Author: William

Always

There are no ifs ands or buts. I will refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I will not put limits on myself. I will succeed wildly. I will dream wildly. I am starving for achievement. I am a success. It is impossible that I will not succeed. I am positive. I am focused. I am driven. I am totally capable. There is nothing more I need than a firm resolve to actualize dreams. I will sacrifice anything. I will read, listen, watch, imagine, create, work, feel, suffer, and endure anything and everything I need to. I will stake my existence on making my dreams a reality. There is never a dream that is too big. The only limits we face are the ones we set for ourselves. I will succeed. I am a success. I have already begun. I pay no heed to the voices of mediocrity all around me. I am unfamiliar with failure. I am convicted to seeing my dreams through until they are a reality. I only see opportunity. There is no such thing as difficulty. I no longer stake the existence of my chief wants by gauging the difficulty of a task. Progress is the reward. No task is difficult if it leaves me closer to the things I want most.

There are controllables and there are uncontrollables. I am in control of a single aspect that dictates the success or failures of my life. My thoughts. I will choose only the most worthy. I will see my dreams as though they have already been accomplished. I will be the most successful person who as ever walked the earth, and if I am ever to play the part, I will need to act the part. No longer will I acknowledge the thoughts that don’t contribute to this aim. I will train myself and develop the habits of the person I hold myself to be. I will never let the standards for myself waiver. I have strong faith. I have tested belief. I am succeeding.

win

Just Remember…

There are few winners. There are many losers. Where do you want to be? What are you willing to do? Are you willing to sacrifice? Are you willing to be uncomfortable? In pain & agony? If there is no pain, there is no gain. Winners never quit. Losers quit. Given enough time everything dies. Given enough time, I will always win. Never give up.

heavy air

I’m in Bourdeux Texas at the days inn motel. Room 161.

The air is heavy and still. Laughter echoes in the parking lot. Pillows prop me up against the headboard. The hotel beds are typical of most cheap motels. Abrasive and kitsch. The floral teal and pink design leaves me feeling uneasy. Children laugh in the parking lot. The door is open. I watch boys talk to girls in their second story rooms. Trying their seductive skills.

Why do I hold back? Why am I afraid of failure? Michael… You’re not afraid of failure. KNOW IT. Do not question this. Failure does not reflect who you are until you quit. Quitters are failures. Do not hold back michael. You potential wants to escape. Your curiosity wants to run wild. I want to stretch and reach for the sky with everything in me. I want to throw myself down and sacrifice my ego. Sacrifice everything for a few goals. Define them michael.

You are in control Michael. You. You choose this reality you live in. You can give up control and be a victim, or you can grip yourself and exert your all powerful will on your perceptions and behold a glorious existence. Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it? Yes. I struggle. NO. Why do I struggle? I struggle with a lack of self confidence. Why michael? I could blame it on my parents or other situational occurrances… but that’s avoiding responsibility and not holding myself accountable. You need to shape up michael.

last day of sales school

Today is the last day of sales school. Tomorrow is the beginning of a long and arduous summer. Probably one of the most challenging and painstakingly difficult experiences I’ve ever chose to do. Sell books to door to door to strangers in 100 deg weather with ungodly humidity for 12 weeks every day, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

I’m gonna do amazing. I will make over $20,000 this summer. I am committed to succeeding until the last delivery, the last day, the last hour, the last minute. I leave for Houston 6:30 am.

done with finals

wow. I dont even know what to say. I’m done finals. Feels good to get that outta the way. Went to a few ‘gatherings’ tonight. wishing graduates farewell. My roomates rambling on about all sorts of nonsense.

I’ve got so much to do tomorrow. Buy a car.

people are strange. So many friends. its interesting to here everyones perceptions. I get these people who always tell me ridiculously flattering things. I dont understand it. why?

Why? My firends tell me things that dont make me know how to feel. they’re flattering but i dont understand it. i dont understand how people percieve me., I dont understand that

im waster. wow. sooo burnt out. so tired. 300am. wtff

to satisfy?

I feel stifled. Sometimes I get the feeling that I could be doing do much more. There is something about freedom that makes everything so much more enjoyable and worthwhile. i suppose when you look at college as a free choice, rather than something I have to do, it becomes a different experience.

I always feel like I’m worried about satisfying the professor’s expectations. the last thing I want to do is neglect my voice, my creative opinion. Maybe my experiences led me to perceive things differently. maybe the professor doesn’t understand that. Maybe I want to synthesis the material into something that works for me, rather than the rote understanding.

I hate, DESPISE, professors that mark me wrong not based on my knowledge, not based on my effort, but on my misinterpretation of their expectations. this just makes me wanna write off academics altogether. It makes me think that they want to manufacture drones. Not freethinkers.

What the hell. Where can I go and learn? To question? to delve more into a subject than the simple essays they give, the simple research they assign. I want to explore, to engage, to totally submerge my passions in the material and follow them where they lead. NOT prune my creativity to match the expectations of lame professors. LAME. Professors who do nothing more than lecture. They don’t engage. They have their tenure. They have their TA’s. They are all a inane. They are callous to curiosity. They loath the energy of free thought, the wildness of creativity. it cannot be restrained. It cannot be precedented. It is new, fresh, and begging to be understood more. WHY am i told to deny these inclinations? Why am i forced to divert my energy into reading their mind? I CAN do this… WHO CANT! the question is… who wants to??????? WHO WANTS TO?? Its far easier to say and get away with what wants to be heard. It’s familiar and easy to tackle, easy to critique. What’s takes more effort… is to THINK. Thinking is a free experience… it involves letting the passions run free… letting the information assimilate into all the corners of the mind. It’s weird, unfamiliar, wild, ferocious, and often times uncomfortable. BUT it offers the most insight. It requires more energy, more justification, more thought, more trust.

When I write for me, i trust what I write. They are my thoughts, intimate and unique. I LOATHE writing for an audience. Who can tell what they want to hear? What they ask seldom aligns with what they expect. Is it our job to satisfy their understanding? To produce for their satisfaction? If I was told to write for me, I would be more of a person. The soft whispers of my intuition would learn to proclaim a loud and bold tone that resonates within all who hear me. My voice would force itself through the paper into the fallow minds of the readers where it would root and conjure a fruit of understanding. I would know myself and be unafraid of casting my ambitions to light.

