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AmbivalentEye

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  1. I'm glad this was posted. It's actually an issue I've been dealing with in my own experiences as a debater. My Oratory: The Evils of Altruism, which I have posted in the forum previously, has been sort of disregarded by my judges because of its controversial perspective. Most of my judges are parents that advocate selflessness as a virtue in society, so the presentation of my piece isn't always taken so lightly. I'm wondering what I could do to improve the piece or how to present it in a more persuasive, objectivist manner. I hope you'll be able to give me some opinions. The speech was posted in"Ethics", I don't know how to put a link into here, but I hope you could give me some feedback. -J [Mod's note: Here is the link, mentioned above.] To make a link like this, just get the URL from that topic or post and use the square-bracket URL tag. For instance, the link above would look as follows: [url=http://forum.objectivismonline.net/index.php?showtopic=4663]Here is the link[/url], mentioned above. If you use the enhanced editor, you simply highlight the text that you want to make "clickable", and use the little web-link icon (Globe and Chain). It pops up a window, into which you type (or past) the URL.
  2. I wrote a new Piece. It's called "Feeling For Life" I did so for various reasons: 1. Emotions make up every aspect of my life right now, so I wanted to express a view on the topic. 2. As part of my midterm exam, I have to present an Oratory to my Debate class, and I thought it would be too cheap of me to just use the old one. So I wrote up a whole new one. 3. I got thrird place twice, but only in minor tournaments, and one of those times I wasn't even acknowledged for my achievement. I got a lot of criticism about the controversy of my viewpoint on altruism, and since most of my judges are parents who advocate selflessness for the sake of their children, by piece never recieved much appeal anywhere that I presented it. I was also told that the topic itself was not strong enough to be defended in a powerful and moving way (I can't write like Ayn Rand). Which I also saw in another kid whose speech was PROALTRUISM, and he never got much attention either. The other thing is that I'm a first year debater (novice), so my coaches say that the topic might be too complicated for me to tackle without the experience at public speaking. So I'm not sure what to think, or if I should continue using the Altruism oratory in competitions anymore. Well, either way, I have a new oratory that I have also posted, so I'm hoping you'll give me your honest constructive criticism.
  3. (Continued...) Afterward, the second part of the study included an analysis of various methods by which an individual could recover from a state of sorrow or anger. One suggestion, as advocated by the book, Senses and Intellect 2nd Edition, was to imagine an enjoyable scenario or to picture images of peace and affection. The study showed that the older a woman is, the easier it is for her to restore her happiness and self esteem from no more than Peter Pan's trite expression, "THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS". Another alternative to emotional restoration was to ask the participants to do one of the simplest things of all: SMILE! It was found that when a person makes themselves smile during a sorrowful or stressful situation, the alteration of the muscles propts a psychological response that oddly, but honestly, induces a small sense of enjoyment or relief in most people. Through these findings, Mario Beauregard, PhD., director in charge of the study, concluded that: "Humans have the capacity to influence the dynamics of their brains by voluntarily changing the nature of their thinking." He also says that this quality is clinically important because it is essential to a healthy psyche. So, for the sake of our well-beings as well as our sanity, we must learn to incorporate emotional responses into our everyday lives as natural processes and reactions to the perception of our surroundings. A report printed by the Society of Neurosciences in 1974 stated that emotions are our internal guidence system that alerts us when our human needs are not being met. We must heed to those warnings at first sign, and learn to treat those emotions ourselves, before the remaining 2/3 of the American population is also bound to weekly consultations with a shrink. Therefore, when you find yourself at that momnt of "Traversing the street", as Anais Nin put it; When you are stricken by that baffling shock of anguish, just remember that We are all human -it is OK TO FEEL. Then, "Think Happy Thoughts", or "Put on a SMILE", and face the rest of your day with renewed vitality and self-esteem. (End) I've presnted this like 20 times to all sorts of people already. I've done almsot all of the editing I think it needs, unless you have any good suggestions. I did want to personalize it more, but... that only makes it more controversial when it comes to judging. My main issue right now is presentation. My teacher says I have to "emote" more, and others say I need more expression with my hands and body. If you could make any suggestions it would be helpful I will be using this piece at competitions for the rest of the year. My last piece, on the Evils of Altruism, did not carry through very well. It only got to 3rd place in minor competitions, because many judges felt uncomfortable with my view of the issue. They said it wasn't a strong enough topic to win some of the top positions. I don't know.... I just didn't know how else to improve it. The topics that were winning the competitions were: -Competition -Expectations -Stereotypes -And an amusing piece on American eating habits. Thank You for all of your help. -J. (Florida Student)
