• • •
An old ―dwelling‖ located in some far-off, secluded corner off the beaten track is likely to be characterized as quaint, picturesque and charming, enchanting, and (perhaps) sleepy-eyed (consonant with Southern manners) not to mention possessing character, whatever that means; its residents homey. That same ―house‖ situated in a depressed urban area or in a neighborhood in transitional decline, on the other hand, is just as likely to be described as rundown, ramshackled, dilapidated and a general eyesore, its residents of low moral character.
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Addendum to the above: Time and Location. If that house could only speak!
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Observing an object up front and close or from too great a distance, for that matter, will oftentimes obscure or distort an individual‘s visual perception. The same principle (equally) applies to an individual who is witnessing an ―historical‖ event (like the Civil Rights Movement, for example) unfolding before his or her very eyes. In this manner, contemporary biases and prejudices will (often) cause that individual (or that society, for that matter) to misread or misinterpret the historical significance or social ramifications of that (current) event or misjudge its future implications as it relates to (race relations). The further removed from time and space from some noteworthy event, but not so far as to reduce that event to an historical footnote, but far enough to allow the passage of time to ease a society‘s (collective) anxieties; future generations, no longer encumbered by such matters of immediate concern(s), will be in a better position to place these (historical) events in proper perspective, hindered as they might otherwise have been by contemporary currents or personal biases indigenous to the time(s) these historical events took place; that is to say, by being too close to the ―action‖.
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Politicians seeking imaginative ways of defining poverty in our nation by targeting its ―root causes‖ plays well among certain audiences however fundamentally flawed their analysis. There has been a disturbing tendency in recent years to categorically broaden (read: create more poor people) descriptive statistics designed to either support or reject existing assumptions relating to poverty rates that are oftentimes overstated, unreliable, unsupported by fact and likely to provide biased conclusions about poverty, its definition, extent, causes and prognosis for the future. The unwillingness of some politicians, however, to acknowledge even (some) improvement in this area suggests a political mindset concealing an agenda that seeks to advance, at the very least, a widespread perception of poverty for political reasons, if not poverty, itself! In this manner ―poverty‖ oftentimes becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Addendum to the above: Such efforts are in keeping with custodial designs embarked upon in the sixties to promote bigger government rather than seeking viable solutions to arresting our nation‘s poverty. They have (quietly) produced unintended results that may not bode well for its advocates as evidenced by a growing number of working and middle-class families who have grown wary of the dual requirements of pocketbook and conscience as forty years of public skepticism have gradually given way to cynical attitudes; substituting in place of compassion for individuals and families truly in need of assistance, a callous indifference, at times, for the ―problematical‖ poor. Government has its own peculiar way of driving people to extremes!
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Addendum to the above: Poverty is a relative term that should be properly considered in relation to a society‘s (rising) economic expectations. The higher the bar is raised so too will the poverty line be raised in conformance with that society‘s (rising) consumer standards. All classes or groups (generally) move in the same direction. As America‘s ―Affluent‖ Society becomes even more affluent so too will the ―poor‖ expect its proportionate share of the wealth.
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Addendum to the above: The undermining of traditional values has precipitated a socially divisive undercurrent in our nation that has further alienated lower income groups from the very values and customs that typically defined ―middle-class‖ success; principled standards that have (historically) improved (its) social and economic standing in a variety of ways over the years.83
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…. how many of our alienated poor have (unwittingly) permitted our government to appropriate decisions best left for an individual to make, that must (otherwise) demoralize any individual naturally inclined to making his or her (own) decisions (otherwise) pre-empted by ―social caretakers‖…….
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….although (general) economic conditions require improvement…poverty is not a universal phenomenon… measures designed to increase productivity and growth......
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Although ―intellectual designs‖ are invariable in nature, such does not prohibit, however, the (inherent) capacity of most individual‘s to reach the highest thresholds of their (native) potential.
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Addendum to the above: What I refer to as the components of intelligence; that is to say, memory, assimilation, recall and the capacity to reason, may be developed by application and conditioning; although striking diminishing returns at some point. This law applies to everyone!
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Addendum to the above: Although I am not entirely certain that Reason is an actual component of Intelligence, there is no denying its (practical) value that oftentimes exceeds the highest intellectual powers.
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Who has never grieved or mourned who has (once) loved?
