I was recently asked, whether it is justified to attack those who enact the State, in order to defend its victims. The enactors being the officials who make the decisions, and the grunts who attack the population.
After all, if the State was destroyed, then what of the handicapped? And who decides what is the crime & punishment of each Statist? Also, would they be imprisoned, or even executed?
Are you insinuating that every child & handicapped person is my responsibility? Because I would disagree. Charitable people help people in need... and if nobody cares, then that's just how people feel, and forcing them otherwise is enslavement.
Take an analogy, to better relate to these questions. If you saw someone attempting rape on a young girl, you would be morally correct in helping her defend herself. Even if you aren't the one being attacked, it is legitimate to help another in need, with their agreement. Let's assume the girl is shouting for help, to simplify things.
So, if a group of fascists (the State) are attacking people, then with the agreement of the victims, we have legitimacy in defending them, by attacking their aggressors (the State). And in the case of defending people, there is no obligation to do equal or less harm to the perpetrator!
Whether any act of defense is socially-acceptable, or judged as unsuitable, depends on the locals, entirely.
The book was a disappointing read. He devalued the argument from morality, calling the NAP "recognized rights", which literally means nothing.
Click above to read more about Frederic Bastiat.
He also used an array of, "Look at how well they are doing," examples. Meaningless finger-pointing, without an actual argument, and sometimes even at horrid cultures - such as the Mormons. ><
And hours of talk about the failures of the State isn't an argument, either!
It is useful to understand the evils of the State, in order to fend it off. Yes. But an entire book entailing each horror and act of ignorance, does not disqualify Statism; there is no measurement of a system being insufficient. We can only measure whether a system is logically consistent, and whether it actually represents its users - the people.
Sadly, seeing the ignorance & violence in society today, I am hard pressed to claim that contemporary Statist society does not, in actuality, represent the people. A victim is only a victim, until they start willingly cooperate with & support their violator. Then, they the victims become violators, too.
Virtual reality, maybe an ironically coined term, is meaningful to me. However, is it not akin to a dream, detached from reality; nothing but quickly fading imagery.
Anime is both virtual and awesome!
Dreams are an interesting lot. They do not affect me physically, directly, but they do affect me emotionally. Also, they reflect my own thoughts back at me, which can make me change my mind, and so my choices in real life.
The virtual world, also known as the internet, is like a phone call. It is real people, in a real conversation, only physically removed. Even though we now also enjoy face-to-face video chat.
And phone calls matter! We take very seriously conversations, even if they are not done in proximity. A letter can change the world. It had, many times before, when country leaders, warlords, scientists, and businessmen made choices according to remote conversations.
So, I am thinking that even if it is virtual, and even if it lacks touch... who cares. Not every activity has to include all of our senses, to be meaningful. Plenty of physical activities, from frisbee to sex, can be without speech, yet be as meaningful as a good conversation.
It only takes an acceptable level of interaction, to be satisfying. And I say, each to their own needs.
At ~$700, I got a new Intel I3 3.6ghz computer, with 8gb DDR3 1600mhz RAM, and a quick & silent 128gb SSD. After deliberating, I added to the package the expensive-but-powerful Asus GTX 750 OC GPU, so everything runs super smooth!
I am an Anarchist. Not what is commonly called an Anarcho-Capitalist. The difference being, ironically, not in my view of Capitalism, but in my understanding of social hierarchy.
Anarcho-Capitalists commonly define Anarchy as a social order without coercion; accepting an array of "voluntary hierarchies" as morally neutral or good.
I would like to dispute this definition, and show how any social hierarchy holds within it a logical error that always leads to abuse, coercion, and everything that is not freedom.
An "accepted hierarchy" is an oxymoron.
Hierarchy is, "any system of persons... ranked one above another." - Reference.com
Anarchy is a, "lack of obedience to an authority;" - Reference.com
In our strictly social context, a hierarchy is whenever one person can command another, while their group or society agrees with it. The original context, and the context that is still most relevant today, is when commanding a person under moral authority.
The best example of the fault in allegedly non-coercive hierarchies are cults.
In a cult, any member you would ask, will tell you that they participate and accept the authority of their leaders willingly and freely. Even when a cult does not yet decree or enforce moral rules, this structure is still given credence. There is no evidence to them being immoral, at that point.
However, eventually the hierarchy is normalized. Then, it has become socially acceptable for a higher-up to enjoy different moral standards than their lowers. This is encouraged through criticism & the threat of ostracizing, that only higher-ups can apply to their lowers. Everything a higher-up wrongly does is either misunderstood or untrue, while anything they claim about an underling is accepted, and acted upon immediately. The burden of proof is always on the underlings.
And that's when we point at them and say, "Cult!", and fear them. We fear them, because we know that the underlings will always consider it morally right to obey their highers. In the extreme, they will turn into consciousless murdering soldiers, with the pride of the group or society on display.
This is why I am deeply bothered when Anarcho-Capitalists, such as Stefan Molyneux, define hierarchy as, "a dentist that knows better than I do", while ignoring the historical context of the term!
For example, when a dentist is elevated in a society, even only in dentistry, they turn to decree their dental wisdom on others. As preposterous as it may sound, they are soon-enough accepted as morally righteous in doing any horrid act against the dentistry of others. Because, "they know better", and they are, "the authority", and to dispute them is to dispute the social order itself.
This is how ancient behaviors that reflect basic necessities are now illegal & taboo in the majority of the modern world:
- Catching or recycling your water.
- Growing your own crops & animals in unoccupied land; while subsidized industrial farmers produce inedible crops, such as animal-feed corn, while poisoning the land.
