My wife Cheryl and I took a trip to Europe this past fall. The places we visited in Austria, Hungary, France, and Spain were peaceful and beautiful and saturated with history. It was a wonderful trip.
Yet I felt a pervasive sadness that derived from the history of the places we chose to visit. Vienna, a place of music, was where Hitler staged his ‘cultural’ or art exhibition that shortly thereafter kicked off his demented quest for ‘empire’ and the second World War. Beautiful Budapest on the Danube River was pocked with impact marks from the Russian machine gun bullets that sought the lives of the residents of that city in the 1956 uprising against the oppressive communist occupation. Nearly every city in France we visited had the ‘ghosts’ of the fallen in WW I and WW II, besides the fortifications of centuries’ older castles. We saw huge chateaus that were built for the insatiable egos or desires of those who controlled the wealth of the country. In Spain we visited lavish Moorish/Muslim mosques and palaces in Cordoba and Granada and Toledo and Madrid. These places were built on the backs of slave labor and peasants for the pleasure of decadent conquerors. And in both France and Spain (and in a previous trip to England and Italy) we saw huge Catholic cathedrals that now sit largely empty except for tourists.
I recently read a book on world history (‘A History of Knowledge’ by Charles Van Doren) and was struck with a lesson from Roman history that we might do well to remember. The Roman Republic was established sometime around 500 BC and developed a relatively virtuous and just government for about 500 years. The years between about 150 BC and the time of Augustus Caesar (63 BC – AD 14) were considered by historians to be the high period of classical (Greco-Roman) civilization. But by this time the Roman Republic had fallen to the corrupt, despotic and totalitarian rule of the Caesars of what became the Roman ‘Empire.’
Historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire “believed that the apex not just of Roman but world history had been reached during . . . the eighty-two years from [AD] 98 to [AD] 180.” After that there was a “relentless decline” until it was no more when the barbarians from the East rampaged through and there followed the Dark Ages from about the middle of the fifth century AD to about the year 1000.
I think the ‘apex’ could have been reached at the time of Christ had the Jews really realized who this man was.
Roman men from Lucretius and Cicero, from shortly before the coming of Christ throughout the last of the years of the Republic and most of the years of the Empire, though loving ‘law’ and debating incessantly about how to live together in peace and freedom could never get it right. Citizens of Rome became vitiated and materialistic and the ‘guarantee’ of security at the cost of tyranny by their politician string of Caesars was the price they paid. Of course a soft and vitiated people and their corrupt leaders could not even get security.
“The later Roman empire had been dedicated to power, wealth, and worldly success. It had been a long time since anyone had paid much attention to the warnings of men like Cato, who had lived in a republic based on moral virtue that seemed utterly unreal to modern Romans. These moderns, by and large, lived more luxuriously than any peoples before them, enjoying all that the world could provide and paying little heed to the demands of Christianity….” (Van Doren, p.95)
Strong and just leaders, the Romans found, were very hard to come by. And for the people to maintain their moral virtue, well, that just didn’t happen either.
As for today’s need for just political leadership, the Arab uprisings of the Middle East today, in country after country, provide bloody example.
Good leadership and good people and a willing adherence to just law are the only things that will preserve a society.
Our own country should be aware of that as well.
God save the United States of America.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
From My Quotation Collection
In my last posting I provided a few alliterations that I happened to be thinking of at the time. Since one thing leads to another I thought of another alliterative sentence that I used with my athletes when I was coaching many years ago: “Proper prior planning prevents pitifully poor performance.” I then thought of my collected quotations that I sometimes look at and ponder. Here are a few for you.
• ‘My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.’ Abraham Lincoln
• ‘Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.’ Henry Ford
• ‘Words can show a man’s wit, but action shows his meaning.’ B. Franklin
• ‘A successful person is one who is big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
• ‘Dreams are the touchstones of our character.’ Henry David Thoreau
• ‘The will to succeed is important; but what is more important is the will to prepare.’ Coach Bobby Knight
• People who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they deliver.
• ‘Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now.’ P.T. Barnum.
• The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.
• If you try to improve one person by being a good example, you’re improving two.
• Life is a lesson. Death is freedom.
• ‘I shall hear in heaven.’ L. Beethoven (who was deaf)
• ‘My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.’ Abraham Lincoln
• ‘Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.’ Henry Ford
• ‘Words can show a man’s wit, but action shows his meaning.’ B. Franklin
• ‘A successful person is one who is big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
• ‘Dreams are the touchstones of our character.’ Henry David Thoreau
• ‘The will to succeed is important; but what is more important is the will to prepare.’ Coach Bobby Knight
• People who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they deliver.