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―Living for today‖ is not analogous with ―Taking things one day at a time.‖ The former is bound by present conditions (only) while the latter cautions that an individual should neither feel discouraged nor overwhelmed by present conditions or expect everything to happen all at once.
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An individual‘s character represents the sum total of other people who, in whatever manner, have ―touched‖ that person‘s life. In the final analysis, we are (all) completed wholes or complements of one another. Death itself does not have it within its power to diminish lasting impressions whose effects continue to define who we are.
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Conscience: A Homeric Struggle of Epic Proportions!
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When every word, every thought becomes a question of honor, what else remains?
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That Free Will may be properly rebuked or applauded by Conscience is a testimony to God‘s Divine Guidance!
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An individual who behaves or reacts in a manner consistent with his or her nature should not be equally commended with another individual who behaves in a similar manner under comparable conditions otherwise contrary to that individual‘s (own) nature (I am speaking here of heroic deeds). In this manner, a timid or shy individual who performs some courageous act for the right reason(s) should be commended above another individual whose similar acts of courage come naturally. (This is not to imply that the latter should not be commended only that the former, by stepping out of character by doing something out of the ordinary, arguably displayed greater courage)
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As a general rule, I disclaim fanciful notions like epiphanies or cognizant awakenings; those special moments of unusual psychic occurrence that (unexpectedly) heightens an individual‘s spiritual, moral or perceptual awareness; unless providential, that is unlikely to happen. Such newly acquired ―insight‖ into the (essential) nature of things is a common stratagem often employed by self-serving individual‘s and/or opportunists hoping to convey the notion that they‘ve ―grown.‖
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Ideas shaped by experience or introspective designs involves a long, drawn-out process whose origins are oftentimes forgotten by the time they‘ve become deeply embedded in our minds.84
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Our hidden arsenal of thoughts and ideas are seldom apparent, oftentimes revealing themselves gradually, their identity not entirely unknown, however; once understood in the aggregate, properly completes an individual.
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―Hate Crimes‖ legislation belies the notion of ―Equal Protection under the Law.‖ These measures constitute a ―value-added‖ penalty of sorts designed to curry favor among (certain) minority groups by conferring upon them privileged (victim) status.
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Addendum to the above: Somewhat likened to Endangered Species!
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…rejecting the notion that virtue or (goodness) is an applied rather than a natural condition…that the will toward moral excellence or (goodness) is not (necessarily) assigned by (formal) conventions…(although a society scripted in exceptional manners would likely encourage lofty manners)…that seeks its (own) goodness for its (own) sake… rather than goodness‘ sake…(that nevertheless offers its own special rewards)…that, notwithstanding, would (equally) satisfy universal sentiments…and that a society, however primitive or advanced, seeks its own goodness because it is considered good for that society to do so…that it naturally follows its (own) immanent understanding of what is good, whatever its form, to begin with…setting aside, for the moment, such advantages that might otherwise accrue to that society…(and) that…such goodness, however, should never be confused with eternal standards of goodness or (moral excellence) that naturally evolve in communion with Humankind‘s (inherently) perfectible nature, that, properly informed, provides meaning and (further) insight and guidance into the essential nature of things or ideas or what it meant by ―Good‖…
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An individual is seldom tested beyond the limits of his or her (emotional) endurance. Humankind‘s natural temperament, by varying degrees, has its (own) peculiar manner of drawing from its (own) inexhaustible supply of resources, each specifically designed to moderate its passions however troublesome, rather than what (it) may believe are or would otherwise be required if and whenever called upon.
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Brave young men and women who have proudly served our great nation in time of war and peace are deserving of our eternal gratitude. Their (unselfish) devotion to duty has made us (all) privileged to be called Americans.
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Populist Sentiments, unless tempered by Reason, must eventually devolve into the meanest forms of Mob Rule.
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If Heaven were a Luxury Hotel, I would count myself privileged serving as its Doorman.
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Despair is a spiritually wretched condition underscored by a lack of Faith.
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An individual should not be judged by his or her sins because aren‘t we all sinners to a greater or lesser degree? Otherwise, who would be left to condemn the sinner; who other than God is best qualified to judge a Man‘s heart?
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Addendum to the above: A sin is considered apart from the ―sinner.‖ It remains up to God‘s (own) inestimable discretion to judge the sinner in the same manner an ordered society adjudicates crimes against society in accordance with its (own) rule of laws.
