Project Omniverse

There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

What I Am — Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Are you what you are or what?

It really doesn’t matter to me what else I have accomplished in a given day if I haven’t read a little bit out of a book. I could have saved the world, slayed a monster, rescued a princess, anything goes. I still find myself feeling really low and my time wasted if I haven’t progressed at least a little bit on my literary journey. Some days I see a lot of progress, I can read and process information fairly quickly and I seem to have gotten better with time and practice. I believe I’m still growing. A lot of days, however, see me reading only a few paragraphs, yet I’m still crawling toward the inevitable goal. There are many reasons why I do this, why I am like this, but at the end it boils down to one thing: I think it makes me a better person. There’s a large majority of individuals in this world who either can not, will not, or do not read. They are not so concerned with their own personal education as they are other facets of their lives. This may serve them well in their purposes, but could never serve me in mine. I require constant intellectual sustenance. My appetite for knowledge cannot easily be satiated.

Think about the last book you enjoyed. Consider why you enjoyed it. What did you learn? What stuck out to you? Why did you choose that selection?

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s — Deep Blue Something
We can always find common ground.

I’m not like everyone else. That much is evident in the way that I walk, talk, and carry myself. The very way I perceive the world is unconventional. I’d like to think that I’m fairly enlightened, but the truth is more likely that I’m as ignorant as the next person. What sets me apart, in my estimation, is my ability to articulate my thoughts in a coherent and thoughtful manner. It takes time and effort to prepare my case. By the time I’m ready to argue, I’ve already won. Unfortunately, most people tend to dismiss things they do not immediately like or agree with. People like to resort to strawman arguments, goalpost moving, false equivalencies, and constantly bitching about the president to detract from the truth. I’ve been called every name under the sun. That’s the nature of things. I’d like to think that people can handle ideas, but the truth is more like the ideas are handling the people. Have you ever encountered someone who is ideologically possessed? What did you notice?

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Matthew 7:6, King James Version

I’m Not Like Everybody Else — The Kinks
Who really is though?

It seems to me, though, that people are more alike than they are different. I’m not that exceptional when the chips have finally fallen. I have my own talents and places where I shine bright enough, but there are many areas where I am as lost as any other sheep. And while I consider myself many things, and while a sheep surely is not one of those things (I see it as an insult), on some level we are all exactly that. Without leadership, without direction, anyone could become lost. This is unbelievably important. The greatest minds in all of history, the greatest people in all of history, not one person excepted, have all had someone or something they looked to for inspiration, motivation, and guidance. As a species, we have the unique benefit of learning from the lessons of our forebearers. If we cannot learn from the past, we are most certainly destined to repeat it. This is a truth that is echoing down do our very day.

I had visions, I was in them
I was looking into the mirror
To see a little bit clearer
Rottenness and evil in me.

Flagpole Sitta — Harvey Danger
The agony and the irony, they’re killing me.

I think back to my times of rebellion. As as person, I’ve always taken particular delight in being oppositional. I’ve taken up positions for the sake of being different. Sometimes I even knew I was wrong. Yet, it would not do for me to let another person be right. Looking back, I do actually think that this is a good thing. A person should be able to argue both sides of an argument if he, she, or it is really meant to understand it. There’s a place for playing the Devil’s Advocate. I like running countless hypothetical scenarios and examining the extremities of being in situations that are both highly unlikely and absolutely impossible. There is a utility in being able to distill ideas into their purest form, to be able to weigh them carefully, to be able to map them, and to reconstruct them in various capacities. There is nothing original in this world. Everything has been said before. They object is the understanding. Any programmed NPC can quote rabble jargon. It takes a true mind to extrapolate, interpret, and reflect actual data.

Babble babble bitch bitch
Rebel rebel party party

This Is The New Shit — Marilyn Manson
Stick your stupid slogan in.

A mistake isn’t worth making unless you learn from it. I’m the type of person who is constantly haunted by his past transgressions. I think about every sin I’ve ever committed. They might as well be carved into my flesh the way Nightcrawler’s were in the second X-Men film. I see myself as a piece of shit. This is all that I am. This is all that any of us are. The best I can really do is attempt to polish my turd before I die. I’m worth quite a bit, relatively speaking, but in the end I am merely dust. What lasting impact can one such as I have? While I’ve managed with great effort to banish, for the most part, the demons of bitterness and resentment from my psyche, I still struggle with my ego. I think about love that’s lost, about how poorly I’ve behaved, and I cringe with unfiltered regret. Regret over how I chose to conduct myself when I could have done better. I learned a long time ago that I have no one to blame but myself. That realization plays a large part in why I’m so keen on being better. I will not let my mistakes define me forever. I will get another chance to do the right thing, and when it comes I will seize it. There will be no one greater than my self by the time I am finished. This will be true, or I will die in the process. There is no other option.