• ‘Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now.’ P.T. Barnum.
• The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.
• If you try to improve one person by being a good example, you’re improving two.
• Life is a lesson. Death is freedom.
• ‘I shall hear in heaven.’ L. Beethoven (who was deaf)
Monday, April 18, 2011
R's
Rereading reorients. Repetition reinforces. Retrenchment reforms. Recognition reactivates. Revelation reveals (yes, I know this is a tautology, but this is also true, as I believe are the four preceding gems).
I was looking up an entry in the dictionary recently and got bogged down in the R words. It was a pleasant diversion (I once had a desire to read the entire dictionary and did get from A-E before I gave up in exhaustion) and caused me to think in terms of alliteration (occurrence of the same sound or letter) and the predicative function associated with the antecedent word. (I know that this is a high-sounding explanation but just look at the two-word sentences in the first paragraph and you will get the drift.) Since I am prone to clichés, I thought it might be an interesting activity some day when you are sick in bed to come up with some of these two-word truisms and to further ponder when you are pulling weeds, washing dishes or some similar activity.
Here are a few starters: reading…; reconciliation…; rectitude…; responsiveness…. And here are a few predicates: restores; rescues; radiates; ratifies; reanimates; rectifies; regenerates.
You might have a little more trouble with Q or K words.
You don’t have to get sick to engage in this activity; just start some day when you are stuck in traffic.
I was looking up an entry in the dictionary recently and got bogged down in the R words. It was a pleasant diversion (I once had a desire to read the entire dictionary and did get from A-E before I gave up in exhaustion) and caused me to think in terms of alliteration (occurrence of the same sound or letter) and the predicative function associated with the antecedent word. (I know that this is a high-sounding explanation but just look at the two-word sentences in the first paragraph and you will get the drift.) Since I am prone to clichés, I thought it might be an interesting activity some day when you are sick in bed to come up with some of these two-word truisms and to further ponder when you are pulling weeds, washing dishes or some similar activity.
Here are a few starters: reading…; reconciliation…; rectitude…; responsiveness…. And here are a few predicates: restores; rescues; radiates; ratifies; reanimates; rectifies; regenerates.
You might have a little more trouble with Q or K words.
You don’t have to get sick to engage in this activity; just start some day when you are stuck in traffic.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The Golden Rules of Living
Anyone who has lived in a household has probably used some variation of these 'house rules' in the governance of their family. I did. They help.
If you open it, close it.
If you turn it on, turn it off.
If you unlock it, lock it up.
If you break it, admit it.
If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
If you borrow it return it.
If you value it, take care of it.
If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you use it, put it back where you found it.
If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.
If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
If it’s none of your business, don’t ask questions.
If it is not broken, don’t 'fix' it.
If it will brighten someone’s day, say it.
If it will tarnish someone’s reputation, keep it to yourself.
If you open it, close it.
If you turn it on, turn it off.
If you unlock it, lock it up.
If you break it, admit it.
If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
If you borrow it return it.
If you value it, take care of it.
If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you use it, put it back where you found it.
If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.
If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
If it’s none of your business, don’t ask questions.
If it is not broken, don’t 'fix' it.
If it will brighten someone’s day, say it.
If it will tarnish someone’s reputation, keep it to yourself.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
My Last Weblog Essay
Actually (hopefully) this is not my last essay. The title to today’s effort was suggested by the highly provocative title to a lecture program at my university some years ago: ‘The Last Lecture Series.’ As was then implied, the lecture given by the speaker was to be his/her best effort to impart some very important, even critical message to the audience in the hope that it could change their lives for good.
If this were my last weblog essay, my last shot, and I felt that it might, indeed, be the catalyst for changing someone’s life for good, I would, of course, extend the invitation for the reader to truly learn of and Come Unto Christ, as I had done many years ago for that decision has, as the poet Frost said, “[made] all the difference.” There were many ramifications growing from that decision. It was my most important decision.
But since perhaps three-fifths of my regular handful of readers have already done that, and perhaps two-fifths have no intention (yet) of doing that, I will not present that essay at this time. HOWEVER, I will speak of something that weighs heavily upon my mind. To me, what follows is important.
