How Existential!

What philosophy do you follow? (v1.03)

You scored as a Existentialism

Your life is guided by the concept of Existentialism: You choose the meaning and purpose of your life. “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” “It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” --Jean-Paul Sartre “It is man's natural sickness to believe that he possesses the Truth.” --Blaise Pascal More info at Arocoun's Wikipedia User Page...

Existentialism 100% Hedonism 80% Justice (Fairness) 75% Utilitarianism 70% Strong Egoism 60% Kantianism 55% Nihilism 20% Apathy 15% Divine Command 0%

Radio Quote

I was just listening to Air America(not exactly what I expected from the description, but anyway) on iTunes. This guy (didn't catch the name, sorry) was talking about religion and politics and said this:

"Don't go right. Don't go left. Go deeper."

Interesting.

Flip Flop

This marriage has flip-flopped more than political candidates this month. First I wanted a divorce and he’s all right with it. Then I didn’t want a divorce and he still did but was willing to spend time together but apart and see how it goes. Then I really wanted to stay together and he said no way. So I gave him all the space in the world and made strides in accepting my miserable little apartment as “home.” Now he’s all lonely and wants to stay married.

Lesson: If you want someone to miss you, be not there for awhile. Duh.

I have to say that right now we both are agreeing to maintain a Marriage of Convenience, and go to counseling to work on having a Real Marriage. Let’s define: A Real Marriage as one where both partners share similar goals, make each other generally happy, and work toward their future together, while a Convenient Marriage is one where we are unsure of our future together, are benefited financially, and don’t hate each other’s rotten stinking guts.

We are still doing Thanksgiving apart, we both already made plans. I’m going to give notice at my apartment tomorrow after class. And I was joking about the “we don’t hate each other’s rotten stinking guts”, we do actually care about each other, which is what has made this whole thing so complicated.

What makes it less complicated is the fact that all my neighbors are about as considerate as one could possibly be, if one were born without certain parts of the brain which regulate empathy for others. It is nearly midnight, you dear, devout, and hearing impaired man.

I'd say more, but my grasp on this internet connection is tenuous, at best.

7 Minutes of Truth

Brutally Honest. Watch at your own risk, my friends.



Found via:
Effects Measure

Well Written Post

Not this, but the post I read at Pharyngula. We Stand In Awe Its a bit longish, but if you've ever felt like opening your mind a bit, I highly recommend it.
"We stand awed at the heights our people have achieved
When the Buddhas of Bamyan were dynamited, it wasn't an atheist who lit the fuse. These modern atheists that have stirred up so much resentment among the apologists for religion are not destroyers who seek to demolish the past..."

Also, this post from Midwife with a Knife:
"You simply have to take it on faith that the eggs are ready, because when you've done this before, the eggs were done.
To be honest, it kind of creeps me out, this way of trusting the eggs."

Politics and Not Sleeping

Might as well post something new. Its not as if I have a life or anything. I did intend on going to bed at 11pm, but then the TV had some recast of the Democratic Faith and Politics debate, which I had intended to see and missed, so I watched it. Then I read some stuff online about it, and before you know it, I was stuck on the Internet. Again.

My take was that both Edwards and Obama said things I agree with. As a kid I spent well enough time living in poverty, with only Missouri MC+ as health care. One of them said "eliminating education programs in prison is not being tough on crime." Also, Edwards' response to whether he supported same-sex unions: "No, personally. But I don't think its the president's job to enforce his faith so same-sex partnerships deserve the same rights and responsibilities as any other marriage" I'm totally paraphrasing here, because I can't find a transcript and I'm too tired to keep looking. Also, Michael called while Obama was on, so I didn't get all of his 15 minutes.

Clinton seemed very uncomfortable or tired, and had a hard time looking the moderator in the face, constantly looking down. It was pretty clear to me that she was putting on a show with the whole thing, much more so than her counterparts. Coming from me, that's not exactly a criticism. Since most of the questions they asked her were about her husband's affair, I was uninterested and drifted off. I think it would be great to have a female president, but I need to see her talk in another format. From what little I've seen she pushes her talking points too hard and is a bit too stiff.

A technical note: the chairs were too high, and the candidates and moderator looked like they were having a hard time getting in and out of them. Especially Clinton and Obrian. Is it sad that I can be confident in the spelling of Solidad, but not Obrian?

Ohhh! He say a bad woooorrrddd!!!!!!!!