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 7:2, New International Version

I Want You — Savage Garden
I don’t need to try to explain.

That’s all for now.
Until next time,
Thank you;

There are times when all the world’s asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man

Supertramp, The Logical Song

RAMP! The Logical Song — Scooter
Beautiful. Magical.

It’s not always easy to know what to write about. The hardest part is getting started. I struggle to think of things I haven’t already said, of ways to spin-off of previous ideas. The problem is knowing where to begin. How much to reveal. There’s so much swimming beneath the waves, an ocean of worlds to explore. Some topics are forbidden. Others are taboo. Is it my goal to start fires and bring down empires? Am I a seeker of self-destruction? Do I want to immolate myself at the sacrificial altar in the name of principle? Do I aim to make enemies and alienate my peers? None of these things describe my intention. It requires a certain technique to be constructive. There’s a certain strength that comes with proactivity over reactivity. It’s important to retain perspective. Some things cannot be taken from you.

Is it about intention? Or is it about consequence? What is the difference?

Contemplations for the Shower

New Sensation — INXS
Whenever it’s Fresh.

I worry a lot about my professional life. I do not, as a rule, talk about work, but there are plenty of things to talk about. My job requires a certain decorum, an unspoken understanding that things are a certain way and will be carried out a certain way and, in fact, must be a certain way. It works that way because it has to. Anything less is substandard and doesn’t make the cut. People get ostracized. People face very real issues. Scandals happen. That’s the nature of beast. It happens everywhere all the time. The goal is to keep my nose clean and carry on the best I can while the world burns down around me. I’d like to put out fires where I can, to help my fellows out of perdition. But it’s all I can do to keep myself from drowning. A disposition such as mine takes effort to maintain. It would be so easy to just be miserable. I feel a great anxiety over the future. I do not recognize the world I live in. There are things I still fail to understand. I can only do my best.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10, American Standard Version

Personal Jesus — Depeche Mode
Reach out and touch faith.

I find the lack of faith in people today disturbing. I think I may have an idealized version of a world in which the common person had a deeper understanding of the mysteries than the people of today do. I’m hard pressed to find someone, anyone, who even knows about the mysteries, let alone understands them. And then I think about reality in its true form and I realize that most people have never had a conscious understanding. Our species has been bumbling around for millennia down to this day, and it took that long to produce what we have to take advantage of. I become aware of the illusion, the delusion, that bubble that we find ourselves in. And I see how it’s divided. One can walk between the worlds until a side is either chosen or assigned. No one can remain neutral forever.

You shouldn’t have to sell your soul.

Shout — Tears for Fears
I’m talking to you. Come on!

There’s a part of me that screams to be heard, that cries for attention. It’s irrational and doesn’t know how to articulate itself to any degree whatsoever. It doesn’t know what it wants. It doesn’t know what it needs. It simply wants to vocalize itself and be heard. It’s angry. It’s hateful. It craves power and control, yet it could do nothing with it. It’s like a disobedient child, or an angry little monster that must be kept in check lest it do absolute damage. It burns like a fire and it turns all it consumes into ash. It must be fed to grow, but nothing good can come from it. I believe it exists in everyone. I believe it controls people. At various moments it has controlled me. But I am not that thing, I am above it. I acknowledge it. I learn from it. I work to tame it. We are more than the sum of our demons.

Every single one of us, the devil inside.

INXS, The Devil Inside

Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss — The Bloodhound Gang
I’ve got somerthing.

What I’m trying to say, if I’m trying to say anything, is that I want the best for everyone, even if it means I don’t get what I want in the short term. There is an endgame in which the proper rewards will be distributed. I aim to be worthy. (I’m not.) I am well aware that there are people who would love to see me fail, who will hate me for no reason I have any control over. It is hard to remain strong in the face of an unseen adversary (ie. uncertainty). Danger exists beyond the edge of Chaos. This is why the balance is so important. Too much restriction and you can never grow. Too little and you’ll rip yourself apart. It makes me think of Goldilocks. There’s a way of conducting yourself that is just right. That is what I’m aiming for.

O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Jeremiah 10:23, American Standard Version

Bittersweet Symphony — The Verve
But I’m a million different people from one day to the next.