Knowledge you say? Who wants to be encumbered by useless knowledge? What is it to gain the world but lose myself?

thinking things

I need to write more. I use to write so much. Just to get it out of my mind. To extrapolate the little whispers and bright ideas I conjure up. I love life. I’ve realized a lot of things recently. Firstly… don’t underestimate the power of a thought or a single word. Secondly, don’t overestimate your understanding.

I should focus and fix my eyes on my desires and never mind the distractions of details that show up all around or on the side.

Something I realized that changed my life tremendously is the idea that I am in control of my thoughts. What that means to me has vastly different impacts than it does on most people. I know that circumstances are temporary. I realize that who I am is a collection of years and years of choices and habits and decisions. I’ve molded myself through my decisions. People let circumstances, opinions, people, feelings, mold them…or they mold their circumstances based on deciding how they choose to perceieve them… aka.. their attitude.

So beautiful today. The gentle rolling zephyr. The pristine blue sky.

I gotta learn not to get ahead of myself. I always try convincing myself of the ideal situation.
I always focus on the positive. I try my best not to use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’. When I do I’m trying to emphasize the firm conviction I have towards the ideal.

I’ve been too busy to think recently. I miss my journal and my books and my philosophers and authors and curiosity and imagination. Everything is rote. Going through the motions. I guess I’m getting good at making habits and staying consistent. I’m good at maximizing my time management and doing what I can to test the limits of my physical and mental capabilities. I miss feelings.

I’ve done what I can to take time for myself and relax and contemplate and reflect. i think its important for the soul. You let the neurons run free. No constructs, expectations, deadlines, goals…. just for a few moments a day I like to stare off into space, watch the sun set over the big burly mountains, listen to the delicate conversations between the birds, watch the blue sky melt into a black landscape strewn with sparkling diamond like stars. I watch the moon take shape and creep towards its apex in the sky. I admire the gold and orange and pink and purple tinge soaking upward on the horizon as the sun sets. I like trees. Big green trees. I lose myself looking at the intricacy of life. When I look at a tree, I imagine its broad and deep root system, its thick trunk sucking up water and nutrients like a straw, feeding its branches and leaves. Bare, the tree looks like its sinewy veins are gasping to reach for sunlight and air.

People. There is a universal condition. I see through the psycho babble we’re brought up to believe. Cultural clashes and genetical abnormalities. I believe there is a universal language in love. No matter who you are, you know and feel love. Whether you are receptive or not is another matter but everyone knows it when they feel it. No matter how broken and bruised. No matter how high the walls protecting their bruised and mishandled heart. People need to trust. They need consistency and stability. They need love that is forever. It hurts to give that up or have it thrown in your face.

interesting lives

Funny the variety of responses generated when asking the definition of success. Funny how the definition of failure is all the same.

People waste their time poking around aimlessly. They poke here and there and never arrive on a definite goal or plan. Their ideals and convictions ebb and flow with the tides of circumstance. They never worry about of the effects of not anchoring to strong foundations. Instead they’re blown about, blaming the oceans and currents for their misfortune. And of course, when they strike something resembling an accomplishment they’re sure to extol their sheer willpower and skill for the win.

People are funny. They’re so lost. I say this with the most humble of hearts. I know the severity of being lost, lying to oneself on a daily basis. I speak knowing the confusion and blindness that wraps its way into the recesses of the mind. I’ve been there too often. Fortunately I’m not too good at lying, whether it be to myself or others. Self deception is the worst of lies. Its the only lie that covers its own tracks. It’s easy to get lost. Working hard doesn’t designate progress. People spend their whole lives convinced they’ve got it figured out. They refuse to be real with themselves and admit that progress should be measured by accomplishments, by reaching and overcoming goals, not through the simple act of motion. Accomplishment should have purpose and meaning and passionate desire.

So they go about their lives, continuing the habits that have brought them exactly where they are today. And if asked how content they were they would reply with a sour response. Or they would lie. And their life would speak the sadness for them.

************************

I try wondering what it is people live for. Is it material gain? Is it for themselves? Is it for the sake of futile accomplishment? Is it for the glory, the attention, the fleeting moments of instant gratification, the precious glimpse of self worth?

People go through the motions. They are horrible creatures of habit. Usually bad habits. They squander in filth and hapless destruction, trying in vain to wring some satisfaction out of the dry life they live.

People need meaning. I’d offer them God, but they’d reject it in the same notion that god has no place in their life. Sad. They want tangible assurance yet nothing they offer themselves seems to quench their longing.

 

Internship

1)       Why do you want to participate in the program?

     I want to acquire experience. If there is one thing I value over any other ideal, it is the acquisition of experience. Experience fosters wisdom and wisdom breeds success.  Knowledge is useless if it is not properly applied. What I cherish and seek out most often is the opportunity to learn from my experiences.  I’ve come to understand the importance of choosing my experiences wisely and have committed myself to only seeking out the best.  The opportunities I look for allow me to learn more about myself and my capabilities while simultaneously shedding light on my deficiencies. No longer do I see failures as a burden, but rather a blessing. Every challenge I undertake I am tested. When a time comes that I don’t succeed I’m given a unique opportunity to recalibrate my approach, develop myself into a better person, and try again. Without the challenges these experiences bring I’d be unable to gain the proper perspective to refine myself.
            Since being introduced to Southwestern I’ve come to learn of the abundant opportunities for interns to learn by being provided the unique experiences that foster personal growth. In regards to my aspirations for a career in business, Southwestern’s internship comes off as one of the best there is. The idea of putting yourself around other self-disciplined, success-oriented individuals and managing a small business in which your energy input equals the reward output is amazing. Aside from the logistics of accounting and financing and managing your little business, you’re faced with the same personal challenges you’d face in any career.

 2)       Why do you feel like you should be accepted?

