Robin Hood . . . a man, an idea - a thief. I have recently finished my first version of Robin Hood - which I thoroughly enjoyed - and am now moving on to the next chapter in the saga.
The folktale has been turned by many different authors into successful novels all of which I am planning on reading. Once the bug bites you you want to read everything ever written about this famous man, Mr. Robin of Locksley.
I have always adored the Robin Hood tales. A story about someone so brave and dashing . . . I cannot but be enthralled. The countless renditions of this classic story through music, media and books proves that people have always found Robin Hood fascinating.
What have people through the ages found so gripping? Was it that he was one of the first people bequeathed Super Hero status? Or perhaps that while he considered himself above the law, he still used his awesomeness to help the poor instead of using his "powers" for his own gain? Or was it that he stood against the tyrant Prince John and did what he could to halt the growing of John's power by stealing the people back their taxes?
I believe that the appeal of Robin Hood is different for everyone. Some people probably just appreciate the love story between Maid Marian and Robin (I know I do) while others find in it a fulfilling philosophical argument - is it right to steal from the rich to give to the poor if the rich are taxing the poor right to their graves?
Everything in it draws me to the story, from the dashing and honorable Robin, to the beautiful and good Marian. The loyal Much and Will Scarlett, to the evil and unscrupulous Sheriff of Nottingham. The characters are timeless . . .
Robin Hood is a myth. . . but his tale could very well be true. His story of love and loss, honor and thievery is very likely based on truth of the times. Who is to say that in Sherwood there was not once a man named Robin Hood, who with his band of Merry Men made life for the poor of Nottingham a little easier, and stood with all of this heart against the tyranny of John . . .
P.S. - Ms. Hawkins I am SO sorry that your comment never got shown! I accidentally pushed "reject" instead of "publish". Please forgive me! It was an honest error. You comment was very encouraging! Thank you for reading!
Enchanted Etymologist
14 June 2010
21 March 2010
Anthem
(See below for explanation)
The Death of Logos
The spirit . . . the mind – how different are these two entities which inhabit the human psyche? The essence of the human – I am, I think, I will – is found in the mind. Most scholars would agree that the “spirit” or “soul” is the core of humanity. But isn’t the mind the core? It is with the mind that we think, feel, and create.
If the mind – the essence of “I” – is broken there is no longer an individual. The great “We” reigns supreme and there is no reason to have either guards or locks at the Palace of Corrective Detention. The mind – the will, the spirit – is broken. A being not capable of thought has no will, and thus is unable to act. To such a being self preservation means nothing, there is no self to preserve.
The person who has surrendered to the indoctrination of “We” has no desire to act in discordance of the whole. To this person that is all there is, the overwhelming desires of We. “I” has no place in the thoughts of the mindless. Persons with no will have no need of prison bars to hold them; they have tethered themselves by surrendering their ability to think. The creative thought which would make escape possible has been executed on the altar of the majority. The Council has nothing to fear – the prisoners have no desire to escape.
When will is surrendered along with conscious selfish thought the desire to live also perishes. What kind of existence is a life free of “I”? If there is no me to begin with, then the truth of the matter is that “I” am already dead, and a dead man needs not fear anything. The lone prisoner does not know to fear death, for what is death to him? He is not a person, not an individual. He does not exist – only “We”, and if “We” wills it then he is subject to the whim of “We”.
There is nothing to fear in death to the dead man, the only thing that he must fear is life. Living without a mind, a mindless existence, is a life that no man would – should – wish for; unable to act, to desire, to love, to think . . . to be. To be free one must have one’s own thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. If the ideas are another’s, then ego is a slave to the other’s superior mind. The thoughts must be owned, the desires personal. The majority may desire something – that does not bequeath it with goodness.
The prisoners have no will and no identity. The question raised – by the absolute void of will and inability to action – is why there are any locks at all. If the prisoner has no will, reason, or inclination to escape why go to the – fairly futile – effort of securing rusty locks? The answer can be found in the survival instinct humanity possess. When faced with dire straits – where death is imminent – life will break forth. The instinct to survive – even if there is no sense of self – remains intact. The fear of pain, the terror that the final death of the body holds for creatures awakens the latent and instinctive fear of death.