I have been thinking that as a people we Americans, blessed as we have been, have not really, experientially, known what has been and continues to be the lot of millions upon millions of our fellow human beings throughout the world and has been throughout world history. The suffering, the hardships, the deprivations, the fear, the dislocations, the hopelessness—all the sad and negative qualifiers may have been in the periphery of our consciousness—we may read about these things in the newspapers and see them on television—but most of us have not experienced any of them to any degree or for any length of time.
The causes of these calamities of life have been many: war; earthquakes; tsunamis; volcano eruptions; slavery; criminal assault; serious accidents; drought; famine; plagues; fire; floods; pestilence; political tyranny; disease. The catalog has many other entries.
Although it may seem that each of these evils is independent of the other, I believe that there are many connections. I believe that we bring much misery upon ourselves by the choices we make: who we elect or allow to be our leaders; what we do with our educational opportunities; the food we choose to eat and our personal health habits; where we decide to live or build our houses; what we decide to do with our discretionary income—or time; how fast we decide to drive our automobiles; what kind of preparations we have made for possible emergencies or disasters; the influences we invite into our lives; etc., etc.
I guess today’s effort is a warning and an invitation to open a dialogue about these things with ourselves and with other significant people in our lives—and then to do something about it.
We need to stop and assess our current status and direction. We need to look at our vulnerabilities and our resources. We need to look at the odds of any of these negatives potentially affecting us. We need to try to project what could happen to us if/when these things come to our doorstep. We need to systematically start to address, in our own small way, the issues that have affected and afflicted all of humanity for they will, inexorably, become our issues.
Since our situation or the bleakness of our future, if we quit ignoring it and candidly look at it, may appear to be overwhelming or inevitable, we must not collapse into or remain in apathy. Help is available for us and our help should be made available for others. We need to be proactive—active before the fact—in our preparation and planned contributions.
Each of us has a gift of some kind that could, if properly used, help avoid, treat, mitigate or ameliorate the miseries of a world in turmoil.
As stated before, we have to resolve, wherever possible, to not be part of the problem, and if spared resolve to be part of the solution for those who are not so blessed.
I end with these words from a song I know:
Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansions above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
(Will L. Thompson)
If this were my last weblog essay, my last shot, and I felt that it might, indeed, be the catalyst for changing someone’s life for good, I would, of course, extend the invitation for the reader to truly learn of and Come Unto Christ, as I had done many years ago for that decision has, as the poet Frost said, “[made] all the difference.” There were many ramifications growing from that decision. It was my most important decision.
But since perhaps three-fifths of my regular handful of readers have already done that, and perhaps two-fifths have no intention (yet) of doing that, I will not present that essay at this time. HOWEVER, I will speak of something that weighs heavily upon my mind. To me, what follows is important.
I have been thinking that as a people we Americans, blessed as we have been, have not really, experientially, known what has been and continues to be the lot of millions upon millions of our fellow human beings throughout the world and has been throughout world history. The suffering, the hardships, the deprivations, the fear, the dislocations, the hopelessness—all the sad and negative qualifiers may have been in the periphery of our consciousness—we may read about these things in the newspapers and see them on television—but most of us have not experienced any of them to any degree or for any length of time.
The causes of these calamities of life have been many: war; earthquakes; tsunamis; volcano eruptions; slavery; criminal assault; serious accidents; drought; famine; plagues; fire; floods; pestilence; political tyranny; disease. The catalog has many other entries.
Although it may seem that each of these evils is independent of the other, I believe that there are many connections. I believe that we bring much misery upon ourselves by the choices we make: who we elect or allow to be our leaders; what we do with our educational opportunities; the food we choose to eat and our personal health habits; where we decide to live or build our houses; what we decide to do with our discretionary income—or time; how fast we decide to drive our automobiles; what kind of preparations we have made for possible emergencies or disasters; the influences we invite into our lives; etc., etc.
I guess today’s effort is a warning and an invitation to open a dialogue about these things with ourselves and with other significant people in our lives—and then to do something about it.
We need to stop and assess our current status and direction. We need to look at our vulnerabilities and our resources. We need to look at the odds of any of these negatives potentially affecting us. We need to try to project what could happen to us if/when these things come to our doorstep. We need to systematically start to address, in our own small way, the issues that have affected and afflicted all of humanity for they will, inexorably, become our issues.