         I have a burning passion to seek excellence in all things. This keeps me intrinsically motivated and determined to accomplish my goals despite the many challenging external factors that arise.  My willingness and openness to gain positive experiences allows me to learn and adapt quickly to new situations.
        My resolve to become successful will never be undermined. While opportunities may come and go and people may pass me by, I will never stop pursuing my desire to succeed. My strong will and familiarity with overcoming tremendously discouraging situations in the past puts me at a unique advantage. I know where I’ve been and I know where I want to be. Nothing will prevent me from getting there.  Whoever’s worked with me knows that I put my best efforts and energies forth all the time.                          
        Aside from how and why Southwestern would serve me, I feel that I have a lot to offer the people I’ll be working with.  Sticking to my convictions and setting an example, I’ve made a commitment to being a leader in all things. A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. I’m passionate about knowing how to be successful, being successful, and most importantly, helping others achieve success.  Knowing Southwestern provides all the necessary tools and support to succeed, I’m confident that I’m can bring all the motivation and discipline needed to effectively and efficiently use those tools and support to achieve success.  

 3)       What does commitment mean to you and why do you think it is important in an internship like this?             

        I believe in integrity. Integrity requires a certain transparency of character so that what you say and what you do are in line no matter who’s looking or what the circumstances. Commitment is maintaining a sense of integrity with each endeavor I set out to fulfill.
         As it pertains to my life, my commitments directly relate to my highest ideals. Who I strive to be and where I strive to go insist that my actions consistently reflect these ideals.  Aristotle once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”  What I do is who I am. My desire is to declare the integrity and resilience of my character through my commitment to excellence in all things.  When I make commitment, I am pledging my actions to uphold that cause. I choose my commitments wisely to ensure that everything I do resonates with who I am and where I want to be.
        In an internship like Southwestern much is invested into each student. Many people are active in the process to see each person succeed and achieve. In a business internship, and maybe more specifically in sales, it’s vitally important that the student maintains a vision of success for himself. He must be committed to accomplishing that vision no matter what the rejections, no matter what the pressures, no matter what the personal battles he faces. The student must look past the temporary set backs and see himself as the person he’s striving to be. The people who succeed are not victims to their circumstances; they achieve success by making their circumstances. Instead of looking at what is and asking why, they see what isn’t and ask why not. They create themselves into the person to overcome any obstacle.
         In regards to commitment, no one can succeed if they are not committed to succeeding. Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence…. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”  Success is the result of seeing commitments through till the end.

Sample Resume

) Why do you want to participate in the program?
I want to acquire experience. If there is one thing I value over any other ideal, it is the
acquisition of experience. Experience fosters wisdom and wisdom breeds success. Knowledge is useless if it is not properly applied. What I cherish and seek out most often is the opportunity to learn from my experiences. I have come to understand the importance of choosing my experiences wisely and have committed myself to only seeking out the best. The opportunities I look for allow me to learn more about myself and my capabilities and shed light on my deficiencies. No longer do I see failures as a burden, but rather a blessing. Every challenge I undertake I am tested. When a time comes that I don’t succeed I’m given a unique opportunity to recalibrate my approach, develop myself into a better person, and try again. Without these experiences we’d be unable to gain the proper perspective to refine myself. Since being introduced to you company I have come to learn of the abundant opportunities available for students to glean these experiences.

In regards to my aspirations for a career in business, ***** internship comes off
as one of the best there is. The idea of putting yourself around other self-disciplined, success- oriented individuals and managing a small business in which your energy input equals the reward output is amazing. Aside from the logistics of accounting and financing and managing your business, you’re faced with the same personal challenges you’d face in any career.

2) Why do you feel like you should be accepted?
I have a burning passion to seek excellence in all things. This keeps me intrinsically
motivated and determined to accomplish my goals despite the many challenging external factors that arise. My willingness and openness to gain positive experiences allows me to learn and adapt quickly to new situations.

My resolve to become successful will never be undermined. While opportunities may come and go and people may pass me by, I will never stop pursuing my desire to succeed. My strong will and familiarity with overcoming tremendously discouraging situations in the past puts me at a unique advantage. I know where I’ve been and I know where I want to be. Nothing will prevent me from getting there. The people that work with me know that I put my best efforts and energies forth all the time.

Aside from how and why ***** would serve me, I feel that I have a lot to offer the people working around me. Sticking to my convictions and setting an example, I have made a commitment to being a leader in all things. A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. I am passionate about knowing how to be successful, being successful, and most importantly, helping others achieve success. Knowing **** provides all the necessary tools and support to succeed, I’m confident that I’m can bring all the motivation and discipline needed to effectively and efficiently use those tools and support to achieve success.

3) What does commitment mean to you and why do you think it is important in an internship like this?
I believe in integrity. Integrity requires a certain transparency of character so that what
you say and what you do are in line no matter who’s looking or what the circumstances. Commitment is maintaining a sense of integrity with each endeavor I set out to fulfill.

As it pertains to my life, my commitments directly relate to my highest ideals. Who I strive to be and where I strive to go insist that my actions reflect these ideals on a daily basis. Aristotle once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” What I do is who I am. My desire is to declare the integrity and resilience of my character through my commitment to excellence in all things. When I make commitment, I am pledging my actions to uphold that cause. I choose my commitments wisely to ensure that everything I do resonates with who I am and where I want to be.

In an internship program like ****** much is invested into each student. Many people are active in the process to see each person succeed and achieve. In a business internship, specifically in sales, it is vital that the student maintains a vision of success for himself. He must be committed to accomplishing that vision no matter what the rejections, no matter what the pressures, no matter what the personal battles he faces. The student must look past the temporary set backs and envision himself as the person he’s striving to be. The people who succeed in this world are not the victims of circumstance; they achieve success by making their circumstances. Instead of looking at what is and asking why, they see what isn’t and ask why not. Through a positive mental attitude they go and look for the circumstances they need to succeed, and if they cannot find them, they make them.

In regards to commitment, no one can succeed if they are not committed to succeeding. Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence…. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Success is the result of seeing commitments through till the end.