I came across this in my internet wanderings today, and I thought I would share. Apparently this guy regularly does a very racey one-man theater performance. Patrons are warned. Then a high school group stands up and walks out in protest, but not before one of the adults in the group walks up and pours water onto the performer's notes. Reading this, and the follow-up entry, and watching the video of the incident, all makes me want to see the show. I'm checking the site to see if they have the whole show available to watch online.

Apparently they were offended by his comparison of visiting New York City with having intimate relations with Paris Hilton.

Also, he said Fuck. Teehehe. Naughty word...

http://www.mikedaisey.com/2007/04/night-to-remember.sht
http://www.mikedaisey.com/2007/04/aftermath-and-confrontation.sht



**I found this on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rzi7dsguEY

No More of This

Well, now I'm mad at myself because apparently I failed to confirm my last post, and it was lost.

The long and short of it was that someone I know managed to show that he had no respect for me, yet again, but this time it was an insult to the firmness in my belief that the life we live now is the only one we have. That someone like me who has reasoned for themselves that the life we have now is the only one we get, would make a "deathbed" or "battlefield" conversion is a deep and burning insult. That he believes all people cower to god when in fear of their lives makes me sick to know him at all.

I know that he is not a Christian because I have had to apologize for him to our friends on uncountable occasions. Turns out, he just has no respect for anyone at all. My spiritual friends, please do not misunderstand me, I know you to be intelligent and decent people. I would never assume that on your deathbed you would throw away all that you believe. By the same token, I don't expect anyone to assume I would throw away the principles by which I have lived my entire life, out of fear. It would be cowardly and mindless and not at all true to who I am. I certainly never expected that assumption from someone who presumably loves me for my intelligence.

The Myth of the Foxhole Atheist

Just read it.

This will make you ill. I promise.
I mean...just so...wrong...and scary...and wrong....

POLISH EXCHANGE STUDENT IN US:
My Half-Year of Hell With Christian Fundamentalists

I'm going to run away now and try to forget I just read that.

Note: I put my windchime back up about an hour ago, since it had been down for Halloween, and now it's realy windy outside. Going to my happy place now. *squeek*

Linkey

Well, this is all pretty depressing:

Banishment

But then there's this, watch the video to lift your spirits.

And then there's this, which I will quote one of many paragraphs:

Its all about me. We still remain a dreadfully segregated nation, and much of the country shields its residents from even a passing familiarity with any alternative American experience to their own, leaving the majority of Americans incapable of comprehending how someone outside their race, sexual orientation, and particularly social class might arrive at a drastically different destination in life than they have. Knowing people who aren't like us is the key to empathy, to caring about the struggles, blockades, and even the most basic circumstances of people who don't share our individual experiences. People sniff at multiculturalism and shrug at the suggestion that international travel is a necessary experience to broaden our own isolationist horizons. We are actively discouraged, by omnipresent reassurances that America is the best country in the world! that we don't need to experience other cultures because they have nothing to offer (and we are actively prevented from world travel by being provided with the shortest vacation times in the Western world). America is the center of the universe for many Americans and often, not even the whole of America, but just their own region, state, town, neighborhood. Best place in the country in the best country in the world. Why leave, even for a day? Incuriosity. Ignorance. Its all about my home, my experience, me.

Christian finds 'religion' about the seperation of church and state.

Happy Holidays

War on Christmas? Too good to pass up, also found on another blog.

To Which Chloe Commented:
I want to celebrate fertility rites with the guy who wrote that.

Festivus for the Rest of Us!

Original: December 7, 2005 - Wednesday

This is the first year I've ever had to really decide what to do about the holidays, and I've been married to a Christmas-loving atheist for nearly 3 years. Well, sometimes he believes HE is god, but not the point.

I like the feeling of the season and the pretty, wintery, or funny decorations, but of course not the underlying 'theme'. I decided it was bull-dookey to not celebrate the season just because Christians ruined it to convert people. Total bull-poopy. So I bought a 3 foot tall live tree at Wal-Mart and it's sitting in the corner of the room with one ornament on it. It's not the traditional triangle shaped tree, but it is an evergreen and the needles are soft and pretty. It will still look nice as a houseplant all year long, if it lives. I need more decorations.

Yeah, my outdoor plants are lookin pretty sickly now. We had frost two days in a row this week, and I didn't bring them in until yesterday.