Tagged: love
Motivation Clarification
Fellow parents are likely aware of the advice, “Don’t worry about reading your child the perfect books; the fact that you’re reading is enough. The data between children who weren’t read to and the children who were is clear. But beyond that, no sub-category yet exists. Just read to them.”
While dark, my last post was essentially in the same vein. The reason motivational speakers “motivate” is because the person “needing motivation” sought them out. Action began the process, not speech. Motivational speakers don’t work because the cheerleading and encouragement and advice is actually necessary and effective. Again, let’s keep things in order. First, the person decides to act. Then, and only then, the motivational speaker/writer sees an opportunity to monetize or simply seek glory.
You may ask, “If you believe you lost, what, then, is your ‘action’, Pete, if not to ingest motivation to persevere? You’re not saying that it’s hopeless. You’re saying something worse, that the fight is over. What, then, do you do with your time?”
Great question.
I wait.
I’m Tired of Motivational Speaking and Writing
If you’re of a mind to think thoughts in any direction besides Left, you have to admit that the end of all scrolling is motivational circle-jerks. The last two articles I’ve read, one sent by a close friend, were of this sort. The singular theme running through all of them, whether in words like “Remnant” or “Silent Supporter,” is “Keep at it!” and “Persevere!”
I’m tired of them.
Since when did motivational speaking and writing eclipse all other forms?
What exactly caused this shift of the West’s ideal archetype from “mentally strong” to “emotionally inspired”? Wealth? Abundance? Ignorance? Leisure? Nature? Nurture?
No different than how it is a lie that systemic racism exists in America, it is a lie that individual motivation results from exhortation and admonishment.
You are weak and will fail if you need outside sources motivating you in order to act. Individual action is not the result or effect of cheerleading, it is the cause of cheerleading. In life, you, capital Y, have to want it. No one else can tell you to want it. As we’re observing moment to moment, the opposition is counterfeit opposition. We’re placing our hope in confidence men.
Here’s the problem: the Left daily, definitively, boundlessly, and successfully employs the power of shame to achieve its desires. Put another way, the problem is “shamelessness” is more powerful than “truth.”
And no matter how many pep rally’s those outside the Left conjure in response, this problem is simply and unavoidably depressing.
The truth is we just lose. Someone’s got to.
Helping A Friend: Introducing “Book God the podcast”
Peter Adams is my friend. More than a friend, I would call him a “thematic offspring” of mine—when he’s not listening. Well, like me, he isn’t afraid of books. But unlike me, he isn’t afraid of podcasting. So he finally began the podcast that he has been dreaming up for the past four months. And I had told him, to encourage and taunt him, that I’d throw up a post supporting his endeavor when he finally got three episodes out. You can listen to it here, where you’ll also find links to it on any of the many podcast listening apps: Book God the podcast.
I know Peter, so it’s difficult for me to be objective. But I love the podcast. It’s the only podcast of its kind, and there’s just something about it—maybe his voice—that keeps my hands off my phone as I listen. Episodes are about 30 mins. It’s great to listen to while exercising, or eating, or when you just need to escape. In fact, that’s the best word for it. Episodes of “Book God the podcast” are probably the greatest escape in the podcast-o-sphere.
In any case, I have done my part. (Hope you’re happy, Peter.) Check it out: Book God the podcast.
Final Thoughts On The Pandemic
I finally contracted COVID-19. Obviously I didn’t die.
Honestly, it wasn’t even bad. About ten years ago I used to get “strep throat” every winter. That would take me out for two weeks during which I would have have a horrible sore throat that made life pretty miserable. I eventually decided to have my tonsils removed and voila! No more strep throat.
I wanted to write this post to record how ridiculous this disease behind the whole pandemic was. To begin, I’ll share that I often comment to my family that the “West” is simply depressed. We are in a great “psychological” depression, nothing more, I say. I share this assessment here because it may help paint the picture I have of this disease. The worst part of the disease is psychological.
I never felt that bad. Sure, I had the fever. And I wished it would be gone every day. And it wasn’t. But that was it.
The very odd, and I mean unconscionably odd, part was that no one—not one medical professional I spoke with—offered me any help. As in, I would call this number for work. And they asked some administrative questions. Then I would call this number at the hospital. And the doctor asked some clarifying questions and scheduled a test. Then at the test, I took the test. There was some small chitchat. That was it.
No one ever suggested Tylenol or Advil. No one asked if I needed something stronger than OTC drugs.
The world is going to shit over this, I thought?
No, I answered, the world is going to shit over fear. Some generation of absolutely weak-minded and untested humans, spread thoroughly around the globe, gave up their minds to so-called “experts” and “science”. They gave up their minds.