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Truth, in whatever manner it is misrepresented or discredited, is oftentimes sufficient in itself to overcome the censorship of its harshest critics. Witness the ―re-emergence‖ of the Roman Catholic Church amidst the rubble and ashes of a morally decadent Soviet Regime.
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Superior (material) advantages do not necessarily provide the margin of victory. Such outcomes are oftentimes decided by keenness of mind and a swift heart.
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The Creator of all Things will one day vanquish the forces of spiritual and moral denial, humbling self-imposed ―doubts‖ and worldly conveniences suited for material comfort and private designs rather than spiritual necessity. At that time, the fallen will ―discover‖85
what many have intuitively understood all along however conveniently ignored for their own inestimable reasons. This sudden, cataclysmic (sic) reawakening of the mind will prove an unpleasant experience for most.
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A song does not necessarily require an elaborate arrangement whenever simplicity suffices, although such arrangements will oftentimes enhance the melodious quality of a particular tune.
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Dignity and Self-Esteem are the constitutive ingredients of any Self-Contained Individual.
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Values and Interests are never (quite) settled. Such qualifiers that otherwise define an individual remain subject to revision; modifying attitudes, a (calculated) means toward an uncertain end, that, when understood in the aggregate, however, ushers a uniquely complex, multi-dimensional individual unrestricted by the limits of determined viewpoints.
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…that will leave a spiritual vacuum in its wake…‖material‖ bodies overcome by a heightened sense of misery and despair…of unimaginable horrors aggravated by God‘s absence…producing (surrealistic) images of ourselves in manner inconsonant with our own (naturally) perceived likeness…an essential emptiness maddening in its effects…every hope shattered, abandoned …bringing shadows to light…unshakable despondency…left behind…alienated…. without (further) recourse to (our) loved ones…destined to walk along deserted streets…alone, in a dreamlike state of unbearable finality without (eternal) appeal…
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…by their actions will they be judged…discrediting the worthy while commending the impeachable…applauding boorish behavior while disparaging character as mawkishly old-fashioned… war veterans, homeless….. while draft dodgers are elevated to higher office…where death is an option…where narrow-minded assumptions routinely dismiss Truth‘s proper standing…where prescriptive authority seeks its (own) rewards rather than the public good…..where arbitrary corruption attends to its self-inflicted wounds, a tragic reminder of our (political) leaders who have lost their moral compass…
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An individual‘s ―personal‖ relationship with God, however commendable in its designs, poses an uncertain intimacy whereby an individual may freely invest license to challenge or take issue with, (as if engaging in a casual argument with an equal), theological points of reference or doctrines inspired by the Holy Spirit and (subsequently) passed along to the Faithful by Church Traditions.
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Addendum to the above: The greatest risk to an individual‘s spiritual well-being lies in theological assumptions seeking to reconcile what that individual understands to be (private) matters of conscience and what God (otherwise) expects from His followers. We would all be well advised to proceed with caution. The ways of Man are not (necessarily) what God has intended.
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Addendum to the above: I will conclude by saying that each of us should carefully attend the explicit divisions separating God and Man. This should not imply, however, that we must not make every conceivable effort to draw ourselves closer to God. After all, such was God‘s intention when, for our (own) sake and for our (own) salvation, He became Man.
• • •
Hackneyed expressions such as ―great‖ or ―greatest‖, as they relate to professional athletes, have, in my estimation, lost much of their (traditional) relevancy in recent years. Exalted characterizations of the modern athlete are consonant with neo-prejudicial impressions and lack of historical perspective.
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Democracy‘s most egregious failing, (depending on one‘s point of view), lies in the inestimable opportunities afforded Ambition that oftentimes seems to attract the meanest and commonest of ―talents‖ lacking natural distinction and merit; promoting an imprudent compromise of the loftiest standards in order to accommodate the requirements of (social) egalitarianism; however mediocre its outcome.
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We are all (ultimately) defined by the choices we make whether or not such choices are circumstantial or embarked upon voluntarily.