Since our situation or the bleakness of our future, if we quit ignoring it and candidly look at it, may appear to be overwhelming or inevitable, we must not collapse into or remain in apathy. Help is available for us and our help should be made available for others. We need to be proactive—active before the fact—in our preparation and planned contributions.
Each of us has a gift of some kind that could, if properly used, help avoid, treat, mitigate or ameliorate the miseries of a world in turmoil.
As stated before, we have to resolve, wherever possible, to not be part of the problem, and if spared resolve to be part of the solution for those who are not so blessed.
I end with these words from a song I know:
Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansions above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
(Will L. Thompson)
Friday, April 8, 2011
A Man of Wisdom
I continue today from my last posting.
My encouragement today is to read or reread the writings of Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.) He was not religious, meaning theological, but no one I have ever read has given more sage counsel on what wisdom is, how to govern, and what it means to be a gentleman. I aspire to the latter as being a cardinal virtue. Rereading Confucius’ collected sayings, as I am now doing, will help me, I am sure, in polishing up certain areas of my life. I supply for you today a few of his gems as an inducement for you, too, to learn more:
• The Master said, The men of old were loath to speak, for not to live up to their words would have shamed them. A gentleman wishes to be slow to speak and quick to do. A gentleman …puts words into deeds first, and follows these up with words.
• A gentleman is broad and fair; the small man takes sides and is narrow.
• The gentleman is learned in right; the small man is learned in gain. A gentleman has no likes or dislikes below heaven. He follows right. The gentleman cherishes mind, the small man cherishes dirt. Gentleman trust in the law, the small man trusts in favor. Learning without thought is naught; thought without learning is dangerous.
• Care not for want of place; care for thy readiness to fill one.
• Shorn of love, is a gentleman worthy of the name? Not for one moment may a gentleman sin against love. Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love. Tseng-tzu (a disciple) said: Thrice daily I ask myself: In dealing for others, have I been unfaithful? Have I been untrue to friends? Do I practice what I preach? Three branches of the Way are dear to a gentleman: To banish from his bearing violence and disdain; to sort his face to the truth, and to banish from his speech what is low or unseemly.
• A disciple asked: What is love? The Master said, To rank the effort above the prize may be called love. Love is to conquer self and turn to courtesy. If we could conquer self and turn to courtesy for one day, all below heaven would turn to love. Love is to be humble at home, earnest at work, and faithful to all.
• The Master said, A gentleman never strives with others.
• The Master said, By breadth of reading and the ties of courtesy, a gentleman is kept, too, from false paths. Seeking a foothold for self, love finds a foothold for others; seeking light for itself, it enlightens others too. To learn from the near at hand may be called the clue to love.
• Shall I teach thee what is wisdom? To know what we know, and know what we do not know, is wisdom. Hear much, leave all that is doubtful alone, speak warily of everything else, and few will be offended. See much, leave all that is dangerous alone, deal warily with everything else, and thou wilt have little to rue.
• A gentleman that does not seek to eat his fill, nor look for ease in his home, who is earnest at work and careful of speech, who walks with those that keep the Way, and is guided by them, may be said to love learning. Love learning. Do not carry over anger. Make no mistake twice.
• The Master said, Not to be known is no sorrow. My sorrow is not knowing men. Put faithfulness and truth first; have no friends unlike thyself, be not ashamed to mend thy faults. A man and his faults are of a piece. By watching his faults we learn whether love be his. When I first met men I listened to their words and took their deeds on trust. When I meet them now, I listen to their words and watch their deeds.
• The Master said, Of the ways of a gentleman Tzu-ch’an had four: His life was modest; he honored those that he served; He was kind in feeding the people, and he was just in his calls upon them.
• My wishes are: To give the old folk peace, to be true to friends, and to have a heart for the young.
• The Master said, Not making the most of my mind, want of thoroughness in learning, failure to do the right when told it, lack of strength to overcome faults; these are my sorrows. Fight the bad in thee, not the bad in other men, will not evil be mended? Learn as though the time were short, like one that fears to lose.
• To men above the common we can talk of higher things; to men below the common we must not talk of higher things. The people may be made to follow; we cannot make them understand. Tzu-kung asked about friends. The Master said, Talk faithfully to them, and guide them well. If this is no good, stop. Do not bring shame upon thee. A gentleman is nowise careless of his words.
These thoughts, but a few of his which are recorded, ring true to me; if not yet to my young friends mentioned in my previous posting, I hope they at least ring the bell.