I can’t be more clear here. The worst I ever felt was when I saw the email notification that the test result came in. I really had wanted to stay clear of all the nonsense. I only took the test because I figured work would want to know. And as I read “positive” I can’t deny there was a haziness to my vision. I mean, what should I expect? This was a killer disease. Just fatal. A plague by all accounts. And I had it. I stared at my phone screen, having logged into a newly created account (store that pw same place as the others), and the word stared right back at me. After lingering in this interaction of mind and language for a bit, I got bored. Then I remembered. What the fuck am I doing? I have a fever. That’s it.
This whole thing started because…because… Why did this whole thing start? Because a generation of absolutely weak-minded and untested humans, spread thoroughly around the globe, gave up their minds to so-called “experts” and “science”. They gave up their minds.
To all you “anti-vaxxers” and generally free-thinkers who never gave an inch: Well done. To the rest of you, never again. Never again will I even show cordiality when you try to shame me into compliance with groupthink. Stay outta my way.
Overdue Post on “Justice”
Socrates via Plato used a lot of ink when writing about the meaning of what translators call “justice”. It’s fun to read. And it might actually take that much ink to make the point. But this post will take a stab at summarizing him.
In short, the whole “social justice”, “racial justice”, “economic justice” scene could be silenced by swapping out the word “justice” for a word which means what Socrates and Plato were talking about. To be clear, “justice” is a fairly empty word. I agree that something needs attention right now, but the word “justice” is impotent and distracting.
Q: What word would help our current political dialogue resolve itself and captures the content Socrates and Plato provided?
A: Alignment
Change “we need social justice” to “we need social alignment” and now the conversation moves places.
Change “there needs to be racial justice” to “there needs to be racial alignment” and now the discussion gets interesting.
Change “don’t stop until we get economic justice” to “don’t stop until we get economic alignment” and now the debate is over.
As it stands, you (even me) are being baited by calls for justice. That is all. Until we get specific with the language, the powerful speakers are laughing at their easy use of the non-specific language of “justice” (itself deriving its supposed moral power from the Bible’s sometimes use) to cause confusion and grab more power, all while we’re debating the volume of emptiness.
You say you want justice. How about alignment? Do you want social alignment, racial alignment, and economic alignment?
I’m not asking you to decide if my understanding of Socrates is correct. I’m asking you to clarify for me what you mean. Can you? Do you even know what you mean?
One Example of Allowing the Gospel To Ferret Out the Lie That Is BLM And To Cast Down The False God George Floyd, Followed By Advice for Irritated Christians.
“Black Lives Matter!”
“No. Paul wrote, ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’”
“But you don’t understand. Black and brown people have been unduly oppressed for far too long. Now is the time for justice. Black Lives Matter!”
“Nope. Paul wrote, ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’”
“We’re not at church, man. This isn’t some ideal world. This is the real world. You’re either with us in our long overdue support of Black and Brown people, or you’re a white supremacist. Black Lives Matter!”
“Not true. Paul wrote, ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’”
“Is that all you know? One verse? Do you think it is working on me? The Bible is about justice, man. You can’t take one verse and throw it around and think you’re going to change minds. I’m not saying that Paul’s wrong. It’s a nice thought. But we’ve got to help the Black and Brown people right now. They have been oppressed for far too long. It’s the system that needs to change. Black Lives Matter!”
“‘A nice thought?’ Interesting. If you liked that one, how about this thought? The Bible says George Floyd deserved to die-”
“-what?”
“-I’m not finished. You asked for more than a verse right? I’d ask you to let me finish. The Bible also says that Derek Chauvin is currently receiving patience and grace. I believe that with all my heart. But I also believe those two points are fairly irrelevant. More relevant is the next one. The Bible says you and me are receiving grace and patience from the only god, the one true god, the god before whom every knee will bow, before whom every man will confess that Jesus Christ is lord of all. What do you think about that? Do you think the Bible is right? Are you receiving patience and grace? Or no?”
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People. As stated in earlier posts, I am doing my best to avoid reading the political commentary, especially the left’s marketing team known as “conservative political commentary.” But no matter how hard I try, I can’t kill the hope that there is hope. So I watch. I watch the conservatives. And they always lose. I never see a “leftist” give an inch. Instead, I see the Left continually gaining inroads. And I see the Truth preaching to the choir.
Read your Bibles. The Truth, Victory itself, is not found by “reasoning”. It is not in “logic” or “good points”.
The “Left”, the “collectivists”, the “racists”, the “communists”, the whole lot of them, will never be defeated by an argument.
The battle is not one of ideas. It is not “logical idea” vs. “illogical idea.”