- Growing, trading, or consuming a variety of useful plants, such as cannabis & psilocybin mushrooms; while harmful synthesized pills are being sold as medicine.
This is all because popular professionals turn into leaders, and leaders turn into priests; the ever righteous priests of their own personal agendas.
No hierarchy is ever benign. In both language and practice, no person should ever be accepted as an "authority" on any matter. It may seem trivial to point out the social authority people gain. After all, what is a popular dentist or author to me? But soon enough it bites everyone back on the heine, if not marked out as unreasonable, and a danger to our well-being.
I had this idea that maybe, rather than a society organized over some ideology, nature designed us to function in societies that are based only on needs. Actual needs, like having a home and something to eat.
Apparently, this is a cool shirt print.
Ideologies change. That is the nature of ideas. They evolve, modify, and usually get better. We realize more, understand more thoroughly, and improve on our notions. [Generally speaking.]
But, needs stay the same. We always have the same five basic human needs: Shelter, Water, Food, People, and Freedom. Well, yeah, "freedom" can be contested, but either way I keep it listed. :=D
So, this would explain why all the communities that were ever based on an ideology, always found themselves quickly falling into turmoil, and splitting into conflicting sections. This easily explains the history of religions and philosophies.
However, this would also explain why it is that places that would have been expected to be extremely inhospitable, full of conflicting ideologies and strange peoples, all in one place, still exhibit the best of human societies!
America! Well, not everywhere in America, but this is definitely evident where the need for "freedom" had been safeguarded. In North America, especially in states like California, we see the most diverse and most advanced, liberal, and fascinating societies in the world!
Maybe societies should be planned for basic needs, rather than some higher ideological-political scheme, and then we would all be happier.
Anarchy in a community means that censorship is not an acceptable practice.
Copenhagen street art.
Censorship is the suppression of expression, using force. Usually, the censor is unidentified, and not answerable to those being censored.
This is dissimilar to the moderating of an activity. The role of a moderator is to limit the conversation visibly, according to the rules agreed on by the participants. And every action of the moderator is answerable to them!
The censor is, in principle, an authoritarian ruler, judge, and executioner, invulnerable to feedback.
Anarchy, in the context of community, can present itself in any number of possible social structures, but all of which will follow the same rule. All interactions are free. Not only voluntary, and definitely not coerced. But free!
Free, as in any person can, at any time, do what they wish, as long as they cause no physical harm or threat to another. No force can be inflicted on them. Even if agreement was previously made, such as a written contract, further disagreement, or nulling of contract, does not justify the use of force against them.
Those who betray trust, will simply not be trusted again - until forgiven, and that is the only moral strategy in a free society.
Even within private property, such as a house, where the owner can - if necessary - use force to remove people; those people are still free, and cannot be coerced or threatened, just for voluntarily entering the private property of another. It is immoral to abuse a guest.
To conclude, there is no place for censorship within any group, community, or organization. In order to moderate activities, methods of refereeing must be applied; while those who moderate are explicitly not above the same community standards.
It is only in this way that all community members are properly represented.
"All right!" Ler shouted back, with the same enthusiasm.
I had to join in, so I yelled, "Woohoo!" And then each of us grabbed something heavy from the back seat, and marched towards the house. The three girls did the same, although without the added vocals.
We were heading to Linka's house party, bringing in drinks and munchies for everyone. I dropped my bag in the kitchen, and continued into the house. It was my first time here. There was already some noise, coming from a vague direction.
I found myself further away from the music, and noticed an open room. I peeked inside and then entered, looking around the room.
"Hey Linka," I said, and dropped on her large bed. She was busy with her make up, in front of a full-body mirror. She did not respond, immediately.
"How do I look?" She turned around, her flowing dress bouncing, and a face that was almost a painting stared at me.
"You look awesome," I said, and grinned, knowing that I had no eye for aesthetics. She frowned angrily, and then smiled as well.
"Thank you," she said, and moved to lie on the bed beside me, sighing loudly. She made the mattress bounce, so I lost my balance and dropped, now lying down, like her.
Looking at the ceiling, I got a strange feeling. As if I just woke up, after a long rest, only without the actual resting. Maybe I was getting too excited about the party. I quickly sat back up, leaning on my hands. Linka did the same.
"I feel sick," she said, and looked worried.
"You will be fine, Linka," I tried to calm her down. "It's a great party. I heard all the noise, on the way down here. People are already having fun. And you look great."
"Yeah," she answered, somewhat convinced. "Let's go up! We are already late," she said, and stood up, grabbed me by the arm, and pulled us out of her room.
We marched through the long hall, and climbed the stairs up.
"That's odd," she said, and kept climbing.
I was about to ask her what was so odd, when we reached the end of the spiraling stairs, and saw the next hall. Not a corridor. Not even small enough to be a room in her house. It was a vast space, full of stalls. Like a giant marketplace, with people shouting the prices of goods, and potential clients roaming and negotiating.
An unfamiliar place.
We both stared. There was no music. Just people speaking. None of whom we knew, I was certain.
"What..." Linka started, and I failed to answer. She grabbed my hand, and looked at me. "What is this?!" I saw the panic grabbing her. More than panic - amazement.
"I don't know," I answered. "Where are we?"
Linka pulled me on, and walked both of us through the stalls. She ignored the stalls, but I let my eyes wander, seeing so many different and new faces, and all sorts of snacks, fruit, and bizarre colorful items for sale.
"What is this place..." I wondered aloud.
"Come on, let's find the way out," Linka dragged me on, until we reached another staircase.