I don’t want to be alone forever, to die alone, but neither do I want to compromise my integrity or my values to get my indulgence. It feels like there is nobody else like me. The people I turn to do not seem to understand. I think they want to, sometimes. But people are occupied with their own lives and their own problems. I ask difficult questions. I make strong demands. I draw hard lines. The difficulty is mine, I believe, because it’s not evident in others. There’s no doubt in my mind that everyone experiences all these at different points, but it seems to be that each should manifest as a different challenge for each individual to face. I think different people get hung up on different things even so. I would like to be real with people. I wish I could really exercise trust again. (I can’t.)

Count your blessings. Think about gratitude. What do you have to be thankful for?

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

Thank U — Alanis Morissette
Thank you, Silence.

That’s all for now.
Until next time,
Thank you;

…Be Upward Bound.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

Up Up & Away, My Beautiful Balloon — Fifth Dimension
Elevate Your Self.

When I think about success, I think about the ability to keep going. There’s an old expression I hear from time to time about resting on your laurels where it pertains to complacency. I can generally tell when someone is really committed to their cause by the way they approach it. People who do not really want to succeed will typically make up some kind of excuse. Work. Family. Timing. Etc. These are all signs that the person in question doesn’t want it bad enough. This isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s wise to go after different goals. Maybe taking care of your children or working the extra overtime is more important. Maybe spending time with friends or relaxing with your partner is exactly what you need. I just happen to think it helps to be honest about the situation. It helps add clarity. Everything, everything, Everything requires sacrifice. You have a choice, and if you choose not to take it it will be made for you. In other words: Not making a decision is a big decision.

Y’all better just be turning back if y’all want this boy to win
’cause practice is the only cure for the predicament he’s in!”

The Devil Came Back to George, Charlie Daniels Band

Die Another Day — Madonna
Sometimes you have to find another way.

Near as I can tell, there are two paths to power in this world. There’s one to the left, and one to the right. The problem with power is that it requires competency to wield appropriately, if at all. People who gain power through dishonest means will ultimately be corrupted by it, and in their pursuit of it will manifest their darker intentions in subtler ways. The only person who should ever wield a sword is the person who never wants to use it. The only person who should ever take responsibility is the person who can handle it. Responsibility can add a lot of meaning into a person’s life, but the cost is very real. There’s a reason why so many people opt to pursue simpler things in life. Not everything is for everyone at all times, and not everyone can do everything at all times. Sometimes you have to redefine your parameters, opt for a lower resolution of play. The game works at every level if you but understand the rules of engagement.

Chaaaaaaaaaarge!

Johnny Knoxville, while carrying an American Flag and running into an electronic stun device.

It’s Time — Imagine Dragons
It’s always time.

Things happen every day. Most of these things are beyond your control. Everything that you encounter is a test of your character. As you continue to make better choices for yourself you will discover that it gets easier. This is because you are strengthening your integrity. The more you speak the truth into words and act in a consistent manner, you will naturally become more magnetic. People are naturally attracted to people they can depend on. Having that quality commands respect at a subtle, yet primal level. As you grow, you’ll notice the way you carry yourself change. The way you look at the world will become radically different. As you begin to wake up to larger and greater possibilities, you’ll be forced to redefine yourself over-and over again as you learn things that were previously hidden and unknowable. This will always be true.

You gotta fight…for your right…to paaaaaaartyyyyyyyyy.

Beastie Boys, Fight for Your Right

Knights of Cydonia — Muse
Don’t waste your time or time will waste you.

Backsliding is inevitable. There is no sense in beating yourself up when you miss the mark. Everyone must fall short of the Glory. It is an inevitability. In the Batman story, Alfred tells a young Bruce Wayne that the reason people fall is so that they can get back up again. This is a deep truth. The difference between a winner and a loser is that a winner will never accept defeat. The goal is not to win every game, the goal is to participate in as many games as possible, to win the highest possible number of games across all games. And there is more than one way to win. You do not need to be the brightest star. You don’t even need to be the longest lasting. Your goal should be to shine in the way that suits you the best. This can change with time. No one is in control of your destiny but you. So take aim and break the mold.

Only shooting stars break the mold

Smash Mouth, All Star

Zombie — The Cranberries
What’s in your head?