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D.H. Lawrence observed that ―what the eye doesn‘t see and the mind doesn‘t know, doesn‘t exist.‖ He was probably referring to God 86or, should I say, ―God?‖ Our religious beliefs notwithstanding, it is axiomatic that people, places and ―things‖ (or) ideas exist in their (own) manner however unknown or unformed (in our minds). I believe that Mr. Lawrence is confusing Being with Knowledge. The eye can neither see nor clearly perceive everything that exists, limited as we are by time and space; not to mention our (limited) intellectual and immanent capacity to perceive or understand ―things‖ clearly. That things and ideas exist in our minds, however, (necessarily) proves their existence inasmuch as they reside in (our) thoughts; that is to say, along the surface of our conscious awareness that equally supports the notion of similar thinking ―beings‖, (much like ourselves), with whom we share an (phenomenal)
―bond‖. Mr. Lawrence may freely plead ignorance of such matters that remain unknown to him. On the other hand, an individual may reasonably argue that the eye or the mind will often deny what it chooses not to see or believe; in this manner invalidating whatever objective or (plausible) certainty might otherwise allow. That we all perceive things differently is a matter of conditioning rather than their (underlying) essence. It would seem that such ―unknowns‖ or perhaps distortions or what the eye doesn‘t ―really‖ see are merely conveniences designed to support our (own) private prejudices or impressions under assault by the mind‘s eye.
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Whenever a group of individuals gather around to establish a community, it is effected with the explicit understanding that each member is expected to surrender a portion of his or her (―natural‖) freedoms; duty bound to impartially support, in a manner that is not prejudicial to any (single) individual, community laws ratified by popular consent for the benefit of every member of that community, without exception, lest unyielding power and influence fall into the hands of the Quick and Strong.
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Silence, Order and Discipline are Essential for Better Learning!
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Every generation, it seems, has appealed to a ―kinder,‖ ―simpler‖ past unencumbered by the dynamics of modern conventions considered either uniquely complex or morally deficient. For this reason, many individuals who may (otherwise) feel a (present) detachment seek a wistful alliance with a problematical past considered less alienated and more secure. These reflections represents momentary fancies that (alas) few of us are immune.
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The ―healing process‖ (I am speaking of severed friendships) is oftentimes achieved (less) in the manner of redressing (root) cause(s) but by not bringing them up at all.
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An individual‘s values (and interests) is oftentimes a study in contrast. For example, a child may be reluctant to part (at any price) with a prized baseball card of his favorite sport hero. Years later, that individual (adult) may be willing to sell that card if the ―price is right.‖ That adult might be said to have ―rationalized‖ his or her decision-making processes ………..either because he or she needs the money or because these collectibles no longer hold the same intrinsic ―value‖ that they once did, so why not part with (them) for a profit? This is not meant to imply, however, that that individual‘s principled belief system has been fundamentally modified in any manner; such accommodations do not (necessarily) alter the underlying (moral) assumptions that (otherwise) defines that individual.Something ―valued‖ is not to be confused with a ―moral‖ value.
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Henry James‘ rejection of ―Moral Realism;‖ an ontological defense of ―being‖ that at least some moral claims actually are true, underscores the position that moral absolutes are not the exclusive property of any particular individual or group. For example, that the needy are morally elevated while the wealthy are morally debased. Such propositions are (oftentimes) based on class antagonisms reinforced by common sentiments. An individual, irrespective of his or her material status, should be (otherwise) measured by the quality of that individual‘s Character and that ―fundamental‖ arguments of questionable design have less to do with that individual‘s economic standing but that individual‘s moral content, rather, that transcends class distinctions; that is to say, that individual‘s (natural) state of goodness; and that an individual, however rich or poor, may be either meanly disposed or kind and generous in consonance with his or her Nature.
• • •
That we are oftentimes aware of our (own) failings explains in part our reluctance as individuals to correctly censor unbecoming behavior. Of greater concern, however, is our (own) growing indifference and casual acceptance of our (own) private shortcomings that rationalize their (own) ‖rewards‖.
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Whenever the underlying assumptions supporting unlawful acts remain constant although the consequences of such actions considered separately may vary in their intended effect(s) does the final outcome of such actions either lessen or enhance their implied intent.
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That the confiscation of personal property and private fortunes promotes wealth creation is a non sequitur!87
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Who‘s to question the limits of endurance characteristic among individuals resistant to self-improvement or to what extent a breach of self-confidence?
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There are many roads leading to Heaven. Some take longer to get there than others, however!
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If Moral Turpitude were a parade, William Jefferson Clinton would be the Master of Ceremonies!
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The Will to Goodness is the rejection of behavioral attitudes repugnant to an individual‘s highest (moral) standing.
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A surefire way of increasing job performance is by reducing performance standards! (Same rule applies in promoting academic achievement.)
