how you are going to do something, one small step at a time, and exactly when you are going to do it.

Finally, I’d recommend you start with one thing, get into the groove, and then add the next thing to your list, and then the next thing. Don’t overwhelm yourself or you might lose motivation. Four “must do” tasks per day are about right for me. Any more, and it is too much given the requirements of my day job.

Right now my list says:

1. Walk the dog from 5:00am to 5:45am
2. Go to gym from 5:45am to 6:45am
3. Write 1000 words per day from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
4. Don’t drink more than a half bottle of wine per day.

I’m doing it all. I don’t put anything about my day job down because I have to do that. Whether I list it or not, I will show up at work at 8:00am and stay until 5:00pm. Actually I’m not doing it all. I admit my failure to follow #4, if ever, but nobody is perfect, eh? #4 is a joke anyway. At least I’m writing and keeping the dog and me in shape.