The battle is not between “cultures”. It is not “inclusive culture” vs. “exclusive culture”.
The battle is Truth vs. Lie.
Tell the Truth.
Admit the Left isn’t budging. Admit the argument for “individualism” isn’t growing. And, finally, admit that the battle is the LORD’s. Fight with the Gospel. The Gospel is not that black and brown people were saved by Jesus’ blood sacrifice and all-powerful resurrection. The Gospel is that Jesus died for you. Just you. The end state of the conversation is your opponent saying this exact same thing.
In brief:
Why is BLM a lie? See the Gospel via Paul.
Why is communism a lie? See the Gospel via Moses.
Why is racism a lie? See the Gospel via David.
Christians: we are the only people who can possibly make a dent, and we’re the only people who also know that God may not want the judgement to be delayed. We’re to offer our lives as examples of hope for the unseen. We must not fall prey to the appeal of using worldly tactics. We’re not unique because we’re mathletes. Life isn’t last Saturday’s high school debate tournament in overtime.
In life, our weapon is Truth—specifically scripture. Read it. Study it. Repeat it. If you offer it, like in the above example, and the opposition won’t have it, that’s on them. But once you test what I’m saying, you’ll see with your own eyes that the Left will engage it. This is because they are working for the devil. And he is a liar. He actually thinks he wins. The Gospel is that he already lost. Your job is to let the supernatural, unseen spiritual realm go to work. Use the Gospel against what you perceive are lies.
Lastly, watch out. It’s a two way street. You (we) may find some uncomfortable truths in this process too.
Are You Incited?
There’s another element that no one but me will dare to mention. Why won’t they? Because they’re actively pushing an agenda (being: life without consequences is the best life). This, of course, is their prerogative. All I ever ask is that we all tell the truth.
This post is not meant to rally the conservatives or preach to the choir. I am writing directly to literate BLMers. It is my intention to incite all three of them.
It’s not their attempt to deify the uncommonly poor decision maker George Floyd that bothers me. It’s that they also, indirectly and at times directly, idolize cowardly bystanders. The Bible commends the good Samaritan. BLM is the priest. BLM is the Levite.
This didn’t happen in the alleyway down below at 2:30am on Kitty Genovese Avenue. Having occurred during broad daylight doesn’t make the situation worse for the police, and it does make the situation worse for George Floyd. Hint—most folks (even those with vices) know that “night time is the right time” for shameful behaviors.
Wyatt Earp’s actions during the famous OK Corral shootout were captured by a journalist in the phrase that said Earp was “cool as a cucumber” during the gunfight. What law enforcement training program did Earp receive his certificate from, again? Which department would our wild ancestors have gone to to file a complaint against Earp? Dodge City? Anyone able to pull up those records quick? Siri, a little help?
You BLMers are so fed up with white supremacy and cops killing blacks that every time it happens you stop to watch the black man or woman die? And not just stop, but record the killing (and your cowardly inaction) for posterity sake? How do you sleep at night? All week we have read about how all those known as Gen Y, Millenials, Gen Z, iGen, and younger, those who see racism imprinted in the very institutions of America—in their own parents—so clearly and darkly, aren’t really even hopeful that Chauvin will be convicted. And all these self-same youngsters with the most penetrating eye, when they see a man being murdered, instead of help him, they capture it on film? Give me a break. You just didn’t want George and friends to head towards you when he got up. Tell the truth.
George Floyd would still be alive if just one observer—just one—would’ve taken action against the officers. The ensuing chaos would’ve, at the least, bought time for the man’s enlarged heart (why do I know the size of this man’s heart?) to slow down, and at the most, the ensuing chaos—lifesaving as it would’ve been—would’ve made the news for its model of a proper way to intervene the next time Ol’ Whitey gets the idea to kill a black man. (And we all know there will be a next time, wink wink.)
Would that observer have suffered some kind of negative consequence for his or her action? Probably. But the newest god, George Floyd, would have missed his chance at immortality and be alive and well today, right? And that’s the most important thing, isn’t it? Isn’t it? Isn’t drawing breath the most important value in America? Breathing clean air is why we’re doing any of this, isn’t it? Going green, rewriting history, colonizing Mars, and filming black people as they die. It’s all about guaranteeing clean air to breathe into uncompressed lungs.
That’s as far as BLM has gotten. We could be naked, cold, and hungry, but if we’re all naked, cold, and hungry, maybe they’ll write a book about us.
Are you incited?
Midwestern Perspective on the Chauvin Trial
This post is a time capsule for me. It will convey two distinct but related thoughts. The first is why folks like me do not see the death of George Floyd as “murder, plain and simple.” The second is why folks like me want Chauvin to be found not guilty.