Unlike the former, this staircase was a square shape, and was open-walled, to let us see through to the odd bazaar, while we climbed up. We moved onwards, but there were not any floors, and the more we climbed, the more of the vast hall we could see. It was as large as a stadium, and then some.
Finally, a hallway appeared in front of us, and we entered it, slightly hesitating. I took the lead, not having anything else in sight, and started wandering about. Several rooms on the way were open, but they did not seem special or interesting. Just empty bedrooms.
"Look there," Linka pointed to an open room, at the end of the hall. "Those people just leave all their bedroom doors open, like that."
"Yeah," I said, wondering, and continued now only toward that room. It drew me to it, I could feel it now. "Look, this one looks different, right?" Linka peeked inside.
"It's my room!" She exclaimed, and hurried inside. "It's my room! Why is it here?!"
"Good question," I answered, and lingered at a large mirror that covered most of the wall ahead. I touched it. "I think this is it," I said.
"What?" Linka asked, as she sat on her bed.
"Can't you feel it?"
Linka rose up to approach the mirror. She stared at her reflection, and then turned to look at mine.
"I don't have such a large mirror in my room," she said.
I touched it, and I could feel it tremble under my fingers.
"Come on, let's go!" I grabbed her arm, and drove us into the mirror. As we passed, I could see the foreign market place, with all those people shopping. And then we dropped down, fast, into a darkness below.
We both sat up, on Linka's bed, at the same time.
"Did you just..." Linka started asking.
"Man," I whispered. "Don't ask me."
"Come on, we're going to be late to the party!" Linka hurried to get up, and hauled me up, by my hands. I let go of one hand, but she grabbed on to the other, holding it over her shoulder, and dragging me out of the room, and to her birthday party.
I was happy to know that Linka finally arrived safely to her eighteenth-birthday party. A party I never got to see.
So, I have shown my home "studio" before, a few times. With each step, things improve, sound better, and are more comfortable. But, even though I had good reverb reduction, I never quite managed to completely remove it.
Until now.
All folded up.
I ran some tests, and found that most of my reverb came from the top and sides, rather than from behind me. So, using bamboo poles connected to the top shelf, I hung thick extra blankets that I had.
Bamboo pole, hidden under blankets.
First, I drop the two side curtains.
I got the idea for using towels from guys online, who wrote about it. Large towels are more accessible for me, than large blankets. Saves me cash. Also, their thickness is undoubted! They mute jumping echoes!
I cut a slit into the side towel, so the microphone and arm-stand can go through it. It is kept closed with a simple clip.
Then, I just unfold the top towel, and I'm done!
I used the bottom part of the top towel, to close the top of my screen area, where I have another shelf. I have simple pillows behind the screen, to block echo from the front, which is critical.
Side view.
Inside view.
As you can see, it is a simple and effective solution. It is also very comfortable! And quick to fold and unfold; between ten to twenty seconds. I did have the bamboo poles bulge further than the desk, by about 10 centimeters, or 4 inches, so that I get good coverage.
I would like to experiment, and write down a clear and practical guide for good behavior. Moral behavior, both positively (generally necessary habits) and negatively (prohibited behavior). A guide that can, periodically, stand as a reference for the moral standards that humanity's best minds have discovered.
Eventually, I plan on giving it a page of its own. For now, here is the index and subtitles, with a little description, for your review.
They had their morality, and we have ours.
Subtitle: To reflect the wisdom of our age, through clear and reasoned guidance.
1. Morality 1.1 The Non-Aggression Principle
A single core principle that can explain the larger part of our existing and accepted moral rules, such as not to steal or murder.
1.1.1 Only self-defense justifies force. 1.1.2 Judging self-defense situations.
This principle is well argued, and exemplified throughout historical and modern times. Our greatest achievements, such as the abolition of slavery, follow hand-in-hand with it.
1.2 The Ideology of Anarchy
A complimenting ideology that solves the remaining issues in society, where-in coercion is not necessarily applied, by denying the morality of dominating or abusive relationships.
1.2.1 Authority is always personal. 1.2.2 Responsibility versus Ownership - plan rather than blame. 1.2.3 Partnership versus Service - never obey.
To both explain and solve the error of social hierarchy, the ideology first shows the logic it holds, and then goes to give clear examples of its use.
1.3 The Pursuit of Wisdom
A moral code that is unchanging, and based on history rather than contemporary evidence, leads to immorality. Moral understanding must always evolve and be fine-tuned, so that it reflects the knowledge and experience of its users.
1.3.1 Why & How to Find Challenges.
An improved morality is the result of facing challenges, and coming out of them the better and wiser. The more varied, unexpected, unknown, and dire the challenge or choice, the better.
2. Practices 2.1 Exercise
A sickly body is unable to concentrate and reason, to a normal extent. Morality, first and foremost, requires taking care of the self.
2.1.1 Cardio, strength, and flexibility.
A regularly active person that has full mobility in both resistance and reach, will always feel comfortable in their own body.
2.2 Self Defense & Arms
Justice is the ability to act on your morality. It is not enough to understand right from wrong, if it is not possible to protect what is right, and fend off what is wrong.
2.2.1 Strategy, Tactics, Evasion - Also see chapter 2.3.4. 2.2.2 Contact fighting. 2.2.3 Short range weapons, long range weapons, and projectiles.
Through analyzing situations, planning ahead, and enjoying advanced equipment, anyone can defend themselves efficiently.
2.3 Discussion
Open debate and freedom of speech are tenants of the modern age. Without those, progress is slowed, and conflict increases.
2.3.1 Personal needs. 2.3.2 Community needs. 2.3.3 Planning for goals. 2.3.4 Political negotiations - the social-economical front.