My encouragement today is to read or reread the writings of Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.) He was not religious, meaning theological, but no one I have ever read has given more sage counsel on what wisdom is, how to govern, and what it means to be a gentleman. I aspire to the latter as being a cardinal virtue. Rereading Confucius’ collected sayings, as I am now doing, will help me, I am sure, in polishing up certain areas of my life. I supply for you today a few of his gems as an inducement for you, too, to learn more:
• The Master said, The men of old were loath to speak, for not to live up to their words would have shamed them. A gentleman wishes to be slow to speak and quick to do. A gentleman …puts words into deeds first, and follows these up with words.
• A gentleman is broad and fair; the small man takes sides and is narrow.
• The gentleman is learned in right; the small man is learned in gain. A gentleman has no likes or dislikes below heaven. He follows right. The gentleman cherishes mind, the small man cherishes dirt. Gentleman trust in the law, the small man trusts in favor. Learning without thought is naught; thought without learning is dangerous.
• Care not for want of place; care for thy readiness to fill one.
• Shorn of love, is a gentleman worthy of the name? Not for one moment may a gentleman sin against love. Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love. Tseng-tzu (a disciple) said: Thrice daily I ask myself: In dealing for others, have I been unfaithful? Have I been untrue to friends? Do I practice what I preach? Three branches of the Way are dear to a gentleman: To banish from his bearing violence and disdain; to sort his face to the truth, and to banish from his speech what is low or unseemly.
• A disciple asked: What is love? The Master said, To rank the effort above the prize may be called love. Love is to conquer self and turn to courtesy. If we could conquer self and turn to courtesy for one day, all below heaven would turn to love. Love is to be humble at home, earnest at work, and faithful to all.
• The Master said, A gentleman never strives with others.
• The Master said, By breadth of reading and the ties of courtesy, a gentleman is kept, too, from false paths. Seeking a foothold for self, love finds a foothold for others; seeking light for itself, it enlightens others too. To learn from the near at hand may be called the clue to love.
• Shall I teach thee what is wisdom? To know what we know, and know what we do not know, is wisdom. Hear much, leave all that is doubtful alone, speak warily of everything else, and few will be offended. See much, leave all that is dangerous alone, deal warily with everything else, and thou wilt have little to rue.
• A gentleman that does not seek to eat his fill, nor look for ease in his home, who is earnest at work and careful of speech, who walks with those that keep the Way, and is guided by them, may be said to love learning. Love learning. Do not carry over anger. Make no mistake twice.
• The Master said, Not to be known is no sorrow. My sorrow is not knowing men. Put faithfulness and truth first; have no friends unlike thyself, be not ashamed to mend thy faults. A man and his faults are of a piece. By watching his faults we learn whether love be his. When I first met men I listened to their words and took their deeds on trust. When I meet them now, I listen to their words and watch their deeds.
• The Master said, Of the ways of a gentleman Tzu-ch’an had four: His life was modest; he honored those that he served; He was kind in feeding the people, and he was just in his calls upon them.
• My wishes are: To give the old folk peace, to be true to friends, and to have a heart for the young.
• The Master said, Not making the most of my mind, want of thoroughness in learning, failure to do the right when told it, lack of strength to overcome faults; these are my sorrows. Fight the bad in thee, not the bad in other men, will not evil be mended? Learn as though the time were short, like one that fears to lose.
• To men above the common we can talk of higher things; to men below the common we must not talk of higher things. The people may be made to follow; we cannot make them understand. Tzu-kung asked about friends. The Master said, Talk faithfully to them, and guide them well. If this is no good, stop. Do not bring shame upon thee. A gentleman is nowise careless of his words.
These thoughts, but a few of his which are recorded, ring true to me; if not yet to my young friends mentioned in my previous posting, I hope they at least ring the bell.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Philosophy and Wisdom
In my December 27 weblog essay, ‘On Virtue,’ I ended with a plea for an examination of “the virtues we subscribe to and live by, or live without, and how they line up with the wisdom of the ages.” I have wondered, Have any of my readers done so? Do many people anymore actually care about the wisdom of the ages?
I once asked about ten young adult men and a few young women if any of them have read the writings of Confucius. None ever had. I asked who were their favorite philosophers or the wisest authors they had read. A large majority had none they could identify. One mentioned Jesus. I didn’t ask the others if they could read.