Everyone is different and it really does take all types. Every problem gets treated like a nail if your toolbox contains only hammers. The ability to think outside the box, to consider things in the abstract is a useful ability to have, but you still need an outside perspective from time to time to truly grow and advance. When learning to play a competitive game, you don’t get better by winning every game. The way you grow is by taking on opponents who can beat you and teach you. You need to lose exactly as much as you can stand for optimal growth. This means embracing rejection. This means ignoring ridicule. This means asking questions and accepting help. The king may sit at the top of the hill, but he does not rest easy, for the pauper knows at any time he can make the climb and knock the king off his lofty throne. We all require support. Not one of us can do it alone.

No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

John Donne, “No Man is an Island”

Lean on Me — Bill Withers
For no one can fill those of your needs that you won’t let show.

That’s all for now.
Until next time,
Thank you;

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

Semisonic, Closing Time

Dare — Gorillaz
It’s Coming Up.

There’s more in this world than I will ever understand. People are an intense mystery. Everyone has a unique point of view with motivations hidden beneath the finer exterior. I tend to think that most people are blind to their true intentions. This is why they hide behind pathological ideology and pseudo-intellectual ideas which require very little in the way of deeper thought. People are basically capable of anything with the proper justification. Couple that with poor impulse control and you’ve got a very real problem. This is what I see when I look at today’s World. There’s a whole generation of people who do not know what they think they know. How could they when they’ve never been taught? How could they when they do not listen? How could they when they do not read books?

In political jargon, a useful idiot is a derogatory term for a person perceived as a propagandist for a cause whose goals they are not fully aware of, and who is used cynically by the leaders of the cause.

Wikipedia

Weapon of Choice — Fat Boy Slim
Choice is a Weapon.

The disturbing trend I notice in some of the people I know is a tendency toward darker, dangerous, self-destructive ideas. I don’t understand the deal with this guilt-based mindset that has taken hold of people. I’m watching people apologize for all kinds of superficial things that they have no control over as if that’s some kind of metric for goodness. One person I met had the brazen audacity to tell one of my friends she got points for acknowledging her whiteness. I find such displays to be absolutely disgusting. Even if I believed in race, which I don’t, I don’t believe it adds anything to the conversation to highlight it as a major point of contention in this world. If the goal is to bring people together (which I propose it is), then dishing on, discriminating against, and calling out the race of people in casual conversation is not helpful. This goes for things like gender and sex as well. I don’t buy into the Oppression Game. There is no way to fix all the oppression in the world. This is a technical fact. One way to exasperate the issue, however, is to add more oppression. Fortunately, there is one way to help.

Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.

Morgan Freeman, 60 Minutes

Black or White — Michael Jackson
It doesn’t matter. And why should it?

There are reasons why things are the way they are. The World we live in is an anomaly. It was build with the sweat, the blood, and the tears of the people who came before us. It can end at any time. All the progress that has been achieved can be wiped out in a heartbeat. This is a fact that seems to be lost on a great many of my peers. I see an unbelievable amount of resentment among people of the younger generations. I’ve witnessed people my own age clamor about how the previous generation ruined the world, the country, and our society. Isn’t it funny that they are allowed to voice their complaints at all? Throughout history, and even in the modern world, that is not the norm. Ironically, the people who are exercising their rights to tear down the structure they rely on for basic survival tend to want to censor other people who hold opinions they do not like or agree with. Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think?

Dare to be stupid.

Weird Al Yankovic

Ironic — Alanis Morissette
It’s like rain on your wedding cake.

Of course, I don’t mean to be a downer. There’s just things that really bother me. There’s a bubble growing bigger, taller, and wider, and sooner or later it will pop. I have a feeling that most people will have no idea what hit them. It’s the younger generation that I worry about most because they will not know any different. As the Overton window continues to shift further and further in a single direction, rational and reasonable ideas (and the people who hold them) will be further alienated by the societal despots vying for the destruction of their own ways of life. The problem is: Not everything is equal. Not every idea holds the same value as every other idea. Not every plan is workable, and not every solution is a good one. And when something pops up that the vocal minority dislikes, it gets immediately slapped with a label (such as racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) so as to avoid any real intellectual engagement. I see it literally every day.

Think about how you approach race, sex, and gender. Is it REALLY helpful? Or do you have other motivations? Be honest now.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It.

Cult of Personality — Living Colour
Look in my eyes. What do you see?

That’s all for now.
Until Next Time,
Thank you;

But until you find meaning in yourself you’re never going to find it in a search.

A truism from a friend

Carry On — Manowar
Got me through a rough patch. Kind of.