Discussions are intentionally organised, so that debate does not turn into harmful gossip. When people's thoughts are acknowledged, it is important to plan on how to address them. Finally, it is also important to acknowledge and address outside issues.
3. Community 3.1 Events 3.1.1 Organizing people for coordinated action.
Pre-defined events give people access into initiatives that would otherwise be private. This way anyone can contribute to others, without the normally necessary personal connection.
3.2 Gatherings 3.2.1 Bonding different communities.
It is impossible to make a disconnection between communities. Even if the distance may be far and wide, there will always be both positive and negative influences. It is important to seek the positive.
3.3 Support 3.3.1 From public shelters to friend circles.
Planning and effort are limited, and that is why we have backups. Public spaces help, when a home is lost. Reliable friend circles, where responsibility is shared voluntarily, help when personal ability is diminished through injury or disease.
"A research lab, in every house, will be the marking of a new philosophical age!" Sir Kevin II exclaimed, standing on a small podium, in front of a large audience. The crowd applauded, rising to give standing ovations.
"Over the top," Jessica commented, as they headed backstage to rest.
"Not at all," Kevin responded, wiping his face with a towel. "This isn't just about making toys and utensils anymore, Jessica. We can make a difference, with our organisation," he emphasised.
"We already are," Jessica sat down for her mug of hot coffee and smiled to herself. Kevin was not always so ambitious. They had both seen hard years of little funds and no support from others, before they finally made it big. Well, as big as any small successful group. Not rich, anyhow.
In the meanwhile, another organisation was forming its first branch. A group of young and learned activists, with their hands on the beating pulse of society.
"In hell," James began, sitting down, holding a bottle of unlabeled homemade beer, "nothing has a price tag."
"In hell, nothing has a price tag?" The second James, James Mallorie, wondered aloud. "How did you reach that conclusion?" He asked, and turned to look at the first James.
"Entire industries are shutting down. The markets are becoming desperate. People are losing jobs," James finished, and examined each face in the circle of chairs about him. They all seemed... Interested... But maybe not in the same topic, that was all.
"But new jobs are being made. People are becoming more free, to do what they wish with their lives," Mallorie played the devil's advocate, smiling as he spoke.
"I wasn't saying it's evil," James responded reasonably. "Only that we should tread more carefully with this new technology. Ask more question, and make sure we don't go around hurting people, right?"
The circle nodded in consensus.
Atlas from the game Portal, made with a 3D Printer, by Psychobob.
Personal Creator Lab, commonly referred to as PCL, had become a household brand. In modern society, at the edge of technology, there was hardly a house or apartment without such a device. Simply speaking, it was a small automated factory; suitable for the needs and resources of an individual.
With a minimal investment, any random Joe could now purchase the machine, buy the necessary materials, buy or find the plans for whatever it is they wanted to make, and in the push of a button, it was made. Modern age magic!
Kevin and Jessica, departing from their plane and on route to their hotel, inhaled the fresh moist air of the Mexican jungles.
"Printing Malaria medicine and all sorts of drugs," Jessica began saying, ducked a low branch and continued, "those drugs will make the third world seem like paradise."
"Paradise," Kevin echoed. "Enter paradise, by pressing a button," he grinned, his eyes reflecting dreams and ambitions.
Jessica looked at her mobile, and heard the news in one ear: "Political activist groups calling for regulation of PCLs," and, "Congress discussing a new law that would require printing permits and licensing, that may limit what and how much each person can print."
She moaned silently. She should not bother Kevin with such nonsense. Politics is not what they do, anyway.
A society may be defined, primarily, by its' moral code. Those social rules that each member follows, every day and willingly, and from an understanding of their benefits.
Modern societies tend to latch on to outdated moral codes that served partially nomadic and tribal folk, but do not serve the needs and understandings that we now have.
The human condition is measured through freedom. The freedom to act, and freedomfrom being acted upon by others. We now know, fully and wholly, that the thing that makes us "modern" is that freedom that we have gained, from both technology & morality. However, the more free we become, the more evident are the chains that still bind us.
No person should ever serve another!
Not in coercion, not under threat, not with payment or barter, and not even willingly. It is evil for any person to serve another. In doing so, they give something that is not to be considered an item for trade or purchase; human life.
An analogy, to help see the logic behind this statement, would be prostitution.
At a quick glance, there may seem to be nothing wrong with a person giving, or selling, their body for sexual pleasures, instead of for romantic intimate love. It seems like an entirely personal, subjective choice.
Nevertheless, study shows that such behavior leads to post-traumatic stress syndrome, and all of the problems that follow, such as severe depression and self-harm.
All of that, without even going into the problems of unplanned children, their mistreatment, and the sort of adults they usually turn into. Truly a tragedy.
The entire service industry is akin to prostitution. When societies embrace human servitude, people sell themselves, and sell themselves short; because that is how trade works. Items always become cheaper and more accessible. In this case, the items are people's lives and freedoms.
An industry that sucks out the dreams of people, and returns instead mild comforts.
Some say that removing money from the equation will solve this problem. For example, The Venus Project and its' Zeitgeist fellowship go into detail, about the waste of human life modern societies inflict, and how it could all be solved through technology.
Even though they do acknowledge that it is trade in human service that is at fault, for them money is to blame. Anthropology begs to differ. Tribal humans, even without money, or coin, find ways to trade in services. After all, it makes sense to sell your services, at the expense of "some" freedom, when there is no moral rule to contradict such behavior.
