In the relatively few years that I have lived in this life, I have come to several conclusions. I think everyone does this, mostly. We decide how things are by what we have experienced, and then judge the entire world within our limited paradigms. But anyway, my conclusions can be summed up into a list:
1. The only constant in the world is change.
2. Not all change is good.
3. But life requires progress of some kind, and it is often a painful process.
4. It is extremely dangerous to assume...anything.
5. So you had better ask questions... a lot of questions.
6. It is ok to annoy people with questions because it makes them think too.
7. Add up the facts, and let them speak for themselves.
8. Make sure they actually are FACTS and not someone's whimsy or extrapolation.
9. Which means find their sources to make sure they are real.
10. It is a historical fact that experts are often wrong.
11. Such as using leeches to take care of sickness.
12. Or that computers would never amount to much or get smaller than a room....
13. Human beings are limited creatures who don't know everything, no matter how much they think they do.
14. And though I like science, a lot of professional scientists treat a hypothesis like a theory, and a theory as truth.
15. That is to say, it gets a little creepy when scientists become dogmatic and lose all sense of objectivity--which is the point of the scientific process.
16. And...the most amazing thing about science is that it is always going about disproving previous scientific theories... so don't hold your breath when they decide they made yet another discovery that changes everything--again.
17. History is written by the 'winners'...and those with the resources to preserve old records.
18. It is also written by politicians with their own perspectives and agendas.
19. Every written word will be interpreted by the reader.
20. So what you are trying to say might always be misunderstood, no matter how articulate you may be.
21. You have no choice in the matter, as most readers (that I know of) are not psychic and cannot see into your head to entirely understand you.
22. That said, "A person convinced against his will is still of the same mind".
23. I have no idea who first said that...but it is true. You cannot force anyone to think like you, no matter how much you want them to.
24. People are individuals, and are meant to be.
25. But that does not mean teamwork is not a good idea.
26. Nor does it mean that conforming to rules is passé. Which leads up to...
27. Rules do matter.
28. Just as long as they are not ridiculously stupid.
29. But that they exist to make life less harmful, more pleasant, and do not infringe upon the freedoms of others.
30. "The world does not owe you a living. It was here first."
31. Mark Twain said that.
32. Mark Twain is an awesome pen name, by the way. About as cool as Lemony Snicket.
33. Kindness is something most needed in the world, and it starts with a choice to BE kind rather than to EXPECT kindness.
34. People today expect more than they choose to do, which is pathetically sad.
35. Just because we disagree does not mean I hate you.
37. If the above were true, we'd be going around hating everybody.
38. Which, besides being really stupid, is a waste of... well, everything.
39. Free will does exist.
40. We are NOT the sum of our genetics.
41. The stars do not rule our lives.
42. Knowing the facts is not the same as believing in truth.
43. If that were so, then doctors would never smoke or drink. And priests would never steal or molest.
44. People choose what they see and believe.
45. Choice is in fact king. Two people can see the same film and come away with opposing opinions.
46. There is no such thing as a perfect man-made institution.
47. Pretty good, awesome, and near-perfect...maybe.
48. And even those pretty good, awesome, and near-perfect institutions are subject to corruption.
49. Just because something comes natural to you does not mean that it is healthy.
50. All vices come naturally: selfishness, greed, jealousy, anger, gluttony, lust....
Anyway. I'll stop at 50. Feel free to disagree.
Next topic will be totally different. Maybe.
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