My heart’s not really in this one. I’ve got other things on my mind. I’m going away for a few days, I’ve been working very hard, and I’m just very incredibly tired. Yet my sense of discipline and my obsessive need to see this through to its logical conclusion compels me to push on until the final curtain. That’s when I have to really begin making changes. I have no choice. The changes are going to come regardless. By making the conscious choice to move forward on my own path I get to exercise some control over my own destiny. I can’t think of anything scarier. That’s about all there is to it.

*snap*

Thanos, The Infinity War

I Go to Extremes — Billy Joel
It’s my nature, I suppose. But it does have its uses.

I was thinking about it to myself earlier today while giving myself a much needed haircut makeover: There’s a reason for everything. I don’t necessarily think it’s a good reason per se, but that’s doesn’t erase the facts. I mean: A lot of things are just horrible. There’s no good explanation. It’s a simple matter to reduce everything to simplified morality and point out the heroes and villains, pick a side, and fight until the end of the time. But the victims become the oppressors, morally justified in their own right, and the cycle of violence continues. That’s the way of things. Violence is a time tested and approved measure for getting things done. It’s a dangerous truth and a hard pill to swallow. Freedom and Liberty were bought and paid for with bloodshed and human sacrifice. This is a price that continues to be paid down to this very day.

Look up the definition of Entropy.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It.

We Built This City — Starship
The answer is Rock & Roll. Js

I guess at the heart of it I believe that we are all living on borrowed time, that none of the things we take for granted are guaranteed tomorrow, and that some of the answers can be found in other human beings. It seems reasonable that different people who have faced different problems have found solutions to problems I have yet to face. It is also just as likely that some of the answers I have managed to rend from the fabric of my life are also necessary and valid. I’ve saved peoples’ lives before. But not for me, what would have happened? Just the same: people have saved my life before. But not for them, what would have happened? The cycle continues. I hold that there’s something to be said about value.

Death is lighter than a feather, but Duty is heavier than a mountain.

Unknown Japanese; && Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time

Why Me — Planet P Project
Because it has to be.

We all have our baggage. I’m no different. I sometimes suffer from a crippling sense of self-loathing, worthlessness, and alienation. I do not know why this is, from where it stems, or what causes it. For a very long time I assumed everyone else was the same. They’re not. After a lifetime of searching blindly in a dark room, I finally found a light switch. After exploring for a while, I found a door. After a while, I went through the door. In time I found another door. Then another. And after a while, I forgot where the first door was. It didn’t matter so much anyway. The point: There’s a way out of toxic ideology. It starts with accepting things you don’t like and either fixing, changing, or living with them.

Everybody’s got their problems.
Everybody says the same things to you.
It’s just a matter how you solve them.
But what else are we supposed to do?

The Hell Song, Sum 41

Go Your Own Way — Fleet Wood Mac
Understand the Tao.

There is a way of existing, of walking in the world that is somehow more real than other ways. It seems like there is so much to the world around us that lurks beneath the surface depths where its socially safe for people to swim. The areas of the pool we are allowed to inhabit seem to shift and change over time, yet no matter where you stand in the pool you’ll find people marveling over the tip and ignoring the better part of the iceberg. To master the art of the way would take a lifetime or better, but the first step begins with a choice. Make no mistake, choice is a weapon. Choice can cut you down quicker than any blade, and to the inexperienced, is every bit as dangerous to its wielder as to its opponent. It is said that the meek will inherit the earth. The meek are the ones who have swords, know how to use them, and choose to keep them sheathed. This means not acting until you are sure of your own intentions and able to make a choice that falls in harmony with your goals, your conscience, and your sense of self.

Ask me sometime about the fable of the Old Bull and the Young Bull. Then ask me about it in this context.

I’ll make it worth your while.

Eden — Red Delicious
All is good in the garden.

---

That’s all for now.
Until next time,
Thank you;

It’s elementary, my dear Watson.

NOT Sherlock Holmes

Come Together — The Beatles
Because you’ve got to be free.

I want to talk a little bit about conceptual frameworks and how they work. It’s a very large subject with a lot of moving parts so I’m going to do my best to break it down. It starts with Objectivity and Subjectivity and the concept of Context. There is a significant difference between things that exist outside of and regardless of context, and there are things that can only exist within and because of context. When you start to conflate these ideas you wind up going in conceptual circles with arguments that make no sense. Fallacies are tricky and difficult to beat, but once you’ve spotted them you can easily rectify your position and correct your course. At the end of the day it is the facts that are important. With these pieces you can construct a basic intellectual framework for mapping and plotting.

What is the Matrix?