On the other hand, there are those who claim that a free market will liberate us. The Libertarians, while adding to moral development in modern societies, embracing well-proven moral concepts, such as the NAP and Property-Rights, also turn a blind-eye to the evidence.
Free markets have existed throughout time, and even when and where they do, prostitution and the trade & enslavement of people were the norm!
Realizing that this problem can only be solved by a social decree - an enforced moral code of conduct, Anarchists claim the higher ground. A society of anarchy is not a chaotic society, at all. It is, rather, a society where social hierarchies are banned. No person is accepted as better than another. We are all equals, working together, and there is no authority above us; us consenting adults.
Yet, even those at the edge of experimentation and study, miss to clearly identify human servitude as an immoral practice. They would claim that as long as the servitude is voluntary, then it is fair. Obviously, wrong conduct is wrong, regardless of it being allegedly voluntary, or otherwise.
Nothing can stop a person, under threat and forced into serving another, from saying that they do so willingly. This behavior is well known in fascist regimes, where everybody loves the leader publicly, but secretly and quietly fear for their lives. No evidence to the contrary will ever be established, in such circumstances.
Religions had also embraced moral codes, but betrayed them through time, and missed out on developing their morality. Servitude and enslavement were, and are, encouraged by contemporary religions. Even regardless of money, people always were enslaved, or allegedly chose to enslave themselves, to churches and priests.
Many even became martyrs, the most extreme case of human servitude, and massacred innocents by the thousands, in the name of their leaders and creed. Pure evil willful-ignorance.
The concept of one person serving another, no matter why or how, goes against logic and evidence. It is evil. Servitude is unnecessary for societies.
People have always enjoyed working together, as equals in society, even when not equal in their own professions. After all, being good at something does not make that person simply better than another.
Privacy is a social term that defines an acceptable limitation of interference into another person's life. It means that even if the space around me is not mine alone, we all agree that I have greater rights over it, than others.
For example, even if no one is touching me, it is within my [socially accepted] right to remove people from my near proximity. Or, even if the sound of my echoing voice is not strictly under my possession, it is still frowned upon to eavesdrop to a conversation.
However, simply because a group or society might hold certain aspects of privacy as the norm, that does not mean that they are logically correct. If a person, by chance, walks near my door, and overhears me saying something of relevance to them, then it is hardly expected that they pretend otherwise.
Continuing with that logic, if I really wish to uphold my privacy, then it is up to me to take responsibility on the matter, and not discuss my private matters in an open environment, or in plain words.
But, am I blaming the victim?
I am not. Privacy is not akin to property! There is no ownership of information. For example, my voice and words are mine, but once they go out into the air, they are attached to a public medium. Thus, they are public.
If I wish to protect my privacy in a public medium, then it is entirely my responsibility to add safeties that will make my information less accessible, for anyone whom I did not intend it.
Do you ever feel like you are not doing enough? Or that you are somehow not doing the "right" things?
Have you ever noticed how the larger part of your time is spent on doing what others want of you? Or how your main occupation does not reflect your dreams and ambitions?
If you nodded in agreement at any of the above questions, then you need to ask yourself, "What am I missing?"
And the answer is highly likely one or more of these three: Artistic creativity, volunteering with others, and going on adventures.
Artistic Creativity
Work does not only mean doing something for money. We often miss to notice that much of what we do is out of sheer joy. Playing games, organizing events, or helping friends out. Many things.
However, when we create something out of our own enthusiasm, regardless of others, a sensation of pride and achievement is manifest!
There are few things that we can do that satisfy our emotional needs, as creating out of sheer will does. A drawing, a sculpture, an accessory or device, and even just a brief text or recording.
Volunteering With Others
It seems that when nothing quite works for me, then I can always go and find someone else, even online, whom I can help and cheer. People appreciate kindness. And the amazing thing about it is that helping others, makes us feel achieving and positive, too!
It makes sense. When you help others, and improve their lives, then it creates a sort of promise of helping you in the future, and gives a feeling of security and comfort within your social circles.
Going On Adventures
When all else fails, go and do! Do not think. Do not plan. Do not seek understanding. Go, outside, or within, or even online, and seek new and exciting places, people, and ideas!
There is a misunderstanding, when it comes to achievements. Success is not only when we get the results we wanted. Success is also when things just work out, just because we kept on doing with a positive attitude and courage, even when there was nothing noticeable in sight, ahead.
So, to conclude, remember that there is always something to bring out to the world, regardless of circumstance or ideology. Keep on doing, keep on learning, and keep on having a blast, every day! :-)
I want to describe the latest additions & editions to my home studio, even though I have already shared these photos on my FB and G+ accounts.
I have designed my reverb-cancelling booth, using strings and bamboo poles. This gives it a comfortable shape, and lets me roll the cloth up quickly, when I am not recording. The reverb-cancellation itself is great!
My new Audio Technica AT2035 large-diaphragm condenser microphone, as purchased from eBay. What a brilliant device! Sounds so good and lively, without any problems. No sibilance. No noise. Just voice.
And my new Focusrite iTrack Solo usb audio interface, which brings the audio into my computer clearly and quickly, as purchased from Amazon. No lag. No noise. Very comfortable & hardy design. I also play everything through it, now, because it is a sound card, so my output audio is crisp clear, as well!
Stefan is the only person I know that is laying down, for all of us, a modern-day philosophical foundation, derived from the best works of thought of previous generations. And he also practices what he preaches!
The core of his ideology takes from Anarchism, and the practical value of Capitalism. On the one hand, no person must ever be forced against their will - other than in self-defense, and on the other hand, the best approach to financial success is through free & voluntary trade.
