Originally Posted by fastfunfor2
Steve Hellums, it is sobering to read your posts. You took the time to share your experiences with us, so I'd like to put a few thoughts out there.
I have found that living as a rational person is a choice. It is not a one-time decision, but a lifetime of effort to choose and embrace reality and to discover what thoughts and actions are needed to succeed as a human rather than as an animal. A commitment to rationality is a major achievement in and of itself.
The alternative is irrationality. It requires little mental effort, but is terribly difficult and costly in other ways.
I suppose that many people live their lives trying to mix the two.
Irrational people follow their whims and feelings, or are led around in a stupor by the desires of others. They do not know the source of their desires or what course is proper in life because they have abandoned the most important tool they have... a rational mind.
Rationality tells us that we cannot have something for nothing. Life on a human level requires constant effort. Everything of value to us has to be produced and maintained - not only the physical neccesities and niceties, but also spiritual things like good relationships, reputations, trust, etc.
Irrational people see reality as the enemy. Reality will not let them have something for nothing. Reality will not cover their lies, forgive their indescretions, or wink at their evil. Their need and weakness is answered with silence. They see the world as out to get them and see themselves as flawed and fallen beings. The true enemy, however, is their own desire to remain irrational. They reduce their lives to a level lower than an animal, living as parasites off of the effort of others. This condition applies whether they are an unemployable young woman or the president of a great nation.
Hope is not lost, however. All that is needed to change a life is a change of thinking. I hope that someday your daughter makes that choice.
My spelcheck doesn't work.
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Amen, brother. Well said and spoken like someone who's lived it. I have arrived at the same conclusion through a long and winding road.
I'd also say that rational living is neither automatically good nor evil. Plenty of rational human beings have taken the road of destruction for the sake of the self or the group. Imho, rational, when combined with a liberal amount of humility and compassion generally lead to a life that may be characterized as "good."