Historically we know that philosophy was the major concern of the classical Greeks (e.g., Thales, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle). Philosophy and liberal arts were once a main focus of our universities. A pursuit of the wisdom of the ages was perhaps my primary private secular focus as a young married adult throughout the decade of 1966-1976. I compared the luminaries of the past with my then new-found religion which I used as a standard (I converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1967). I read a great deal of philosophical and religious literature from both genres and gleaned gems and answers and approaches that have clarified my identity and given direction to my life. My religion proved to provide most of the tools and answers for my on-going education, however, because it provided a education for my eternity, but other wise sources contributed much.
In Ayn Rand’s profound 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged,for example,she has one of her minor characters being an academic philosopher and a pirate (Ragnar Danneskjold) and her protagonist (John Galt) being a practical philosopher and an engineer. She, herself, as a ‘writer’ was a philosopher of the ‘old school’ and of the highest order. During those years Atlas Shrugged and the corpus of Miss Rand’s other work was highly influential in my life and helped define some philosophical referents for me. Her book encouraged me to continue my graduate education and gave me the desire to pursue a doctor of philosophy degree. Unfortunately, all the ‘doctor of philosophy’ degrees at my university (Brigham Young University) were in fields other than formal philosophy so I settled on a doctor of education degree being closest to my intellectual and professional aspirations. By carefully selecting my courses and professors I gained the degree and a wonderful education, anchored my philosophy, and learned that formal secular philosophy has more questions than answers. As pertaining to my formal education it is not over--and that there is no such thing as a 'terminal degree. My time at the university showed me that a pursuit of learning will never be over.
All this leads up to an encouragement to read, read, read. I have often said that the person who does not read has no particular advantage over one who cannot read. How I love the university setting, libraries and bookstores; what worlds they open up!
I once asked about ten young adult men and a few young women if any of them have read the writings of Confucius. None ever had. I asked who were their favorite philosophers or the wisest authors they had read. A large majority had none they could identify. One mentioned Jesus. I didn’t ask the others if they could read.
Historically we know that philosophy was the major concern of the classical Greeks (e.g., Thales, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle). Philosophy and liberal arts were once a main focus of our universities. A pursuit of the wisdom of the ages was perhaps my primary private secular focus as a young married adult throughout the decade of 1966-1976. I compared the luminaries of the past with my then new-found religion which I used as a standard (I converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1967). I read a great deal of philosophical and religious literature from both genres and gleaned gems and answers and approaches that have clarified my identity and given direction to my life. My religion proved to provide most of the tools and answers for my on-going education, however, because it provided a education for my eternity, but other wise sources contributed much.
In Ayn Rand’s profound 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged,for example,she has one of her minor characters being an academic philosopher and a pirate (Ragnar Danneskjold) and her protagonist (John Galt) being a practical philosopher and an engineer. She, herself, as a ‘writer’ was a philosopher of the ‘old school’ and of the highest order. During those years Atlas Shrugged and the corpus of Miss Rand’s other work was highly influential in my life and helped define some philosophical referents for me. Her book encouraged me to continue my graduate education and gave me the desire to pursue a doctor of philosophy degree. Unfortunately, all the ‘doctor of philosophy’ degrees at my university (Brigham Young University) were in fields other than formal philosophy so I settled on a doctor of education degree being closest to my intellectual and professional aspirations. By carefully selecting my courses and professors I gained the degree and a wonderful education, anchored my philosophy, and learned that formal secular philosophy has more questions than answers. As pertaining to my formal education it is not over--and that there is no such thing as a 'terminal degree. My time at the university showed me that a pursuit of learning will never be over.
All this leads up to an encouragement to read, read, read. I have often said that the person who does not read has no particular advantage over one who cannot read. How I love the university setting, libraries and bookstores; what worlds they open up!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Weighing in on the Health Care Crisis
More than we probably want to hear has been said about the government’s role regarding health care issues and spending—about 18% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product or over 36% of Federal Government revenues for 2011. What I want to address in this brief commentary is the individual person’s role in their own health issues and resultant health costs. I want to argue for personal responsibility and against entitlement in treatment or involvement in socialized medicine. I contend that it is morally wrong for me to be expected to pay for others’ gluttony, addictions, and generally poor food and health behavior choices.
Don’t misunderstand. I am not talking about unpreventable accidents, illnesses or conditions. I am not talking about little children’s health issues. I am not talking about a ‘good Samaritan’ situation where a victim is placed in our path and we have the moral responsibility to render immediate and temporary help.