Surprisingly, even now, almost ten years into the existence of the podcast, Stefan only has three team members: Mike, James, and Stoyan. This leads me to think that the endeavor, while beneficial to millions of viewers, and true in its' ideology, is an impossible mission.
There is much evidence to say that almost the entirety of his audience treat the show solely as entertainment. The show is run by donations, at an estimated request of $0.5 a podcast, and even BitCoin is accepted.
However, it appears that less than one-percent of the audience actually donate anything. At all. Even much less than one-percent, if I have the right impression.
Ironically, Stefan, similarly to Dr. Phil, also puts emphasis on achievement through work; something he had experienced extensively in his own life. This goes in stark contrast to the likelihood that most of his audience are either living on welfare, or like many young adults in dysfunctional economies, living through their parents' funding.
Why is the Freedomain Radio so important?
Stefan is a radio-show host, author, and public-media spokesperson. He addresses & practices topics such as BitCoin, Relationships, Morality, and Liberty.
Renowned for talk shows and call-in shows.
I have personally enjoyed a better understanding of these topics, by being a listener and participating community member. The amount of positive feedback from listeners is vast, so there is no doubt that this is a good endeavor.
So, how come Stefan does not grow his business?
The show is not a charity! However, its' current business-model is a sort of honesty box. Sadly, most people are not honest, even if they want to be, and so this strategy is too futuristic - if we assume future people to be more honest.
I look at history, contemporary societies, and modern advancement, and intuit that only successful business-models actually make a positive long lasting impact. Charismatic and socially-adored people, who have not managed to also go beyond normal finances, usually impact a generation, and then lose relevance; because people aren't satisfied with ideologies, only.
People want success. Moral success is part of it, but morality is meaningless without sustenance & prosperity. A true leader leads on all accounts; moral and economic.
I would guess that Stefan will eventually expand his business model to include the [paid] training of more philosophers, who can mimic his success, and continue the cycle of benefit to themselves, and to their audiences.
It has been long enough, for me to feel comfortable about tweaking my Android Smartphone. This includes a certain technical risk of killing the device.
I started by rooting the device: a Tatop W858 MTK-6577 model running Android 4.0.3. I used the notorious Framaroot application, even though my device was not on the list of officially supported devices. The MTK models are very common, so I felt comfortable trying it.
A one-click operation. Super easy!
Now with SU access to my system files, I started to take interest in tweaking the system! For this, I used the free ES File Explorer app, and activated Root permissions for it, in its' settings.
First to go, was the annoying Search Button that I never use, but always accidently touch. I Googled, and found that I want to edit my "/system/usr/keylayout/mtk-kpd.kl" file. It is usually a file-name that relates to your model or chip, so you can identify it easily.
Naturally, I copied the file into my SD card, so that I have a backup! Now, I opened the file with the ES File Explorer's Note Editor, and found the line:
"key 217 SEARCH"
As you can see, it can be very easy to locate buttons by their function. This was the only line with the "SEARCH" function. By commenting that line out, I could disable it, and now it looked like this:
"#key 217 SEARCH" (Notice the added # at the beginning of the line.)
However, when I restarted my device, there was no change! After some testing, I found out that my device used the "Generic.kl" file, instead. So, I copied it into my backup folder, and edited the exact same line, in the same way.
Now it worked! :-)
Second to go, were all these useless extra home-screens. I just do not need five screens there. Three are plenty. I Googled and found that, this time, I want to edit my "/system/app/Launcher2.apk" file.
Again, I copied the file into my SD card, and then learned how to modify it. APK files are compiled files, meaning that they cannot be edited as simple text. Luckily...
I found APK Studio, which is able to edit APK files, and then rebuild them properly.
It is quite simple, when you have a forum post to guide you.
I was not sure which part I had to edit, so I Googled, and found a forum thread about exactly what I wanted, and even some more. The instructions are super easy, and it took me exactly two minutes to do this from start to end.
You do not want to make a typo error in this step! This is a system APK file, which means errors are fatal, and are sometimes not recoverable!
I found the lines of code I wanted to or edit, carefully made the changes - rechecking them for mistakes, and then clicked File -> Save All, and then Project -> Build. I renamed the new "rebuilt.apk", under the "build" directory, into the original "Launcher2.apk" name.
Just in case, before copying the new file back, I went ahead and cleared the fourth and fifth home screens from widgets.
I then copied the file back to my Android device, and over-wrote the original file in the "/system/app" folder. This made my device freeze, so I waited about twenty seconds to make sure it is done copying, and then pressed (or held) the Power Button, to reboot the device.
Happily, the device works fine, and now I have only three home screens, just like I wanted! :-D
"Satisfaction guaranteed, or your life back," said the technician, a slight young man with disinterest in his eyes.
"Can it, somehow, go wrong?" Lemrick asked worriedly.
Since the discovery of the after-life, and the device that can restore people from the cold grip of death, there had been a boom in people asking to entertain the experience. Lemrick, being a cautious latecomer, decided that he wanted a glimpse of it, as well.
"You mean, could you die?" The technician verified.
"I mean, do I come back... all right?" Lemrick explained.
This story would do well,
with a second part full of Futurama references.
"Yes, you do. Although," the technician gossiped intimately, "some people come back different. But, that is the whole purpose of the thing, eh?" He laughed, and passed over the bun to Lemrick.
The 'Bun of Death', or 'Bun of Doom', and even 'Roll of Call', was how previous customers had amiably chosen to refer to the edible gizmo that would remove them from the world of the living.
Lemrick sat down on a comfortable gel cushion, folded his legs, and took a bite. Then ensued the dream that is not a dream...