Humanism and The Odyssey: An Analysis

Examining the Pursuit of Mans Sense of Self

 

 

Success is a humanistic notion. It is man achieving. One definition describes success as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. The fact that humans are in control of their success or failure, and essentially their fate, is a unique concept that originated in Greek society. When man loses the will to seek answers he effectively relinquishes control over his circumstances, causing him to accept his circumstances as divinely appointed and beyond his control. He accepts the direction of his fate and deemphasizes the importance of his desires and abilities. The humanist, however, maintains optimism towards his current circumstances and places faith in his ability to change those circumstances. The continual pursuit of refining those abilities to achieve his circumstances is what encompasses the idea of arête—excellence. Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”  The notion of anything less than excellence contradicts humanism and sends man at the mercy of circumstances beyond his control. Homer’s work The Odyssey paints the prescription for all humanists to come as Odysseus battles to overcome circumstances and fulfill his desire to return home.

The humanist is one who cherishes the very highest ideals. At his essence is self-discipline, a persistence and determination that fuels his effort to achieve those ideals. Humanists are concerned with the refinement of their being—their character, intellect, morals—seeking out the very highest reason, virtues, ethics, and ideals in order to aid in the ability of self-actualization. They believe in the cultivation of man to create the most fulfilling life possible.

Throughout The Odyssey Odysseus struggles against harsh circumstances that deter his efforts to return home. He’s buffeted against the waves, stranded on islands, held captive, and blown across seas for more than twenty years. Yet, despite these forces, he continually presses on. The Odyssey shows that while man is subject to circumstances, either external or internal, he is no longer a victim. While gods are present throughout the story they never miraculously save him, nor do they prevent him from achieving. As a whole they are unsuccessful at countering or waiving Odysseus’s strong will to return home.

When examining The Odyssey as a humanistic work, it appears that the gods remain as fixtures of the story that fill in occurrences that would otherwise happen anyway. Homer portrays their acts more as symbols of luck or inspiration that either aid or hinder Odysseus rather than the gods inescapable will to save or condemn him. Interestingly, Odysseus is often compared to Athene in their witty, cunning and sly nature. It seems that the gods are a result of creative explanations for things with unknown origins such as natural occurrences and inspiration. Each time Odysseus faces a set of circumstances and the gods intervene they are shown providing insight and help that Odysseus can choose to heed or ignore. This is also illustrated when Telemachus was approached by Athene to stand up and fulfill his desire to rid his house of the suitors and see his father again. Despite his age and the odds against him he successfully chose to pursue the ideal and overcome the challenges (Homer 90). Illustrating the ability to choose and achieve such choices was a first for a literary work in a world governed by deities and supernatural forces.

A major theme throughout The Odyssey is the idea of light and darkness and it’s symbolism of order and chaos as well as life and death. Humanism is a philosophy of change and the process to achieve that change. It is man coming to know himself and his world, overcoming his savage nature, restoring order, and living life to the fullest.  It is achieved through personal development and refinement by overcoming challenges.  Homer incorporated these elements of humanism not only in Odysseus, but in the overall societal atmosphere of The Odyssey.  Homer used light in association with order and life. King Nestor, Menelaus, and Alcinous had ordered kingdoms, good manners, and tremendous success. They spoke eloquently and maintained high ideals for themselves and their guests. The Phaeacians displayed not only the virtue of xenia, but illustrated the idea of achieving arête through competitive sporting events as well as their unparalleled mastery of the sea. In contrast, darkness represents that of chaos and death, qualities that humanism strives to overcome. The suitors, barbarous and destructive, represent chaos and disorder soon to be overcome by Odysseus, the model humanist. When Odysseus arrives in Ithaca he finds himself in a deep fog that makes his home unrecognizable.  His victory over this darkness comes when he defeats the suitors, showing triumph over chaos and the return of order.

Odysseus can be considered a model for all humanists. The Odyssey displays him maintaining the highest degree of excellence in all his endeavors. His courage is tested time and time again as he approached the most daunting tasks such as facing giants and sorcerers, and even going to Hades (Homer 150). His discipline is displayed in the continual pursuit of his homeland despite the forces he wrestles.  His keen intellect is displayed through his ability to choose his words and actions carefully. His cunning speech deceives his enemies and persuades new friends in order to defeat or win favor. His manners and use of words is so good, that he wins favor with the princess Nausicaa of Phaeacia, despite his nude and ravaged appearance (Homer 81). His physical strengths are seen every time he competes. After all the suitors fail, he is the only one more than able to string the great bow and shoots it precisely through the axe holes (Homer 286). He proves his vastly superior athleticism when he competes at the Phaeacian games and out does all the competition (Homer 99). His knowledge of strategy and war is evident through his conquests of cities and kingdoms (Homer 96). His patience and temperance are evident in the insightful plans to defeat the Cyclops and the suitors (Homer 118, 216). As a whole, Odysseus and his struggles manage to convey a viable exemplar of a true humanist.

The Odyssey also contains, however, contradicting elements of humanism that seem to raise the question of whether or not it accurately portrays humanism. While Odysseus has heroic qualities of achievement, he’s often portrayed as weak and easily fallible to vices such as women and pride, specifically hubris. The obvious cases of his temptation of women can be seen with Calypso and Circe (Homer 66, 133). He easily succumbs to the temptation of women and forgets about his wife Penelope whom, in cases he mentions her, he desperately longs to see.

Odysseus’s pride is another obstacle that interferes with his success many times. While kleos, the Greek word for glory, was something to be sought out and cherished in Ancient Greece, too much can cause devastating effects and invoke hubris, considered the greatest of sins in ancient Greece. Hubris is the overabundance of self pride that causes arrogance and self confidence, usually resulting in showing off or putting someone down for personal gratification. This was illustrated during Odysseus’s encounter with the Cyclops Polyphemus when he taunts the Cyclops after cunningly escaping from his captivity (Homer 123). Odysseus’s hubris almost cost him his life and the lives of his crew members when the giant threw boulders at his ship. Additionally, even after surviving the close call, he gloated even more, disclosing his name to the one eyed giant who later proved to be Poseidon’s son.  His overabundance of pride resulted in causing more problems than any other single factor throughout his quest to return home. Hubris also is seen when retribution is being served. Clear cases of this occurred when Odysseus slaughter’s his betrayers and the suitors. He mutilated and butchered Melanthius and ruthlessly beheaded Leodes even after he asked for forgiveness (Homer 292, 296). He also killed all but twelve maids after they were ordered to clean up the bloody corpses. These examples are presented as paradoxical to the notion of humanism and the honor, virtue and excellence it stands for.