Though the prisoner may have a strong urge to save the body from pain, the lock on the door prevents him from attaining this goal. He lacks the creative and innovative thought necessary to formulate a plan at escape. The surrender which forbids him conscious thought has signed his death warrant and he is helpless to thwart the sentence.
Being carried away in the mob of majority is comfortable. In the crowd there is no pressure to make choices and thus no fear of mistakes. Thought – logic – is hard. It is bleak, sad and lonely . . . but if humanity does not use its soul – its mind – what are we but cattle? Cattle are beasts led by the wind and the grass, shuffled around by forces outside their control. The mind is the most important thing humanity possesses, and a logos – no thought – is the fatal weapon.
Is pleasure preferable to pain if in the bliss of ignorance one loses oneself?
EXPLANTAION: The Ayn Rand Institute hosts an "essay contest" every year for students. The essays are based on one of Ayn Rand's books and - depending on which grade you are in - you are allowed to write and submit one essay on either Anthem (8th, 9th or 10th grade) The Foutainhead (11th and 12th grade) or Atlas Shrugged which is for college students, graduate students and/or anyone who is "re-attending" college. I read Anthem - a good, if disturbing, book - and wrote an essay. My prompt for this paper was - "The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention indicate that prisoners never try to escape. Why do you think they do not? Explain." This might help you better understand the content! Hope you enjoyed. . .
The Death of Logos
The spirit . . . the mind – how different are these two entities which inhabit the human psyche? The essence of the human – I am, I think, I will – is found in the mind. Most scholars would agree that the “spirit” or “soul” is the core of humanity. But isn’t the mind the core? It is with the mind that we think, feel, and create.
If the mind – the essence of “I” – is broken there is no longer an individual. The great “We” reigns supreme and there is no reason to have either guards or locks at the Palace of Corrective Detention. The mind – the will, the spirit – is broken. A being not capable of thought has no will, and thus is unable to act. To such a being self preservation means nothing, there is no self to preserve.
The person who has surrendered to the indoctrination of “We” has no desire to act in discordance of the whole. To this person that is all there is, the overwhelming desires of We. “I” has no place in the thoughts of the mindless. Persons with no will have no need of prison bars to hold them; they have tethered themselves by surrendering their ability to think. The creative thought which would make escape possible has been executed on the altar of the majority. The Council has nothing to fear – the prisoners have no desire to escape.
When will is surrendered along with conscious selfish thought the desire to live also perishes. What kind of existence is a life free of “I”? If there is no me to begin with, then the truth of the matter is that “I” am already dead, and a dead man needs not fear anything. The lone prisoner does not know to fear death, for what is death to him? He is not a person, not an individual. He does not exist – only “We”, and if “We” wills it then he is subject to the whim of “We”.
There is nothing to fear in death to the dead man, the only thing that he must fear is life. Living without a mind, a mindless existence, is a life that no man would – should – wish for; unable to act, to desire, to love, to think . . . to be. To be free one must have one’s own thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. If the ideas are another’s, then ego is a slave to the other’s superior mind. The thoughts must be owned, the desires personal. The majority may desire something – that does not bequeath it with goodness.
The prisoners have no will and no identity. The question raised – by the absolute void of will and inability to action – is why there are any locks at all. If the prisoner has no will, reason, or inclination to escape why go to the – fairly futile – effort of securing rusty locks? The answer can be found in the survival instinct humanity possess. When faced with dire straits – where death is imminent – life will break forth. The instinct to survive – even if there is no sense of self – remains intact. The fear of pain, the terror that the final death of the body holds for creatures awakens the latent and instinctive fear of death.
Though the prisoner may have a strong urge to save the body from pain, the lock on the door prevents him from attaining this goal. He lacks the creative and innovative thought necessary to formulate a plan at escape. The surrender which forbids him conscious thought has signed his death warrant and he is helpless to thwart the sentence.