I am talking about irresponsible teen-agers and adults and an overburdened health-care system that has to take care of smokers and drinkers with their cancers and cardio-vascular conditions, of drug addicts, of obese and overfat type-II diabetes patients (this condition was virtually unheard of 70 years ago before our population became so fat) and I am talking about those who find they cannot pay for treatment for their own self-induced ill health and who expect the ‘government’—actually meaning healthy and productive tax payers, to pick up the tab.
Just as automobile insurers raise their premium rates or won’t insure bad drivers, health-care insurance carriers—including government health insurance—should have steeply increased rates or refuse health care (except for cash paying patients) for those who smoke, are obese, or who have otherwise abused their bodies. Let these individuals face the consequences of their own poor choices. Having a healthy body is not an ‘inalienable right’ guaranteed by the Constitution.
I feel strongly that personal responsibility for one’s health choices could do much to lessen the burden on these people’s own pocketbook and the tax and health insurance bills of responsible people when others are irresponsible. It isn’t that people don’t know how to take care of themselves. We all learned how in school if we were paying attention. If we didn’t pay attention then, pay attention now:
Just following these four simple practices would save us billions upon billions of dollars and untold misery:
• Stop eating ‘fast-foods’ and junk food. (Tax these foods heavily as a deterrent for those who have poor self-control.) Some say that healthy food costs too much; the fact is that unhealthy food will end up costing the person much more.
• Cut back on food portion sizes and increase water consumption if one’s body mass index is higher than the acceptable range.
• Don’t smoke or take illegal drugs.
• Do some type of sustained physical exercise for at least 30-minutes per day.
People who have health problems or who are on the road to having preventable health issues who don’t take these measures are either lazy and indolent or are ignorant. Having not followed these simple guidelines will not be an acceptable response when the crisis comes.
We’ve got to get serious about getting healthy and staying healthy. Each of us has a responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our country. Nearly fifty years ago a president of the United States said: “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” (J.F.K.) What you can do is stay healthy. Those who aren’t serious are contributing in a big way to the downfall of this country. A sick populace is a sick country. The crisis is escalating.
Don’t misunderstand. I am not talking about unpreventable accidents, illnesses or conditions. I am not talking about little children’s health issues. I am not talking about a ‘good Samaritan’ situation where a victim is placed in our path and we have the moral responsibility to render immediate and temporary help.
I am talking about irresponsible teen-agers and adults and an overburdened health-care system that has to take care of smokers and drinkers with their cancers and cardio-vascular conditions, of drug addicts, of obese and overfat type-II diabetes patients (this condition was virtually unheard of 70 years ago before our population became so fat) and I am talking about those who find they cannot pay for treatment for their own self-induced ill health and who expect the ‘government’—actually meaning healthy and productive tax payers, to pick up the tab.
Just as automobile insurers raise their premium rates or won’t insure bad drivers, health-care insurance carriers—including government health insurance—should have steeply increased rates or refuse health care (except for cash paying patients) for those who smoke, are obese, or who have otherwise abused their bodies. Let these individuals face the consequences of their own poor choices. Having a healthy body is not an ‘inalienable right’ guaranteed by the Constitution.
I feel strongly that personal responsibility for one’s health choices could do much to lessen the burden on these people’s own pocketbook and the tax and health insurance bills of responsible people when others are irresponsible. It isn’t that people don’t know how to take care of themselves. We all learned how in school if we were paying attention. If we didn’t pay attention then, pay attention now:
Just following these four simple practices would save us billions upon billions of dollars and untold misery:
• Stop eating ‘fast-foods’ and junk food. (Tax these foods heavily as a deterrent for those who have poor self-control.) Some say that healthy food costs too much; the fact is that unhealthy food will end up costing the person much more.
• Cut back on food portion sizes and increase water consumption if one’s body mass index is higher than the acceptable range.
• Don’t smoke or take illegal drugs.
• Do some type of sustained physical exercise for at least 30-minutes per day.
People who have health problems or who are on the road to having preventable health issues who don’t take these measures are either lazy and indolent or are ignorant. Having not followed these simple guidelines will not be an acceptable response when the crisis comes.
We’ve got to get serious about getting healthy and staying healthy. Each of us has a responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our country. Nearly fifty years ago a president of the United States said: “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” (J.F.K.) What you can do is stay healthy. Those who aren’t serious are contributing in a big way to the downfall of this country. A sick populace is a sick country. The crisis is escalating.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)