These faults, however, can be cleverly considered one of two ways. At first glance, one can view Odysseus as a proud individual of self-indulgence who does his best to boost his image while disregarding the life of anyone who undermines him. On the other hand, further examination reveals that Odysseus is battling normal human struggles and vices. When considering the cause and effect of his actions, the reader is shown not what to do, but what not to do. His love of women caused him to stay with the beautiful Calypso for seven years while his hubris causes even more immense problems with Poseidon’s fury. The humanistic theme is preserved when the work is read as an honest portrayal of the human condition illustrating the challenges faced when striving to actualize ones desires and achieve arête. It depicts Odysseus as a normal human who’s fallible and imperfect despite his reputation and ideals. His mistakes never prevent him from achieving his desire no matter what the misery. Humanism involves cultivating one’s life through temperance by avoiding the obstacles and vices that hinder fulfillment.  The Odyssey vividly conveys the essence of persisting to overcome struggles through its characters.

The Odyssey further exemplifies the humanistic element as a quintessential work of literature. The complex characters, deep storylines, and metaphorical relationships embody the holistic quality of writing one would expect from a humanistic work. Even its prose and syntax reinforce the idea of arête by providing a concise and relatable text that has endured as an unparalleled work of art. The word andra, or man, placed as the very first word of The Odyssey proves to further signify the importance of man in a Homeric world.

The Odyssey provides the first example of a human’s will being the central component of their fate. Everything about it points to the significance of man in creating his world. This provided the framework of western thought that has propelled so much of our achievement. This Homeric epic shaped the ancient Greek culture that emphasized the importance of man seeking arête to cultivate his world. This introduced the importance of an individual’s thought and ability to reason, prompting the philosophy of modern humanities, modern democracy, and modern science. Whatever Homer’s original intent, he was successful at epitomizing humanism in every element of The Odyssey.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Homer, and E.V.Rieu. The Odyssey. 3rd Ed.. London, England: The Penguin Group, 1946.

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the world wants something its never seen before. Its tired with the duplication. I look around and i’ve been it all before. theres nothing to hold onto but old memories of my first time. i dont know if this is the trend of growing up, or if the world is getting harder and harder to find originality. the internet and media and communication floods my senses every day with images that, while they seem like the present, sound like the same old story. day after day. the same music, the same political lies, the same advertisements, the same promises, the same routine, the same lifestyles. Because variety is so accessible,its worthless and unoriginal. What is genuine in this world? Is this just getting older? Is my mind playing tricks on me?

Every new piece of knowledge takes me farther along my journey, carrying me above a previous clarity, only to show me how unclear it all is. And, at the same time, i know i’m better for it. why, i can’t figure out. maybe ignorance is a far better state. What i need to do is organize my thoughts. I need to make it very clear for myself the expectations i hold. I need to focus and visualize exactly what i want without contradicting myself with every newfound revelation. I want to be honest with myself, but i want to pursue a worthwhile endeavor without having to stop and redirect my path and recalibrate my progress with every new insight. its debilitating.

What i need is a muse. I found that muse is love. Before that i found it in self-pity. More recently my muse has been the sheer thought of excellence. Although the ideas of excellence is ever growing and expanding, its not alive and offers no intimate dynamic. not like love or self-pity. I will say that the most regrettable times in my life were those when i found myself wrapped up in self. the best were those when i was thinking of others. in regards to love, ive yet to find something so impressionable, so life giving, invigorating and exhilarating. coaxing my inner voice to speak up and setting my passions ablaze, love breaths a restless vigor for more.

a muse? where can i find a muse. so here i am. i feel less accomplished than usual. my mind is preoccupied. where do i find answers? The answer ive always gave myself has been that i must make these answers.

livid lambent

the world is getting a little grayer. The appeal of things once held in esteem now seem jaded. My thoughts keep taking me further, brightening new worlds and instilling me with new feelings. The parallels sketch on wonderful new meaning, coloring life like never before. I feel less apart of the crowd though. A shift in paradigms has left me with a new appreciation. Wherever I end up I’ll be happy so long I seek the passions that convict me most.

the world is getting a little grayer. The appeal of things once held in esteem now seem jaded. My thoughts keep taking me further, brightening new worlds and instilling me with new feelings. The parallels sketch on wonderful new meaning, coloring life like never before. I feel less apart of the crowd though. A shift in paradigms has left me with a new appreciation. Wherever I end up I’ll be happy so long I seek the passions that convict me most.

I thought this was hilarious.

“”””””””
The engineering department of a defense plant at Newburgh, New York, has been experimenting with steel wire, drawing it out very fine. They finally produced a piece of 120-gauge wire — practically invisible. The boys were proud — so proud, in fact, that they cut off a strand and sent it to a rival Japanese defense plant. “This is just to show you what we are doing in Newburgh,” they wrote.

Weeks went by. Recently, a package arrived at the Newburgh plant. The boys opened it with great care. Inside was a steel block; mounted on the block were two steel standards, and strung between them was the same piece of 120-gauge wire. At one end of the block was mounted a small microscope delicately focused on a certain spot on the wire. One by one the engineers placed an eye to the microscope and examined in silence the work of their rivals, who had bored, in the wire, a rather handsome little hole!
“”””””””

bitchin

gosh…

I’ve been doing tooo much. I feel like all I do is think or think about doing.