Neo, The Matrix

Goody Two Shoes — Adam Ant
What do you do?

The first thing you need to think about when constructing the framework is the scope. A framework should only ever be exactly as big as it needs to be, and it should contain only exactly as much data as it needs to properly serve its purpose. Adding in extra details that have no bearing on the scope creates irrelevance which lends a person to subscribe to a fallacious idea and come to an improper conclusion. (Rule: Useless Redundancies Get Eliminated (#URGE)). — It also means ignore irrelevant data. ) One efficient way to cover this is by keeping it simple. (Rule: KISS -Keep It Simple, Studmuffin (#KISS))

I want to Rock and Roll all night. And party every day.

Kiss, Rock and Roll All Night

Free Your Mind — En Vogue
Free your mind. The rest will follow.

The easiest and most simple scope to describe when detailing reality, so far as my practice is concerned, is the Universal Set {U}. The Universal Set contains everything that can, could, would, should, does exist, has existed, will exist, could-have-should-have-might-have-existed-period. Everything. There is nothing outside {U}. I repeat: There is Nothing outside {U}. If it exists, it exists within {U}. There is only one {U} and it’s the same {U} for everyone. Period. Understand that for a second. It’s important. {{{Pet peeve: People misuse the word Universe way too often. But there’s a reason for it. We’ll cover that in the future.}}}¹

{U} spin me right round, baby right round.

Dead or Alive, You Spin Me Round

Written in the Stars — Tinie Tempah
It’s all there from the beginning.

Now that we’ve established the Universal Set, we can talk about Objectivity. Objects are things that exist within a scope outside the bounds of any context, and to be objective is to view situations without context. This is important because it allows a person to distill facts and find a deeper truth lurking just beneath the surface. The problem is that reality and perception both exist within a context and the context is so drastically huge and complex that True Objectivity becomes impossible.² Think about that for a moment.

Space is big.

Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Real — Miyavi
FYI: One of the greatest guitarists on the planet.

If True Objectivity is impossible, what does that mean about our frameworks? It means that even if we try our best to include every variable and take every single little detail into account it is still technically impossible to fix every conceivable error. This means that things like Inequality of Outcome become inevitable and concepts like Equity become irrational. There is simply no way to address Everything in the broadest of scopes and enact constructive change in the world. This is because some concepts are congruent with reality and some are not. This difference is accounted for Subjectively.

All the King’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Nursery Rhyme

Kick the Dust Up — Luke Bryan
That riff, though. Sexy.

Subjective concepts are dependent upon a narrative framework to remain viable. A good example of this can be found in fiction. The story opens, it contains everything within the story, and then it ends. The details of that story can be internally consistent and still have no bearing or use outside the contextt of the story. Subjective concepts exist relative to each other and can compete for preeminence. The problem with subjectivity is that it requires a very narrow scope to be used effectively and cannot be applied without taking context into account. Where Objectivism largely ties itself into facts, Subjectivism tends to give easier to feelings. The problem with Subjectivism is that it can be used as a tool to simply dismiss inconvenient truths. (Everything is subjective, after all.)

2+2=5

1984, George Orwell

Fantasy — Aldo Nova
Can you live a fantasy life?

That’s all for now.
Until Next Time,
Thank you;

---

¹ The Universal Set is actually way to large and complex to describe in any detail, but the abstract is absolutely important. It allows us to derive tools that are critically important for our work. Concepts we’ll delve into later include, but are not limited to: Real / Imagined; True / False; All / Nothing; One / Many; Yin / Yang. All of these are dependent on {U}.

² Except for The Unseen Observer. That is a Philosophical Concept for another time.

I get delirious whenever you’re near.
Lose all self-control, baby just can’t steer.
Wheels get locked in place.
Stupid look on my face.

Prince, Delirious
[The Best Prince Song]

Can You Take Me Higher? — Creed
It’s a legitimate question.

It seems I’ve been making a lot of friends lately. I even managed to repair a relationship that seemed to be on the fritz. I now officially have no reason to bitch, moan, shit talk, or otherwise be discontent with my circumstances. My bed continues to be made and order continues to be established in my life. I continue to read books and expand my knowledge. The exercises I put myself through are yielding proper fruit. Every day I become more disciplined, more open, more sociable, more refined. The pattern has been established. It is now time to change tacs.

Change, nothing stays the same .
Unchained, yeah you hit the ground running.

Van Halen, Unchained

Kickstart My Heart — Mötley Crüe
Add a little juice.