We each give our own meaning to life. Some of us may be unaware of what drives us onwards, or what holds us back, while others are yet busy questing for answers. I propose a method of gaining satisfaction out of your life, through the identification of emotions & needs, and the apparent conflicts that arise between them and your behavior.
This idea is presented in three short parts, each a necessary logical step on the way to culmination.
Part I - Priorities Among Emotions. Part II - Unidentified Emotions & Needs. Part III - Mismatching Behaviors and Emotions. Conclusion - How to Plan for Your Needs!
We can all recognize that some emotions take precedence over other emotions, or needs, at any given time. While this is a fluctuating phenomenon, its' patterns can be identified and described very well. For example, a hungry person who is exhausted and needs sleep, may feel a greater need for sleep than for feeding, and so will retire to bed.
However, we are not always able to clearly identify the emotions that most strongly direct us. And so, a person may feel tired, and even though they had planned on going directly to bed previously, find themselves guzzling down hamburgers at the kitchen table, at a very late hour.
Click him for more brilliant quotes.
This mismatch between the behavior that person expected - being tired and thus going to sleep, and actually going to eat greedily, tells us that it is likely that they were simply unaware of their accumulating hunger, until they had finally reached their home. When the choice between food or sleep presented itself, the stronger emotion ruled the hour. The price to pay is in being unprepared for this turn of events, sleeping late, and even sleeping heavy.
Through this process of identifying such patterns, that person is then able to meditate on the conflict in needs - find out which emotions and needs were actually in conflict, and plan a future strategy to avoid the repercussions. Such strategy may be as simple as eating something earlier, or getting back home earlier. It is a process of trial and error, yet the solutions are usually simple, when we knowourselves, and then choose for ourselves, for best results.
Much thanks go to my friend Vins, who had spent several long hours today debating this topic with me, and negotiating how best to represent it in an orderly & thinker-friendly manner. :-)
Eleven was his name, and he was an elf. No, not a mythical creature of legends, but a person who likes to con and trick people.
"Mister, what is your name??" The little girl asked. Eleven looked down at her. She was as high as his knees.
"They call me... Eleven," he answered.
"Why do they call you Eleven?" She asked.
He turned his face away, toward the ceiling, in a rather dramatic fashion. "Eleven means courage. It is a very old word. It was the name of a great hero, once, many generations ago." He peeked back at the girl, seeing if it had the wanted effect. It did not, and she was already walking away, in fascination of the next dull thing.
"So, what do you have for me this time, Dougler?" Eleven asked back, business-like.
"Nobody calls me Douglar..." Jamison started to complain, but knew that it will not get through. "We are going to take a couple of items that mean a lot to my boss."
"Expensive items?"
"Expensive," Jamison lowered his voice, "and dangerous."
"Dangerous items?" Eleven smiled to himself. "How dangerous?"
"Have you ever had an entire planet going after you?" Jamison asked.
Eleven cocked his head, and stared at nothing for a long moment. "I have never had a planet know that I was there."
"Good. We are going to need invisibility, for this one. No one must figure out who we are, or who we are working for," Jamison warned, but received no emotional feedback.
The galactic crew occupying the prime transport vessel - the Cut Mink of the Coalition, sat down, planning their negotiations. The transaction was to take place on the host planet, Zigma Froy, a recently inhabited moon of Jupiter, where the Institute of Suspect Objects ran a museum and catalog, for the public to enjoy. It was entirely inhabited by alien artifacts.
"Have you arranged for the head of the Institute to meet us somewhere outside of the facility?" Captain Silvarre requested of his second in command, First Lieutenant Kirk.
"Aye captain!" Kirk saluted firmly. Silvarre glanced at him from the corner of his eye, sitting on his captain's chair, and continued nibbling on his simulated-wood pipe. A few long moments later, Kirk removed his hand from his forehead, and Silvarre decided not to mention the error in saluting a pirate. Kirk might have his quirks, but he still was the best of them.
The plan was, as Captain Silvarre put it, "to distract the dogs with the cats, while the rats steal the cheese." While the transaction was to take place, officially, hand Jamison and his chosen trustee will retrieve the two most expensive artifacts. The Cut Mink is out of suspicion, as they were innocently doing official business at the time with the Institute, and yet Silvarre gains a much desired card to play with, in this ancient game of trade.
Eleven stared at the customs official, a private agent of the ISO company, who's soul purpose was to figure out if any person was attempting to smuggle artifacts in or out of the planet. Eleven was a straightforward kind of guy. He did not smile or flatter. He simply stated his lies, and expected you to accept them, as they are, and without question.
"Anything to declare?" The customs officer asked.
"No," Eleven answered, waiting for that specific response used in queues; a nod that means, 'Move along.'
"Anything to declare?" The customs officer asked Jamison.
"No," Jamison answered, trying to mimic his companion's sternness. The officer looked him up and down, saw that Eleven was a couple of steps ahead, waiting, and said, "Okay. Next!"
At the back entrance to the Institute of Suspect Objects' grand museum, the two waited, staring at the locked door. This was where those most rare and strictly guarded items stood on display; specifically, those items that they had come to steal.
"Tsk," Jamison noisily badgered. "What now? Let's just enter from the main entrance."
"Cats do not go from the door, Jamison. Only dogs do so," Eleven retorted, without turning his eyes from the door. The door opened. Out of it, came a guard followed by a janitor robot. "Excuse me!" Eleven shouted at the guard, and hurried forward.
"The main entry is that wa..."