Although this is a bit taxing, it’s pretty amazing how its worked out. Before I always would think but have nothing important to think about. Recently, for the first time in my life, I’ve given myself so many commitments deemed important, all I do is think- and it’s getting me somewhere! finallyyy!
———–

soo…i’m in a pretty solid trance. I’ve been non stop since I got back from break. Every day I wake up at 7:30am.. hit snooze twice.. take a shower.. head to breakfast.. then drift to class from 8:30-12:30… followed by lunch and anywhere from 2-3 meetings or appointments in the afternoon on any given weekday. Usually I eat dinner at 5:00… finish up with meetings around 7:00… go lift… come back at 9:00… do homework till 12:00 and try getting to bed. Free time in between involves studying or planning or e-mailing or writing… Every day..

^^^^^^^^^^^

It’s been pretty out lately. Finally starting to get sunny and not so cloudy and gray. Beautiful crisp blue late winter skies. The trees are still bare but it doesn’t look so bad when it’s sunny. Anything but gray and wet. ew.

I love learning and knowledge… I loveeeeeeeeee learning new things.

I despise cigarettes. It happens once and a while… but I always chastise myself in the back of my mind. I see people huddled with their face stuffed in their jackets struggling to light their cigarettes with matches. They endure the cold and singe their bangs or nostril hairs just to get it lit. Then then suck it down like it was the key to some vacuous cavern in their chest. They suck it, and hold it in, and blow upwards in a euphoric satisfactory kind of way. ew. not cool.

********

I’m growin a lil beard.
I can’t wait till it gets warm enough to wear shorts and sunbath…and swim in brooks and splash in streams. I tried wearning sandals in some weird hope that it’d get warmer sooner… or that i’d convince myself it was warmer. Not a clever idea. toooo too cold.

i’m about to yawn… too tired.. night
night night!

What is?

Recent Reflections…

Faith is believing without seeing (having no proof). Belief is an idea accepted as being true. True is being in accordance with reality. Reality is something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.
An Idea is something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity.

If reality exists independent of ideas concerning it, how can one believe in reality?

To believe in reality is to believe in truth.

-In order to establish a reality, one must first seek to establish an idea. This requires faith that the idea is true. Believing in reality is pure faith.

(To prove an idea, it must be repeatedly demonstrated and tested to produce consistent conclusions. These consistent conclusions are evidence. A Proof is a sequence of steps, statements, or demonstrations that leads to a valid conclusion. A conclusion is a proposition concluded or inferred from the premises of an argument. A proposition is statement in which something is affirmed or denied, so that it can therefore be significantly characterized as either true or false. A premise is a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.)

So the saying goes.. whatever you seek, you will find.

To establish a conclusion, an idea must exist with an intent. Intention is an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. To determine is to limit (a notion) by adding differentiating characteristics. Characteristics are features that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; distinguishing marks or traits.
Acknowledging (recognizing or identifying) characteristics is to accept them as true.

Can a conclusion be established void of intent?

Faith is required with every initial premise until evidence is presented as valid or invalid. Then one can decide to accept or reject it as true.

Faith is believing without seeing. All belief is based on trust. Trust is a commitment to expect a certain outcome.

Free will allows us to think freely and choose what we seek and where we seek it.
We gain idea’s through observing the world around us.
Free will is the ability to freely seek our desires- our wants, our expressed wishes, our requests. Do we decide these desires? What are our desires?

Whether you think you are right or wrong, you are right. Knowing this, how do we rely on our own judgment?

Establishing an idea and accepting it as true does not mean it conforms with an absolute reality.

Are truths made any more or less real whether we believe them to exist or not?

The less we seek to know, the less we think to seek.

********

If reality exists independent of ideas concerning it, how can one believe in reality?

If you do believe in a reality, what reality do you believe in? How can we know what is truth? Is absolute reality anything we find when we seek pure truth? Even though we may not know what pure truth is, must we seek before we find?

Things to think about.

When something is created, did it ever before exist? Does something need to exist before it can be materialized? Does something only exist when it is actualized?

Does an idea exist before it is thought? Before it is spoken? Before it is written? Before it is materialized or actualized?

Do we create ideas or do we find ideas?

Do we find ideas, through observation, only after we can allow ourselves to see that they can exist?

Or, through observation, do we create idea’s only after we understand that they can exist?

Does knowledge have an origin? Do we create knowledge? Do we find knowledge?

Can we create knowledge? How do we create knowledge if there is nothing new under the sun, and knowledge exists forever permanent and unchanging?

If we create knowledge, did it ever exist before? or at the instant we created it, did we changed the metaphysical makeup of reality? For ourselves or for everyone?

Ideas, knowledge, and wisdom existed long before we claimed it as our accomplishment. We do not create the laws of reality. We find the laws that govern it.

Whether an idea be moral or natural, it has always existed. We do not decide natural laws, just as we do not decide moral laws. To pretend that natural laws are as relative as moral laws is pure foolishness.

We cannot bend or defy natural laws, only work against them, causing a struggle and conflict.
Can we observe a conflict when we try to bend moral laws?

Just as we can work against a natural law and we can observe conflict that occurs around us…

Can we observe and identify working against moral laws by examining the conflict that occurs around us?
Must we deny ourself (our ego, needs, desires, pride), when deciding whether a moral law is sound?

Is it moral if the intent benefits the person who deemed it so?

Are morals anything more than illustrations of ones intent for goodness and righteousness and truth?

Can you have any morals if you have bad intentions?

If everyone created their own moral laws, would there be conflict?

If everyone sought and agreed to one set of moral laws, would there be conflict?

***********

Right. God.

My recent thoughts:

God is everything that is right, true, perfect, and ideal. He encompasses what is right outside of our will. We do not decide what is right. What is right exists whether we decide to seek it or not. When looking to do right, we need to seek outside our own needs and think about what is right for everyone or everything. What is right is positive and encouraging. What is right may not be the best for me as a person, but it will benefit everyone on a whole. Consider if your thought or action would help the poorest, weakest person on earth. Seeking what is right is seeking the will of God. If the world was perfect we would never have to do wrong. Because the world is imperfect, we might be forced to do wrong. Imperfect situations cause us to do wrong in order to do right. If we were held at gunpoint and forced to lie in order to save the world, and if we told the truth the world would perish, and if we didn’t say anything, our family would be tortured- we would need to lie. Granted, situations like this are extremely improbable. If it were a perfect world, there would be no reason to lie to do right. We could always do right and never have negative consequences. But we live in a world where people choose to do wrong.