Personal growth is a valid topic of conversation and an adequate thing to write about so long as it applies and so long as it doesn’t become redundant. A rule that I instituted a long time ago is U.R.G.E. (Useless Redundancies Get Eliminated) This is so that I don’t sound like a broken record, waxing my ego and talking about how cool I am. I don’t need to repeat myself more then once (or twice) and my awesomeness speaks for itself. There’s just not a lot to gain by feeding that. It’s boring and hardly enigmatic. As I move forward I shall begin refining my focus and bringing my immediate and broad goals into the spotlight. I plan to lead by example and show the gains I make following the method. There are rules to this shit and if you figure them out you can make the rules. Here’s another rule: “Effort pays off.”

When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge becomes pleasant to your soul, Thinking ability will keep watch over you, And discernment will safeguard you…

Proverbs 2:10, 11

Higher Ground — Stevie Wonder
Keep on trying.

I’m absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude. I understand exactly what it is I have and I take absolutely none of it for granted. I’m still figuring things out, so I’ll miss a step, skip a beat, and do things that humans do. That’s the nature of the beast. There will always be a lesson I have not learned. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about taking aim and letting go. It’s about readjusting and trying again. Masters have failed more times than a novice has tried. It’s about faith.

Give it to me, baby.

Rick James, Give it to Me Baby

Right Here, Right Now — Fat Boy Slim
Word.

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Until Next Time,
Thank You;

Do not retreat from enemy attack.

Ethical Rule, Hapkido

Today I want to talk about mooks. It is a good day to talk about mooks. I’m really feeling it and I’m excited to go down this road. This is an important part of the story. Love it.

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Opening Theme:

Power/Ranger:z

5. Servitors

Across all of time and space there have been tyrants imposing their wills on people unfortunate enough to be subjected to them. The most successful of these in their times had unique and novel ways of enforcing their rule and ensuring obedience. While the motivations vary from individual to individual, most conflicts ended up requiring soldiers. When living, breathing, sapient, and loyal underlings became a commodity in short supply these regimes would require a unique and novel way of moving forward lest they be overthrown by rebellion and rivalry. The solution required disposable soldiers.

The process for acquiring these disposable soldiers varied from overlord to overlord but the key components were the same across the board. They were always constructed from inanimate matter, had only limited intelligence, did not feel fear, did not retreat, and, most importantly, did not have free will. While most of these mooks could solve simple problems with readily available solutions, they were incapable of living anything more than a half-life. They existed only to serve and to die. They fulfilled both purposes very well.

While the make, model, materials, and exact method of construction vary from mook to mook, they are all animated by the same mysterious force. It is thought by some that the energy comes from a general source, a naturally occurring well of energy that can be tapped and utilized for this and other purposes. Experiments conducted in that vein produced much fruit, but a recurring problem always reared its ugly head: lack of control. While it was possible to animate a construct using the known and acceptable methods, depending on the complexity of your mook you would wind up with either aimless, broken creatures or dangerous sociopaths, incorruptible and irredeemable. The process of employing mooks was thus marked as a universal taboo.

The other theory that was whispered in hushed circles was that the power of the mooks was actually derived from an infernal being known as The Dark Specter. While these rumors could not be proven, it was known that many of the Dark Overlords imposing their will on the Universe were at least acquainted with the Cult of Maligor, and that through this organization an unusually strong alliance was formed between powerful, terrible people who would otherwise have sought each others total destruction.

The result of this alliance, whether the truth concerning mooks, was one that nobody could have predicted: Galactic Peace (and Quiet). Territories were divided and tyrants were free to roam, trounce, and oppress to their hearts’ content so long as they stayed in their own realm and paid tribute. The Laws of Power were penned in the Blood of an Asgardian and handed off to the The Wolf, The Ram, and The Hart. (And their respective Cults.) With their powers bound to the agreements, so it is said, the loyalties of the undersigned were ensured. It was according to those Laws that Earth was spared and the Hexagon was formed.

Oh Snap!

I Will Win — Ron Wasserman,
/End Theme

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Wait…Peace?
What’s going on here?
Who’s in charge?
Is this Power Rangers?
Until next time,
Thank you;

I don’t need to try to control you. Look into my eyes and I’ll own you.

Maroon 5, Moves Like Jagger

The Way I Are — Timbaland
I’m about to strip and I’m well equipped. Can you handle me the way I are?