As to the first, decapitation kills every human. Every human. Every time. Drowning kills every human. Every human. Every time. A certain amount of blood loss kills every human. Every human. Every time.
Does a knee to the back and/or neck of a person kill that person, every person, every time? The fact that it can be argued or needs some kind of demonstration to determine it proves my point. But to be clear, no. No, Derek Chauvin’s knee to the neck does not kill a human every time. No it doesn’t. Not with certainty. So it’s not “murder, plain and simple.” Next point.
Why do I want Chauvin to be found “not guilty”? To help you understand, let me relate how I felt in 2016 when the NY Times election meter showed Trump was winning. I was excited at a level that was out of body for me. Why? Because I wanted Trump to win? No. I couldn’t care less if Trump won or Hillary won. I was excited because Trump was not supposed to have a chance. Everyone who thought that they had a brain, every expert, believed they knew for sure—evidence-based—that Trump had no chance. But I knew that almost all the people I knew where definitely voting for Trump. Either I was wrong or the experts were wrong. In short, when Trump won, I won.
Same thing on this Chauvin trial. Why do I want the jury to declare him not guilty? Because I believe he’s not guilty? No. I couldn’t care less if he is guilty or not guilty. But I know that the majority of people I know are saying that it is just “obvious” that cops are racist and that cops are killing unarmed blacks by the droves. “It is a theme of existence in America,” they would have me believe. But when the jury votes “not guilty”, then I win. Because in the court of law, the evidence and arguments presented to the jury is what matters—not mob rule. And the mob—BLM—needs to disperse and go home.
America is not racist. America is not based on or built on racism. A “not guilty” verdict will help end the BLM lie. It will help disperse the mob. BLM is a joke, always has been, and it will be forgotten as a #trending “huge movement of the teens and twenties” by teens or those as mature as teens, like stonewash jeans and braided leather belts of yesterday. BLM is already getting tired. They are already fearful. They have no plan for the “not guilty” verdict. Their plan for the “guilty” verdict is to wait for the next video of an unarmed black man being killed by a policeman. And it is long past time for them to quit like their kind always does. BLM is built on sand. The “not guilty” verdict will reveal this to the world. That’s why I want it. I am right. I will win. These events will be remarked by historians as the time when rich people got really mad that bad things happen.
Week In Review—Shotgun Style
My daughter’s school district sent out the anonymous “don’t be ashamed” but “your child has to go into quarantine” email yesterday. This is the second time. Education should erase fear, not promote it. Public Schools must be abolished.
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I have officially passed the tipping point. I do not think earthly happiness can be achieved without owning a Rodecaster Pro podcast production studio.
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I usually feel pretty smart. Okay, I usually feel very smart. But these days I think I feel how geniuses must feel. You see my oldest daughter is 3/4 round-eye, the other 1/4 being Asian. And my youngest daughter is 1/2 DFPWHTSSTACSO (Descended From People Who Have The Same Skin Tone As Colonial Slave Owners) and the other 1/2 Habesha or never conquered or—to your eyes—black (which is the same). So I think I’m one of the good guys—just like my ancestors used to be.
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As far as Megan Rapinoe, I only want to share what a stripper told me one night as we critically, but casually, surveyed the other Independent Professional Entertainers on the floor. (Don’t ask me. Something to do with taxes.) She said, “The hair color we were born with adorns our body as beautifully as possible. It matches our face and skin and complexion perfectly.”
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Lastly, some hope. I overheard an elderly patient on one of my flights this week lament upon hearing that she still had to put on a mask when we landed at the gaining hospital. “But I’ve had both of my vaccinations,” she declared irritated. In this case, like most, the customer is always right. As the hospitals return to normalcy, the public will too. And hopefully we’ve learned to never again trust health experts while we have our health. Or Democrats.
Morning Motivation
Two quick thoughts that make me smile:
Firstly, if you stop reading political columnists/pundits (as I recently have), flipping through and, subsequently past, even so-called news headlines is a breeze—as apparently there’s hardly any actual newsworthy events to report. And no news is good news.
Secondly, as a pilot I have to take flight physicals. These used to be a breeze mentally because I was a twenty year old in excellent shape. Now, double that age, the last few (still passing of course) have been mentally stressful because I’m not a twenty year old in excellent shape. To alleviate this, I’ve started a fitness routine to handle and control that stress. The motivational point is this: I am probably half way through this life and have never had to run for exercise, beyond a few tests for school and the Air Force. Never. Are you going to tell me that after 40 I will start running? After 41? How about after 50? Think I’m going to develop a habit of running after 50? No sir. Take that to its conclusion and that means that I will have made it through life on planet earth without running. That’s something to marvel at.
Captain’s Log 