Being carried away in the mob of majority is comfortable. In the crowd there is no pressure to make choices and thus no fear of mistakes. Thought – logic – is hard. It is bleak, sad and lonely . . . but if humanity does not use its soul – its mind – what are we but cattle? Cattle are beasts led by the wind and the grass, shuffled around by forces outside their control. The mind is the most important thing humanity possesses, and a logos – no thought – is the fatal weapon.
Is pleasure preferable to pain if in the bliss of ignorance one loses oneself?
EXPLANTAION: The Ayn Rand Institute hosts an "essay contest" every year for students. The essays are based on one of Ayn Rand's books and - depending on which grade you are in - you are allowed to write and submit one essay on either Anthem (8th, 9th or 10th grade) The Foutainhead (11th and 12th grade) or Atlas Shrugged which is for college students, graduate students and/or anyone who is "re-attending" college. I read Anthem - a good, if disturbing, book - and wrote an essay. My prompt for this paper was - "The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention indicate that prisoners never try to escape. Why do you think they do not? Explain." This might help you better understand the content! Hope you enjoyed. . .
03 January 2010
Slumber Party Fun!
See below for an explanation of this story. . .
Death and Truth
It is so interesting this time we live in, you and I. So different from the ancient world in which I grew up. That place has now passed beyond myth and legend. No one knows the true story of the gods, how they came to be, what was their purpose. But I can tell you all you could ever wish to find out. Open your minds and discover the Truth.
Everything you know is a lie, now that is a very un-promising way to begin a tale, which I well know, but it is the Truth and you had best live with it. You think Zeus was King of the gods of Olympus and Hera was his cold-hearted Queen - hah - those days are long since past. The only power in this world is death. Everything, even the gods, tremble before it. It despises those who would try to outwit it such as Heracles and Theseus. Have you guessed yet who I am? Let me clue you in to my little secret. I am the consort of the most handsome and ruthless god of all. He is cold and majestic in his wrath and only those he favors can stand against death's boundless call. I am Persephone - the iron Queen - and this, is my story. . .
I met Hades when I was a scant score of years or so. He was enticing - as all bad boys tend to be - and I fell hard and fast for him. . .the Truth of the matter was he had no idea that I existed. My mother had hidden me from the court on Olympus. Even Zeus - at that time the strongest of us - did not guess at my existence. How to get him to notice me? That was the question, and it was soon solved with a visit to Hecate and a few favors from Aphrodite. I would put aside my divine splendour for three days, and during that time - I had to die.
It was a simple plan made even more devious by the fact that I knew certain things from my mother - simple things she let drop easily - such as the fact that Hermes was off chasing a wood nymph around Croatia and had been abandoning his his duties as chaperone of mortals to the otherside, resulting in Hades, the lovely Death god himself, being subjected to this job. I soon put my plan into effect , for, finding a willing family to take me in and pretend I was their daughter (for the promise of fruitful crops that year) I swallowed the potion that would strip me of my immortality and fell into a stupor.
I cannot explain what it was like to be dead. . .it was strange. I could look down on myself from a great height. I am not sure where exactly I was during that time, Olympus or Uranus, but I saw Hades come to me, saw him stare into my sightless eyes - I saw the split second in time, suspended as I was out of it, when his cold, dead heart melted and he fell in love with me. I had won! But still he did not know that I was a goddess.
He carried me down into the depths of the Earth and laid me in a bed of silk and satin. For two days he searched for something to revive me, but even Hades cannot release someone from Thantos grip once he has them and for those two days he was hopelessly and helplessly lost. He plunged into the depths of depression, swore to his Furies that he would die himself without me.
I almost lost him that day - the day of my resurrection. He had the dagger, tipped with dragon's blood, ready to plunge into his heart when I awoke and stopped him. You will never begin to imagine the wonder that filled his eyes, he still thanks Thantos everyday, though I explained everything to him. And that is how I caught the Lord of Death - a love story to rival Helen's, eh? Zeus is dead and gone, as are Hera, Lord Poseidon and Demeter, but Hades and I live on.. . .the only beings that Death cannot touch. . .