• • •
Since the inception of time our world has never lacked for lawyers: its membership exceeding (all) the grains of sands in (all) the oceans multiplied by (all) the stars in the heavens. I suspect that one was in readiness at the time Cain bludgeoned his brother (Abel) to death preparing an opening defense argument for temporary insanity.
• • •
A quick word about two separate issues: Gun Ownership and Abortion: Gun Ownership (in itself) does not constitute a determinate act against Society. That a firearm may be used (illegally) by a criminally minded individual in a manner contrary to its intended purpose(s) counts against the potential action of that individual possessing the firearm rather than that individual possessing a firearm or the firearm itself or any other ―potential‖ weapon for that matter. It is axiomatic that a probable action that exists as a potential does not necessarily imply criminal intent. (I am not concerned at the moment with formal legalities but potential actions.) The same argument equally applies to an individual who is considering having an Abortion that should be otherwise perceived as the premeditated taking of a (human) life. A determined action of this nature should not be considered apart from the purposeful action of having taken someone‘s life; that is to say, such potential no longer exists once it has been superseded by a definitive action. In this manner, the consummation of that action (Abortion) ceases to be a private matter, unlike Gun Ownership, that is not (unnecessarily) an unlawful act in itself, but the willful act of taking the life of another human being.
• • •
Addendum to the above: Counterargument as follows: An individual should neither entertain uncertain designs nor engage in questionable activities that are considered potentially harmful to the personal well-being of another individual whether or not they are properly executed with the intent of harming that individual or that may otherwise effect unintended harm, in either case legal precedence or (experience) should carefully consider the feasibility of preempting such decisions to begin with.
• • •
Addendum to the above: In which case, Abortion should be considered illegal! (Legalized) Gun Ownership, however, remains a topic open for discussion.
• • •
The Bush Administration‘s proposed subsidization of faith-based organizations intended to provide financial support to religious groups in their efforts to feed, clothe and shelter the poor is likely to encounter strong opposition from both sides of the political aisle.Modern Liberalism, naturally suspicious of religion to begin with, is generally reluctant to support initiatives that it (otherwise) considers a violation of constitutional provisions mandating Separation of Church and State. Conservatives, on the other hand, are (properly) suspicious in their own manner of federal programs that might otherwise compromise the operational authority of religious organizations as it relates to their spiritual as well as their humanitarian mission. (So much for the poor!)
• • •
…Eugenics‘ potential for modifying an unborn‘s natural makeup…. advancing in instead, lifeless creatures without humor or soul….reminiscent of Huxley‘s production line of trancelike zombies depicted in his ―Brave New World‖…
• • •
The Past should never be judged by contemporary standards. ―Modern‖ Society has always been complacent of its ―exclusive‖(evolutionary) mission; overbearing in the manner it assumes a (uniquely) higher moral authority predicated on vague, oftentimes mistaken (historical) assumptions (improperly) formed by modern ideology. There are many individuals who might argue otherwise; that Historical and (Social) Evolution are the exclusive properties of (the) Modern Society. (Such thinking isn‘t new, however.) The 88
only certainty is that the integral components of society, its institutions and its people, oftentimes remain an uncertain proposition and change, an uncertain process. Whatever we (as a society) once were, in relation to what we are now and what we hope to become, should not be considered separately. Although societal forms and conditions may vary, its essential foundations, as a rule, remain fundamentally the same.
• • •
Addendum to the above: Future Generations will undoubtedly enjoy similar advantages from the vantage point of time. Let us hope, however, that whatever judgments the future may one day see fit to render, will be tempered by gratitude for others who, having participated in history, made it possible for them to critically examine its failures as well as its accomplishments in an open-minded manner that will hopefully provide objective standards of measurement.
• • •
…remains uncertain, especially when it begins questioning (its) time-honored customs and practices otherwise requiring a candid appraisal of (its) intended designs… of the covenants that shaped (its) social and political outlook and contributed to (its) moral and intellectual development….distinguishing it from other cultures and societies that properly enjoy their own customary set of values…..although once (its) singular characteristics have been properly ratified and affirmed by majority opinion….. the process may find itself encumbered by any number of unintended consequences or competing designs operating within that (social) environment…
• • •
Affected laughter is either attributable to hidden sorrow(s) or arrested emotional development or perhaps both!
• • •
Cloning promises to o