For every action there is a reaction. When you do wrong, conflict arises. It may affect you or someone else. When you do right, positive always things happen. Whether we like it or not, doing wrong causes destruction somewhere. To clarify, doing wrong is anything that is not right. There are many ways to do right, but the right solution always exists. Likewise, there are many ways to do wrong and they always leads to more wrong. Right may look different to different people, but if it is right, it will be positive to all.

God is that he is. He is not a person. He is not fickle or confused. He is perfect and infallible. He allows and stands for everything that is right. He does not cause bad things to happen. Bad things occur because people choose to do wrong. Sometimes bad things happen because of wrongs done long ago. The earth is tainted because of people doing wrong. If everyone did what is right, there would be no destruction or suffering. (The Bible describes the death and suffering as a result of original sin. The first wrong committed.)

God gave man free will. Free will is special. We can choose right or wrong freely. No matter what happens, we have the power of choice. If we are lost and don’t know what is right, or do not seek what is right, we will be victims of circumstance, conditioned like animals to react in order to survive. As soon as we realize that there is right, and it leads to intrinsic and extrinsic fulfillment, we can break free from reacting and we become empowered with the ability to make meaningful choices. (The Bible describes man being made in God’s image. This means man has the ability to make choices freely and create.)

Free will allows us to make decisions freely. We can do right many different ways. We can also do wrong many different ways. God, being perfect, is everything that is right. He cannot and is not anything that is wrong. Like light, where it exists, darkness cannot. Like light, God takes on many different forms. (As I think about this, I think about light and my mind tries to draw comparisons. Light is energy. They are synonymous. Energy is exhibited as a wave through light, elementary particles as bosons or fermions, and solids as matter. In the same way- regarding how the Bible describes God- he exists as three persons (father, son, spirit), but maintains his sovereignty as being whole. In the same way that energy cannot be created or destroyed, God always is and always will be. While we can see the results of doing right, and can the trace reason why it is right by examining the factors that contributed to the results, we do not know why doing right works. Just like we do not know why there are laws that govern nature. I attribute it to God. Others attribute it to convoluted reasons and justifications that don’t lead to any definite answers.)

Because we are born, we must learn how to make choices. Our environments affect our choices. We learn how to make good or bad choices by observing our parents and nature. If we are unaware that there is right, or fail to make the connection between doing right and its positive results, we remain largely lost and pursue meaningless endeavors.

Doing right is a personal struggle. We must learn to accept that there is always a right. That right exists. If we do not seek what is right, we are left deciding what is right and wrong. This is where we make destructive decisions. It’s part of the learning process when seeking right to make the wrong decision. If we do not seek what is right, and only seek to benefit what needs we see fit, we are bound to hurt people and make decisions that are destructive.

Life is rewarding when people seek right decisions. Doing right can be sought by obeying the Golden rule. Treating others how you want to be treated. This does not mean treat everyone like you, but acknowledging and being aware that every person has feelings and needs. This does not mean condoning behaviors that are destructive. It does means loving the person and hating the wrong. We should only be concerned with doing right in our own life and setting an example. Our lives will be a testament of our yearning for right.

Just like doing right leads to lasting rewards, there are always consequences for doing wrong. For every action there is a reaction. There will be conflict somewhere if people are doing wrong. Laws are in place to protect the people who are doing right from people who do wrong. Laws are not meant for those who seek what is right. They are for those who seek what is wrong.

“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers…” 1 Timothy 1:8,9

Those who do not seek what is right, but only obey the laws do not recognize that there is a right. They are lost. They see laws as simple constructs and guidelines that should be followed, but seek out their own desires and pay no attention to the wrong they do in the process to anyone else. They have the wrong intent.

We are meant to live a fulfilling life. It does not matter how we choose to do it as long as we seek right in everything we do.

People who say God doesn’t exist do not recognize that there is a universal right. Though they unconsciously obey the laws of nature, they fail to recognize the moral laws that promote life. If they do, they attribute them to cultural factors and matters of survival. What they fail to realize is that the very morals practiced to keep people surviving and promote lasting fulfillment work because they are right. God is everything that is right.

People fail to see the connection between doing right and God. God is right, and they should see right. People fail to see why doing right leads to positive results. They attribute their success to their own abilities instead of attributing it to simply doing right. They swell with pride and think that they make their success. What that don’t realize is that they only followed the directions, they simply did what was right, and whats right always works. Doing right breeds lasting success, achievement, progress, and life. Its no wonder that the jargon surrounding survival of the fittest makes so much sense. The consequences of doing right leads to lasting life, stability, security and fulfillment.

*******

It would take people an eternity to be perfect and always do right. We learn right through observation and trial and error. We observe the consequences of certain actions and adopt them. Simply mimicking the actions and failing to grasp the true intention of doing right is futile. It’s like chasing dust in the wind. Every action should contain the intention of doing right.

Books help illustrate what right is. We learn through books and observe consequences and situations in order to refine our understanding of what right is.

Doing right is God. This statement is not meant to distort the nature of what right is, or what God is. God is not what we think is right. It is right for all, apart from ourselves. By observing what is right, we learn to understand God’s nature.

The Bible is not rules to be followed. It is not stories of brutality and bloodshed. It is a depiction of God’s essence. Anything good can be seen or used for bad if the intent is not right. If you are not seeking what is right, you can take something good, and make it bad. The Bible is nothing more than stories of people learning to do right. The Jews are the people who learn what is right through trial and error. Whenever you do wrong, conflict will arise. It is not God standing on clouds instructing people to be killed. The Bible is an illustration of what happens naturally when people choose to do wrong.

Whether you attribute natural or moral laws to God or not, they still exist. Right decisions are those that are good for everyone, even the weakest and poorest person. Acknowledging and learning that they exist is part of our life and the process of getting to know God. Why they exist is apart of accepting that there is a God.

To deny God is to deny that there is always a right. This allows us to choose what is right. When this happens, there is disharmony. People begin choosing what they decide is right, and fail to think about what is right for everyone. This causes huge conflicts as people begin justifying wrong for right.