Vainglorious

Ego is a wonderful thing when you can keep a handle on it. Your subjective sense of self can help you navigate through terrain your other natural senses are unable to process. You need your ego if you are ever to achieve anything. There is no problem at all with a healthy ego. When the balance tips too far into a certain direction, however, things become toxic. While nobody respects a sniveller, it is pride that comes before the crash. (Proverbs 16:18) There’s a difference between being stalwart and being arrogant. The people who will inherit the earth are the people who have swords, know how to use them, and choose to keep them sheathed. Vanity leads quickly to the destruction of the foolish. It is harder to walk away than it is to jump in with both feet. Do not mistake wisdom for cowardice.

Do or do not. There is no try.

Yoda Layheehoo, Star Wars

In the Black — Motörhead
Don’t give me that run around, You know I treat you fine.

Hubris

According to the Old Tradition, there was an Angel in Heaven who sought to be the equal to God. (Consider that for just a moment. Think about what an Angel is. Think about what it represents. Then, in this context, think about God.) What could stand up against the will of God? (…) Nothing. Nothing could stand up against the will of God. NOTHING! And so we have story about the crash. It’s archetypal in nature and easy to understand. The primary antagonist in this narrative of life began its downfall over pride. Different traditions spell it out differently, but the point is the same across every structure. If you consider your own circumstances honestly, I’m certain you will be able to uncover times when you failed to submit to proper authority and it didn’t turn out well for you. The goal, then, is not to be equal to ‘God‘, but to strive to be worthy of it.

Relax, don’t do it when you want to go to it.

Franky Goes to Hollywood, Relax

Smooth — Santana
Give me your heart. Make it real. Or else: Forget about it.

Sanity

There is a season for everything. (To live. To love. To laugh. To cry. To grow. To mourn. To move. To die.) Timing is the most important thing. A proper note struck during the wrong measure can result in a ruined tune. The wrong word spoken to the wrong person and dispel any semblance of reason. These are the facts of life. Positivity will get you everywhere, and the right word spoken will open any door. It’s not a game, but it plays like one. Life is the ultimate simulation; we are merely holograms riding the energetic wave. The rules are the rules, and the consequences are real.

Part of me, won’t agree,
Cause I don’t know if it’s for sure.

Sum 41, The Hell Song

Magic Carpet Ride — Steppenwolf
Why don’t you come with me, little girl, on a magic carpet ride?

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That’s all for now.
Until next time,
Thank you;

This is why only fools are heroes — because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice.

The Green Goblin, Spider-Man

There are some really bad people doing some really bad things in the world. It happens every day. Every story needs conflict. Let’s explore some of the villainy afoot. It seems like something that might be important.

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Opening Theme

Power/Ranger:Z

4. Hexagon, 2

Humanity was still in its infancy. It was nowhere near ready to enter the wider universe at large. This did not mean that the Universe was going to wait around. Earth, and planets like it, have been the playthings of beings great and powerful since the dawn of anything ever. There’s a sort of Great Game being played on such a grand scale with rules incomprehensible to anyone even close to being mortal. Lower life forms have the privilege of being caught in the crossfire of the Greater’s agenda. The ladder from, top to bottom, is infinite. Earth was very nearly at the bottom.

Most people, the Clueless, walked around without any idea of the wider goings on at the highest stage. It was enough for the anyman to simply live life. It’s not easy to maintain employment, put food on the table, care for loved ones, and survive all at the same time. For most people, it was simply easier to ignore that which was inconvenient to absorb. There was a sort of shared delusion created artificially by the people sharing it, and they shared it willingly because it was terrifying not to. But a precious few people…less than 1% of the entire population of the planet, have been awakened to these realities. Most of the world’s heroes come from this class.

Ignorance is Bliss

Old Proverb

The formation of Hexagon sparked a Cold War in which nearly every espionage agency on the planet was suddenly pit against each other with battle lines drawn. On the one hand you had every group that sided with the Hexagon and complied with the Terran Directive for the good of the planet. On the other, you had every organization that failed to comply for one reason or another. Entire departments were split in half with Agents going rogue and loyalties remained in a state of flux. Agents captured in third world countries were often executed. Agents arrested in more developed areas had a right to an attorney.

• 

Nobody would have guessed the Law Firm that would step up to the plate was the same group who negotiated the interstellar treaty establishing the Terran Council and was thus responsible for the institution of the Hexagon. Or rather, almost nobody.

Don’t trust a man wearing a better suit than your own.

Rule #47, Rules of Acquisition

I Will Win — Ron Wasserman,
/End Theme

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Interstellar Law?
Terran Council?
Law Firm?
What!?
Until Next Time,
Thank you;