Those who lack facts or a convincing argument are the ones who attempt to justify their resort to violence.
It is no coincidence that these people, almost exclusively occupy one side of the political spectrum.
This is a result of allowing emotions to trump reason.
Focus is all about clarity. When we say that something is coming into focus, we are essentially saying that it is becoming clearer.
Focus and clarity are important elements of any human endeavor. Without them things appear unclear and uncertain thus making decision-making difficult and the results often hazardous.
It has been said that he who aims at nothing usually hits it.
Also, it is difficult if not impossible to hit a target we cannot see clearly. That is the purpose of visualization and...
Apathy is a lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern for some object. The object may be a person, an activity, an event or any number of other things. A listlessness and sense of satisfaction, referred to as ennui often is the result'
I was recently reminded of an observation I came across some time back. 'Many who long for immortality don't know what to do with a rainy afternoon.'
I think it is of the utmost importance that we overcome apathy by discovering something meaningful and worthwhile...
Probably no attitude is more essential to mental and emotional well-being than that of gratitude. A practice of focusing on the man reasons we have to be grateful rather than on the things we don't have or can't achieve is a soothing balm.
If one makes it a practice, as I have, albeit somewhat irregularly, to begin and end the day by mentally listing those people, circumstances and things for which one is grateful, they will be well on their way to contentment and the happiness it affords.
How...
It has been claimed that nothing is more important for achieving success than perseverance. Talent without perseverance is no guarantee of success. There are millions of talented failures around the world. Not even genius will succeed without perseverance.
A former fiancé once gave me a notebook which had a picture attached to the cover. It was a depiction of a large bird swallowing a frog while the frog was choking the bird by the throat. The caption read, 'Never, Ever, Ever Give Up'. That...
Almost every division observable in society is in the end the result of differing appraisals of human nature. Thomas Sowell eloquently and insightfully called attention to this fact is his excellent book entitled 'A Conflict of Visions'.
Early in the book he explains that people fall into one of two very different visions of human nature.
On the one side are those who believe that man is perfectible through education and social programs. These are the Utopian folks who are convinced that we can...
I wrote in another post about 'concept creep' where terms outgrow their original meaning.
There is another type of creep which is both observable and important to understand. That is the concept of 'control creep'.
What I mean by this is the inevitable expansion of governmental control over the population under its charge.
When this nation was in its infancy the government interfered very little in the day to day affairs of men. Today the government has spread like a creeping vine into every...
What did the founders mean when they declared that all men are created equal? I ask because it is clearly evident that men are anything but equal.
They differ immensely with regard to their physical features, intelligence and abilities.
They must certainly have meant that before the law, none of these differences should be taken into consideration. This is why 'Lady Liberty' is blindfolded.
Compare this view of equality to that which is referred to as equity.
In this view it is necessary to...
It has been claimed that there are lies, damned lies and then statistics.
And so, while statistics can be useful when properly employed, they can can also mislead us, either accidently or by design.
It has also been said that statistics are often used like a lamp post for a drunken man; more for leaning on than for illumination.
Thus statistics, like the bible can be used to support any point of view or opinion.
As Eric Clapton sang, 'It's in the way you use it.'
Another feature of human societies like language and money, which arises spontaneously and without a design or designer is the market.
Instead it comes about as the result of individuals acting in their own self-interest and pursuing their own happiness.
It becomes readily apparent that their interests are inextricably intertwined with those of others across the globe.
Whether conscious of it or not, men benefit their fellows best when pursuing their own interests.
I find this a fascinating...
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities, but of their advantages” Adam Smith
Self-interest is the motive force which impels humanity forward.
Self-interest is all too often given a bad rap and not appreciated for the essential role it plays in our well-being.
People often...
While many of us are familiar with Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' , far fewer of us are familiar with his previous and equally important book entitled 'A Theory of Moral Sentiments'. If you have not read it I cannot recommend it too highly.
A person can learn more about human psychology and behavior by reading Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' than by reading a handful of contemporary social psychology manuals.
I believe it was Donald Rumsfeld who pointed out the fact that there are known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns.
The known knowns are the things we know that we know.
The known unknowns are the the things we know that we don't know.
The unknown unknowns are the things we don't know that we don't know.
It is the latter unknowns that cause most of our problems.
Reason, while underrated by those who suggest that revelation and emotions are reliable means of knowing, may also be overrated.
By this I mean that we often overestimate our reasoning abilities and thus fall into error when we reason logically to a wrong conclusion.
This hubristic view of reason is what convinces the collectivists that we can create a perfect system for human existence.
This is arrogant and nonsensical.
Probably nothing is more important for a person than to become self-aware. What does it mean to be self-aware?
Essentially it simply means to understand oneself.
Imagine if you will, trying to operate a piece of equipment which you did not understand.
Now consider the fact that you yourself are the most complex piece of equipment you will ever encounter.
How can you possibly expect to operate effectively if you do not understand yourself?
Self-awareness is possible because you and I are the only...
The root of civilization is civil. Once we start down the path of uncivility we simultaneously begin to destroy our civilization.
That is precisely where we find ourselves today.
In modern times civility is difficult if not impossible to detect and/or maintain.
Why is civility becoming an endangered behavior?
I believe the explanation is to be found in the fact that there are always those who profit from discord and disharmony.
Both may be employed in order to gain more power over the masses who...
People often mistakenly believe 'Capitalism' is the opposite 'Socialism'. Actually, it is 'Individualism' which is 'Socialism's' opposite. The former places the highest value on the individual while the latter places the highest value on society as a whole.
There are so many things wrong with 'Socialism' that one hardly knows where to begin. For one thing a society is nothing more than a specific group of individuals. It is an abstraction and not something of substance.
As Ayn Rand pointed out,...
Principles provide us with guidance as to how to live and conduct ourselves. They are the signposts and guardrails along the highway of life. They are the compass and rudder of our ship on the sea of life. Without them we wander and drift aimlessly but not harmlessly. We become lost.
One of the most important things a person can do for themselves is to determine and become crystal clear about the principles they intend to live by. Principles, if a person has adopted them are interrelated and...
The term 'push polling' refers to a polling organization or pollster's use of loaded and leading questions in order to obtain the responses they prefer and are 'fishing' for.
The questions are crafted by behavioral experts in such a way as to elicit the preferred responses in order to make it appear that the public is in favor of something which it is not, or is opposed to something which it is not.
Often euphemistic terms are used to induce those questioned to respond as desired.
The goal is...