There is a greater good and right. To be aware of them and seeking to follow them allows for a life of greater fulfillment and ease.

*************
Love

The Bible provides a reference point, a visible standard and direction to guide people. Getting to know God, or getting to know what is right, is a personal process. It takes time and experience.

Being a personal process, I do not believe it is anyone’s job to change peoples mind to believe in God. Each person who knows and understands there is a God needs to be an example by pursuing what is right. The desire for right should be visible to anyone who comes across it. It should not be about rules or following guidelines. It should be about love, and doing right and helping people to do right. Love is selfless.

Love is selfless. Love is entirely about other people. Loving people means helping and encouraging them to do and be better, to improve their life. The fact that we can love people at all, that we have the ability to make others lives better is a miracle. Through words and actions, we provide people with hope and fulfillment, a better life. People can accept or reject our love. Because love is selfless, this does not matter. We realize what is right, and we continually show our love. Love makes the world better. Those who do not accept love are selfish. They do not advocate helping others. They discourage it by refusing to receive it. They deny any right, positive, encouragement people have to offer. This indicates that they are not seeking what is right.

You cannot love by hurting people. Love is not wrong. Love is everything that is right. Loving is showering someone with everything that you know to be right and good, despite the cost to you.

God loves us. The fact that there is always a right answer confirms this. The fact that we can seek and find right at all shows Gods love. Whether people like to attribute love as something that God intentionally did or not does not dismiss that right exists, and people can give what knowledge of right they know to others. This is Love. God does the same.

********

the fire of inspire.

Inspiration comes unannounced like a flash of lightning across rain swept skies. Why then, in the darkest of nights whilst facing the most unkindly of tempests, do men hide themselves? Why, rather than pressing on to secure their footing in high places, do they retreat to familiar grounds of no protection? They cease their search and shut their eyes and wait for the surges of doubt and self-pity to recede as hope slips into the darkness they’ve hid themselves in. Never retreat. The march is slow and arduous, but you should never travel backwards. Move forward to higher ground, let inspiration light the way. No guarantee of tomorrow only provides men with their magnificent dreams of today. Never give up on your dreams.
It’s been said: “We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake…” (RAY)

Life.

I yearn for this inspiration that moves me and my thoughts in the most unconventional and original ways. It’s effortless. When examining the beauty there are no imperfections.

I think life is a feeling. When we aren’t feeling we aren’t living. They’re a good indicator of whether our thoughts are working for us or not. I’m not sure why I ever doubt. The only reason one is to doubt is if his feelings aren’t lining up with his expectations.

When I search for these pure feelings and wholesome thoughts, I’m caught looking through a prism of possibilities. A kaleidescope of color. It’s frustrating to change the way your perceive things. Experiences have taught to test and act on anything that seems to line up with worthwhile convictions. Don’t harbor the opinions and philosophies that guide your thoughts without testing their resilience.

The birds are outside fluttering back and forth from tree to tree.

———

I’m getting depressed. It’s been pretty cold, and gray, and raining the past week. On Saturday I went snowboarding. That was fun. The weather was exceptional. Freezing cross winds were made up by the plentiful sunshine.

Now when I say depressed it means different things to me at different times. Im trying to rationalize this stint of discontent and apathy. Depression to me is not feeling sad, but feeling nothing. I don’t get depressed when I’m sad. I get depressed when I cease feeling. I would rather feel bad than not feel at all. I feel like I’m being stifled. I feel like the people, the environment, and my thoughts are imprisoning my feelings. I tried doing homework yesterday. It was a failure. I’ll finish it today. Pop some aderall and stick my head in the books. Where’s my drive? Where’s my passion? It’s so vague. I want it overflowing into every crevasse of my life. It’s no where to be seen. Plain. Old.

These pathetic people. Everyone believes whatever the fuck they wanna believe. These people all around me. It doesn’t even matter what truth of reality awaits them. I feel trapped and suffocated. gr. I don’t even know what to think or feel. I’m getting some food.

Losing Mind

Im losing my fucking mind. I wanna snap. There is nothing rational about my feelings or mentality right now. I wanna start beating the shit outta people. Anyone that fuckin crawls under my skin. I wanna gnash and lash and whip and freak the fuck out. I am sick and fuckin tired. Of fake fuckin smiles. Of having nothing to say to any of these pieces of worthless shit. I’m freakin outta my skin. I wanna blow up. I dont wanna be nice. I dont wanna pretend. I wanna speak my fuckin mind. I dont wnana be sensitive. FUck that shit. God i wanna beat the fuck outta those pieces of fuckin shit smartasses who think they’re oh so fuckin cool. Those slut ass cocky bitches. I wanna drive and get reckless and be furious with hormonally charged impulses of rampage. I wanna break fire upon everyone who looks at me like they fuckin know me. I dont wanna know you. I wanna crawl up into a fuckin cesspool of shit and drown myself. These feelings are crawling all over me. Scaling my body from the inside out. In my mind. This disease of negativity is eating me alive. This viral infection inseminating any good intentions. Im being struck down one thought at a time with these animalistic urges to expose any decency i built to retain. I wanna let go. I wanna punch you in the fuckin face. I wanna ruin you life with my stare. Staring you right in the eye. Burning a whole through your soul. You haven’t known hurt and emptiness and fearlessness like this. You cocky piece of shit. You think you’re tough. You think you know it all. I don’t give a fuck about you or your life or what you think. If you wanna piece of me I’ll fuckin bleed my life all over you. one bloody fist of rage at a time until im mashing a hole in your head and smiling with bloody bright red glee. Ruin me. Cut me. Beat me break me smash me peirce me. You can never have my fuckin will. I will never break. I will while my smiling death stare. I will look towards the sky and gurgle my blood and beat you with my bones. I wanna hang myself with your guts. I wanna bath in your blood, drown myself in your excrement. Its a downward spiral thats soo easy to slide down. You don’t have to try. You don’t have to collect your thoughts. You have to act on impulses only. There is no love, only hate. I have a black heart.