EXPLANATION -
On New Year's Eve I had a very fun slumber party with some of my special friends. We stayed up until four O'clock the next morning (New Year's Day) and one of the fun things we did was write some stories in a time constraint. As you know if you read my blog often I have written under a time constraint before, but this time was different. My friend (who knows me well) gave to me the challenge of creating a Greek Myth. At first I did not want to attempt such a feat (Greek Myths in their splendour are - as far as I am concerned - above reproach or change). I told my friend this and said that I would just write about something else. . .then I got to thinking about two of my favorite characters in mythology. I scrapped the story I had been writing instead of my own personal Myth and started this interesting tale - I hope you enjoyed it!
*DISCLAIMER* - this is a fun story made purely for enjoyment. . .the facts of the Greek Myths have been changed to fit my plot. This is a raw story that has not been edited so it could definitely be better. . .
Death and Truth
It is so interesting this time we live in, you and I. So different from the ancient world in which I grew up. That place has now passed beyond myth and legend. No one knows the true story of the gods, how they came to be, what was their purpose. But I can tell you all you could ever wish to find out. Open your minds and discover the Truth.
Everything you know is a lie, now that is a very un-promising way to begin a tale, which I well know, but it is the Truth and you had best live with it. You think Zeus was King of the gods of Olympus and Hera was his cold-hearted Queen - hah - those days are long since past. The only power in this world is death. Everything, even the gods, tremble before it. It despises those who would try to outwit it such as Heracles and Theseus. Have you guessed yet who I am? Let me clue you in to my little secret. I am the consort of the most handsome and ruthless god of all. He is cold and majestic in his wrath and only those he favors can stand against death's boundless call. I am Persephone - the iron Queen - and this, is my story. . .
I met Hades when I was a scant score of years or so. He was enticing - as all bad boys tend to be - and I fell hard and fast for him. . .the Truth of the matter was he had no idea that I existed. My mother had hidden me from the court on Olympus. Even Zeus - at that time the strongest of us - did not guess at my existence. How to get him to notice me? That was the question, and it was soon solved with a visit to Hecate and a few favors from Aphrodite. I would put aside my divine splendour for three days, and during that time - I had to die.
It was a simple plan made even more devious by the fact that I knew certain things from my mother - simple things she let drop easily - such as the fact that Hermes was off chasing a wood nymph around Croatia and had been abandoning his his duties as chaperone of mortals to the otherside, resulting in Hades, the lovely Death god himself, being subjected to this job. I soon put my plan into effect , for, finding a willing family to take me in and pretend I was their daughter (for the promise of fruitful crops that year) I swallowed the potion that would strip me of my immortality and fell into a stupor.
I cannot explain what it was like to be dead. . .it was strange. I could look down on myself from a great height. I am not sure where exactly I was during that time, Olympus or Uranus, but I saw Hades come to me, saw him stare into my sightless eyes - I saw the split second in time, suspended as I was out of it, when his cold, dead heart melted and he fell in love with me. I had won! But still he did not know that I was a goddess.
He carried me down into the depths of the Earth and laid me in a bed of silk and satin. For two days he searched for something to revive me, but even Hades cannot release someone from Thantos grip once he has them and for those two days he was hopelessly and helplessly lost. He plunged into the depths of depression, swore to his Furies that he would die himself without me.
I almost lost him that day - the day of my resurrection. He had the dagger, tipped with dragon's blood, ready to plunge into his heart when I awoke and stopped him. You will never begin to imagine the wonder that filled his eyes, he still thanks Thantos everyday, though I explained everything to him. And that is how I caught the Lord of Death - a love story to rival Helen's, eh? Zeus is dead and gone, as are Hera, Lord Poseidon and Demeter, but Hades and I live on.. . .the only beings that Death cannot touch. . .