"We just accidentally got out through this door, but it locked on us. Can you let us back in, sir?" Eleven's posture and mannerism hinted at a confused customer, the sort of customer that found a hair in their sandwich, and instead of shouting and complaining, simply returned the item back quietly, and quietly mentioned the problem.
"Oh," the guard looked at Jamison. What he saw, however, was a well-dressed gentleman, and not a thief. "Of course, come in, and make sure you do not get lost again."
"Yes, we will stay with the guide this time," Eleven smiled, grabbed Jamison's hand, and entered hurriedly.
They both had prepared for this well in advanced, memorizing a map of the compound, and where their targets lay. "Easy enough," Jamison whispered.
"Easy for you to say, newbie," Eleven grunted back, quietly.
"What is so difficult about this?"
"This part," Eleven paced up through the artifact filled corridor, and approached another guard, standing at the next door. As the guard moved to open his mouth, Eleven struck him in the face with an unidentified black object, and quickly began removing his own outfit.
"Oh," Jamison noted.
"Take his outfit off. While I am getting the artifacts, you can put together the cart," Eleven removed a few long black sticks from his jacket, and gave them to Jamison. Jamison stared at the parts, figured they were a stick-each-stick-into-the-other-stick kind of puzzle, and began working.
Within a minute, Eleven was back out with the two items, each under each arm. One looked like a big musical wind instrument, and the other had the shape of a sharp weapon. In reality, however, they both knew that the tube looking item was an explosive weapon, and the other just a harmless alien toy.
"Do not press the red button," Jamison said in humor.
"The Imploder requires a sequence of air thrusts to activate, which humans are unable to perform, without specialty tools," Eleven explained. Somehow, Jamison was certain that Eleven kept on him just the kind of 'specialty tool' that was required for its' activation, and shuddered.
The alien Imploder was notorious for creating bloody scenes, wherein people lost their skin and eyeballs, but remained alive just long enough to notice that new and surprising prickly sensation.
Finally, Jamison had the cart prepared, and after carefully locking the items down magnetically, they started moving back to where they had come from. Each put a hand to push the cart forward. Considering how small the artifacts were, it had a heavy pull to it.
"I know you don't like to get your hands dirty, but this really was nothing special," Jamison gestured. "These clowns can't even get their attack-bots to work."
"This is still the hard part," Eleven answered, turning back to face the silent creeping machines that had almost reached them, and clicked a red button on a joystick-looking gizmo. Two of the bots dropped from the ceiling, but a third kept on crawling towards them. "Your turn," Eleven said.
Jamison, who had been expecting at least some sort of a melee with machines, took out an arrow, aimed it at the single machine, now only a few feet away, threw it, and turned back - still pushing the cart.
"What was that?" Eleven asked, able to hear the bot jingling, as its' parts were detaching from its' main body.
"Uranium Action Darts," Jamison said, and grinned widely. "Unidentified, rare, and most of all, efficient against bots. It emits a radioactive wave that destabilizes a..."
"I am going to borrow a couple, eh."
"Sure, buddy. You know I got your back," Jamison said, still grinning. It was a joy to work with the best tools, after all.
As they entered their escape vessel, a compact and efficient evasion pod, the air pressure started to increase.
"Airzers?" Jamison asked, covering his ears with his hands, in pain.
"Airzers," Eleven answered, clicked his earlobes to activate his anti-pressure buttons, and started the pod away. It was a shaky ride, but this pod was custom designed to outmaneuver this planet's specific Airzer technology.
Airzer. Definition: Gravitational laser beams that condense the atmosphere in a given radius, causing great harm to unprotected living tissue, while interrupting the ability of any vessel to detach from the surface, as it attempts lift-off.
By the time any meaningful pursuit had begun, their pod had changed colors, changed visible shape, changed licensing transmissions, and was gaining miles away from the planet's exosphere. The Institute's control center, now at turmoil, had its' deputy at a loss.
"We lost their signature, Commander," the guard said, still looking at the data screen.
"Inform the boss. It has to be those space-damned pirates!"
Suzuryu Jupitas, the head and owner of the ISO, grimaced. Captain Silvarre, surrounded by a posse of dangerous looking space-pirates, now enjoyed years of practicing his poker face.
"The Amalgamator and the Syphon?" Jupitas confirmed, over audio, not using any visible device.
"Is something the matter?" Silvarre inquired politely. Jupitas did not respond, nor look at him.
"I see," Jupitas ended the invisible conversation. "Two men," he began saying, "not locals," by which he meant not inhabitants of Zigma Froy, "had just left the exosphere with some very valuable artifacts, Captain Silvarre."
"You would not mean the artifacts that we have been discussing, Mr. Jupitas?" The captain asked back, the innocence of a child on display.
"Some of them, apparently. Two that we have counted."
"Well," Silvarre hesitated, "I am sorry to be so blunt, but you do realize that this is going to change the price we were negotiating," he declared.
Eleven is his name, and reticence is his profession. He is not a pirate, and not because he disrespects their work, or public image in society. He prefers the quiet and efficiency of working alone. The safety of not having to count on others.
"You know, Dougler..." Eleven began.
Jamison opened one sleepy eye, and looked to his right, where Eleven was sat.
"You are very cunning, but not quite deliberate. Do you know why the customs official would rather bother you, than me?"
"Because you're a scary motherfu..."
"Because he knew that if he had badgered me, I would have noted his name and appearance, and some day, when all is forgotten, he would see me again. Maybe on his way back from work. Going back home, I suppose. And then, Dougler, he would regret his past choice of badgering me."
"You would keep a grudge for so long?" Jamison asked, sleepily.
"No, I would not. I would just keep even," Eleven mended, and returned to reading privately, from his own internal display.