EXPLANATION -
On New Year's Eve I had a very fun slumber party with some of my special friends. We stayed up until four O'clock the next morning (New Year's Day) and one of the fun things we did was write some stories in a time constraint. As you know if you read my blog often I have written under a time constraint before, but this time was different. My friend (who knows me well) gave to me the challenge of creating a Greek Myth. At first I did not want to attempt such a feat (Greek Myths in their splendour are - as far as I am concerned - above reproach or change). I told my friend this and said that I would just write about something else. . .then I got to thinking about two of my favorite characters in mythology. I scrapped the story I had been writing instead of my own personal Myth and started this interesting tale - I hope you enjoyed it!
*DISCLAIMER* - this is a fun story made purely for enjoyment. . .the facts of the Greek Myths have been changed to fit my plot. This is a raw story that has not been edited so it could definitely be better. . .
05 November 2009
NaNoWriMo
Hello all!
Did you know that November is national novel writing month? Well it is and I have joined the website (NaNoWriMo) dedicated to helping budding writers to finish a 50,000 word book in thirty day! Quite challenging I must admit! It is quite freeing however to be free of the weight that comes with (for me at least) excessive editing. I will edit, are re-edit a passage until it is just a shade of its former bulk. Though this adds to quality it reduces quantity and this has been a problem for me when trying to finish any of my novels that are "in the works". I am enjoying this great opportunity (thank you Mr. Eric!) and if anyone would like to check my progress the link to the site is above. I know you will all be very encouraging throughout the difficult weeks ahead!
Did you know that November is national novel writing month? Well it is and I have joined the website (NaNoWriMo) dedicated to helping budding writers to finish a 50,000 word book in thirty day! Quite challenging I must admit! It is quite freeing however to be free of the weight that comes with (for me at least) excessive editing. I will edit, are re-edit a passage until it is just a shade of its former bulk. Though this adds to quality it reduces quantity and this has been a problem for me when trying to finish any of my novels that are "in the works". I am enjoying this great opportunity (thank you Mr. Eric!) and if anyone would like to check my progress the link to the site is above. I know you will all be very encouraging throughout the difficult weeks ahead!
12 October 2009
Fahrenheit 451
Knowledge vs. Ignorance
Knowledge versus ignorance – which would you choose? Throughout history this has been a predominate idea in literature, movies, television and philosophy. Is ignorance really bliss? Would you sacrifice your happiness for the light and wisdom that knowledge brings? In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury’s masterpiece, Guy Montag risks it all and takes the red pill.
Knowledge . . . ignorance – they are personified so clearly in Clarisse and Mildred. Clarisse is a light in the dark, bookless world Montag lives in. A kind of Athena she shows him the path to wisdom and knowledge. It is she who opens his eyes. With the taste of her knowledge still lingering on his palette he desires more, more – more! This is why he begins stealing books. He believes that they will teach him, that he will learn from them, that they will show him the light, and help him to taste again that alluring seductress knowledge.
Mildred represents ignorance. Cut off from reality she is trapped in a matrix of her own design. Blissfully ignorant of the death hurtling towards her she is lost in her delightful fantasy. She is a sheep, blindly following the dictates of her ignorant government, not thinking for herself – and she loves her ignorance. She loves the parlor (which represents ignorance) and hates those loathsome books (the shining light of reason.)
Knowledge and ignorance are shown through the books “reason” and the parlors “bliss”. They are the antithesis of each other. The Fire Chief likens books to “pores in a face”. Books show the flaws of the universe – of humanity. Though if taken at face value this is a bad thing, it is actually a great marvel. Through books we see that we are not perfect, and yet we see heroes striving for greatness. The great Heracles was of a surety not perfect, and yet he ascended to Mount Olympus because of his epic struggle to be more than his fate allotted to him.
The parlors (or “families”) in contrast make the world out to be all hunky-dory, beautiful – perfect. This is great if all you desire is peace of mind, but it is not true. True peace only comes through truth and sooner of later this fake peace will turn into what it is – rubbish. If everything is perfect, all nice and orderly, there is nothing to live for. There is no way that you, a simple human being, can make a difference in an already perfect world. You cannot change it for the better or the worse, you can simply be – this is a sad and horrible misconception.
The third metaphor for knowledge and ignorance in Fahrenheit 451 is the society, or government and the scholars “book covers”. The government set out to create a world without controversy. They banned books, seeing that all they did was “cause trouble”. This was an ignorant and misinformed decision. Instead of creating a perfect world, they created a society where the common man could not think for himself!
On the other hand they pushed the scholars into absolute abandon. Now instead of thinking quietly and causing no harm these professors spend their days memorizing books, turning themselves into outlaws, criminals against this ignorant people. These “book covers” know that after the dust settles humanity will need the knowledge they have stored up to begin anew. They know that it is they who will – in the end – be witness to the greatest rebirth the world has ever seen.
In conclusion, Fahrenheit 451 is a warning. A warning to beware we do not let ignorance conquer us. A warning to swallow the “knowledge” pill, however bitter it be – and a warning to look to the future and protect it, to live in the present – and to always remember the past.
Knowledge versus ignorance – which would you choose? Throughout history this has been a predominate idea in literature, movies, television and philosophy. Is ignorance really bliss? Would you sacrifice your happiness for the light and wisdom that knowledge brings? In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury’s masterpiece, Guy Montag risks it all and takes the red pill.
Knowledge . . . ignorance – they are personified so clearly in Clarisse and Mildred. Clarisse is a light in the dark, bookless world Montag lives in. A kind of Athena she shows him the path to wisdom and knowledge. It is she who opens his eyes. With the taste of her knowledge still lingering on his palette he desires more, more – more! This is why he begins stealing books. He believes that they will teach him, that he will learn from them, that they will show him the light, and help him to taste again that alluring seductress knowledge.
Mildred represents ignorance. Cut off from reality she is trapped in a matrix of her own design. Blissfully ignorant of the death hurtling towards her she is lost in her delightful fantasy. She is a sheep, blindly following the dictates of her ignorant government, not thinking for herself – and she loves her ignorance. She loves the parlor (which represents ignorance) and hates those loathsome books (the shining light of reason.)
Knowledge and ignorance are shown through the books “reason” and the parlors “bliss”. They are the antithesis of each other. The Fire Chief likens books to “pores in a face”. Books show the flaws of the universe – of humanity. Though if taken at face value this is a bad thing, it is actually a great marvel. Through books we see that we are not perfect, and yet we see heroes striving for greatness. The great Heracles was of a surety not perfect, and yet he ascended to Mount Olympus because of his epic struggle to be more than his fate allotted to him.
The parlors (or “families”) in contrast make the world out to be all hunky-dory, beautiful – perfect. This is great if all you desire is peace of mind, but it is not true. True peace only comes through truth and sooner of later this fake peace will turn into what it is – rubbish. If everything is perfect, all nice and orderly, there is nothing to live for. There is no way that you, a simple human being, can make a difference in an already perfect world. You cannot change it for the better or the worse, you can simply be – this is a sad and horrible misconception.
The third metaphor for knowledge and ignorance in Fahrenheit 451 is the society, or government and the scholars “book covers”. The government set out to create a world without controversy. They banned books, seeing that all they did was “cause trouble”. This was an ignorant and misinformed decision. Instead of creating a perfect world, they created a society where the common man could not think for himself!
On the other hand they pushed the scholars into absolute abandon. Now instead of thinking quietly and causing no harm these professors spend their days memorizing books, turning themselves into outlaws, criminals against this ignorant people. These “book covers” know that after the dust settles humanity will need the knowledge they have stored up to begin anew. They know that it is they who will – in the end – be witness to the greatest rebirth the world has ever seen.
In conclusion, Fahrenheit 451 is a warning. A warning to beware we do not let ignorance conquer us. A warning to swallow the “knowledge” pill, however bitter it be – and a warning to look to the future and protect it, to live in the present – and to always remember the past.
09 October 2009
The Problem With Democracy
Hello Bloggers! I had to read (for school) Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm. After reading these intriguing books I was ordered to write a paper with my view of what the "perfect" balance of a government would be between strict, control and absolute, boundless chaotic freedom. This is the paper I wrote. Feel free to comment, in fact I would appreciate any comments immensely!
The closest to a perfect government (or the balance of power between “control” and “freedom”) is Democracy. In theory this form of government is “fool proof”. The officials are elected “for the people, by the people”. They are given power based on their merit. This philosophy of government is flawed. It is subject to the whims of humanity; humanity as a whole is easily led astray – this is not a good thing. In short a Democracy run by reason not by feelings would be the purest balance between Chaos and Dictatorship. The problem with Democracy can be summed up as “the human problem”.
In contrast with Democracy, Anarchy presents none of these “control” problems as no man has control over another. Anarchy (by definition) is the absence of government, and hence, the abolishment of control. There are flaws in this type of non-government too! The main flaw of the philosophy of Anarchy is that (again) humanity is not perfect. As in Lord of the Flies people would run wild. In this fear driven society Maslow’s Needs would be limited to Physical Needs and Safety Needs. Social, Esteem and “spiritual” or “aesthetic” would be out. To conclude this idea, it is clear that Democracy presents the finest choice. It controls people more than they like, but it also protects them and forms a sense of “stability” in their life. Democracy is, therefore, the subject of this paper.
There are two problems with Democracy. One - the written law and spoken word are not held in high enough reverence. Two, officials who are elected – for the people, by the people – are corrupted by their hunger for power.
The first (of many) problems with Democracy (in practice) is that it does not abide by the written and spoken word (law). Using the United States as a model we will explore Democracy’s problems. The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights were put into effect to make the “powers” that government had over the citizens of its country into writing so that it would not be subject to change, and to protect the rights of its people. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are well written and if the Untied States actually did practice what it preaches this country would be as close to a true Democracy as anyplace in the world. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are (sadly) not upheld as they should be. An example of this can be found in the incident in Ohio where protesters (using their right of free speech) were slaughtered by U.S. soldiers. Another example is the right of Americans to have and bear arms which has been restricted by the “hand gun license law”. This law prevents the carrying of a gun without the proper “permission” from the authorities. The written and spoken law is not considered “unchangeable”, but rather is subject to amendments and the passing of new laws which widens the governments control over our personal freedoms.
The second reason our country is not a true balance of power between “control” and “freedom” is that once in a position of power our officials are corrupted. This is shown throughout history. One example of this (though it is a moral and not a practical corruption) is the recently discovered fact that supposedly “Christian” men were entertaining harlots at their abode. Power, no matter how small, corrupts, and the greater the power the greater the corruption. Though we hear it said “all men are equal” yet isn’t the very fact that the government issues laws telling us that they believe that they know more than we do? This shows us they think they know best, revealing that they believe “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” (Animal Farm).
There are many people who disagree with me, who would say, “The United States is the best place to live! Where else would you rather live? We are the richest and most blest people in the world!”
To those people I would say – the reason we are the richest people in the world is because of Capitalism, not Democracy! I agree that this is the best place – and the only place I would want - to live. This is the closest to a true Democracy we are likely to find in the world – until people start living by reason and not emotions.
In conclusion, a true Democracy is the balance between “control” and “freedom”. To bad for us this perfect government does not exist!
The closest to a perfect government (or the balance of power between “control” and “freedom”) is Democracy. In theory this form of government is “fool proof”. The officials are elected “for the people, by the people”. They are given power based on their merit. This philosophy of government is flawed. It is subject to the whims of humanity; humanity as a whole is easily led astray – this is not a good thing. In short a Democracy run by reason not by feelings would be the purest balance between Chaos and Dictatorship. The problem with Democracy can be summed up as “the human problem”.
In contrast with Democracy, Anarchy presents none of these “control” problems as no man has control over another. Anarchy (by definition) is the absence of government, and hence, the abolishment of control. There are flaws in this type of non-government too! The main flaw of the philosophy of Anarchy is that (again) humanity is not perfect. As in Lord of the Flies people would run wild. In this fear driven society Maslow’s Needs would be limited to Physical Needs and Safety Needs. Social, Esteem and “spiritual” or “aesthetic” would be out. To conclude this idea, it is clear that Democracy presents the finest choice. It controls people more than they like, but it also protects them and forms a sense of “stability” in their life. Democracy is, therefore, the subject of this paper.
There are two problems with Democracy. One - the written law and spoken word are not held in high enough reverence. Two, officials who are elected – for the people, by the people – are corrupted by their hunger for power.
The first (of many) problems with Democracy (in practice) is that it does not abide by the written and spoken word (law). Using the United States as a model we will explore Democracy’s problems. The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights were put into effect to make the “powers” that government had over the citizens of its country into writing so that it would not be subject to change, and to protect the rights of its people. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are well written and if the Untied States actually did practice what it preaches this country would be as close to a true Democracy as anyplace in the world. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are (sadly) not upheld as they should be. An example of this can be found in the incident in Ohio where protesters (using their right of free speech) were slaughtered by U.S. soldiers. Another example is the right of Americans to have and bear arms which has been restricted by the “hand gun license law”. This law prevents the carrying of a gun without the proper “permission” from the authorities. The written and spoken law is not considered “unchangeable”, but rather is subject to amendments and the passing of new laws which widens the governments control over our personal freedoms.
The second reason our country is not a true balance of power between “control” and “freedom” is that once in a position of power our officials are corrupted. This is shown throughout history. One example of this (though it is a moral and not a practical corruption) is the recently discovered fact that supposedly “Christian” men were entertaining harlots at their abode. Power, no matter how small, corrupts, and the greater the power the greater the corruption. Though we hear it said “all men are equal” yet isn’t the very fact that the government issues laws telling us that they believe that they know more than we do? This shows us they think they know best, revealing that they believe “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” (Animal Farm).
There are many people who disagree with me, who would say, “The United States is the best place to live! Where else would you rather live? We are the richest and most blest people in the world!”
To those people I would say – the reason we are the richest people in the world is because of Capitalism, not Democracy! I agree that this is the best place – and the only place I would want - to live. This is the closest to a true Democracy we are likely to find in the world – until people start living by reason and not emotions.
In conclusion, a true Democracy is the balance between “control” and “freedom”. To bad for us this perfect government does not exist!
26 August 2009
Love & Loyalty
Hera, goddess of Devotion;
Zeus the god of the Skies,
Poseidon, god of the Ocean,
Athena, grey-eyed goddess wise
All fair lovers, all betrayed;
Echo savior of her friends,
Medusa on whom a curse was laid;
A warning to all lovers lends.
Zeus how could you forsake Juno?
Who loves you with such fiery passion?
But no you had to play it uno,
And fall to skin deep attraction.
Medusa, fair mortal, lover of the sea king,
Poseidon’s promise to Athena he did break;
This will be met with curses and despising;
Medusa his aloofness seals your fate.
And now a warning to all whom lovers cheat,
You do not only yourself soil,
For vengeful wives will curse and beat;
So beware- do not lightly be disloyal!
Zeus the god of the Skies,
Poseidon, god of the Ocean,
Athena, grey-eyed goddess wise
All fair lovers, all betrayed;
Echo savior of her friends,
Medusa on whom a curse was laid;
A warning to all lovers lends.
Zeus how could you forsake Juno?
Who loves you with such fiery passion?
But no you had to play it uno,
And fall to skin deep attraction.
Medusa, fair mortal, lover of the sea king,
Poseidon’s promise to Athena he did break;
This will be met with curses and despising;
Medusa his aloofness seals your fate.
And now a warning to all whom lovers cheat,
You do not only yourself soil,
For vengeful wives will curse and beat;
So beware- do not lightly be disloyal!
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