  4. The Speech: From Memory: "Anguish was a voiceless woman screaming in a nightmare" A diarist an author by the name of Anais Nin once wrote of a situation she encountered continuously throughout the course of her life, and that she saw sporadically within the people around her as well. That solitary line describing anguish became an eternal reminder of what those moments felt like. She described the incident in her novel, Ladders To Fire, as follows: "Thw woman was traversing a street. The automobile did not strike her down. It was not she who was inside of the ambulance being delivered to St. Vincent's hospital. It was not she whose mother died. She was not attacked, raped or mutilated. She was not kindnapped and sold into white slavery. But as she crossed the street and the wind lifted the dust, she felt as if all of these horros had happened to her. She felt the nameless anguish, the shrinking of the heart, the asphyxiation of pain -the horror of torture whose cries none hears." Most people would automatically say to this, "She must've been insane", but according to one of my favorite lines from the movie "Girl Interrupted": "Insanity is really our reality, magnified to a point that it becomes alarming." So I read those lines from Ladders To Fire, and gasp... That is me... and perhaps, it is all of you as well. What the incident describes in an ineplicable shock of anguish that arises unexpectedly during a perfectly normal day. The issue is, "Why did she feel it?", "Why have I felt it?" "Why is it in so many of those around us?" "Why?" In today's society, the need for emotional suppression exists everywhere we go. Mothers suppress emotions out of the fear that they might affect their children. Fathers supprsee emotions out of the belief that they must be symbols of strength and superiority at all times. Students suppress emotions in order to concentrate on academic tasks and other extre curricular activities. And with the growth of technology and the quickening pace of everything in our lives, we are suddenly faced with the realization that perhaps life no longer has the spare time for us to be emotional. Now, the amount of competition everywhere has left us with a population of people that function solely by schedules, cycles, and timetables -with the daunting fear that the manifestation of any feeling publicly might be viewed as a personal weakness. By observing the influence of emotions on ourselves and our way of life as we grow, it is clear that while society and our lifestyles foce us to strive for emotional suppression, what we lack, is emotional expression. Take the case of an infant child: As a baby, it is common for parents to leave that child alone at night to cry itself to sleep and acquire some level of independence. But if you've ever cried yourself to sleep, you would understand the anguish you feel in those moments... before surrendering to the hopeless isolation. From an early age we seem to be building up all forms of suppressions for any feelings associated with loneliness or sorrow. The child's ineffective wails and screams gradually turn him or her into an introverted child. And in the same way, by suppressing those emotions in ourselves we are slowly creating more introverted members of society. These patterns can be ascribed not only to infants, but also to young boys particularly, teenagers, and even adults. One of the major flaws in our human culture, passed through numerous dialects and authoritarian parenting, is the illogical ideology that "It is wrong for boys to cry." Through this "Be-tough-and-superior-at-all-costs" attitude, young boys all over the world are qrowing up thinking that this is the only thing necessary for being a man. Following this doctrine, men are molded into believing that they are only permitted 3 emotions: Humor, Anger, and Lust. According to Dr.Levenson of Bowling Green State University, this only reults in a life of "Strain, needless injury or illness, and an early grave." But the true question that most of us wonder is, "How do our emotions affect our well-being?" Retired professor William James of Harvard once stated that "Emotional expression in an integral aspect of our bodily processes", and that, "emotional responses are directly linked with some of the most intrinsic functions within us." These functions include: regulation of temperature, heart rate, respiration, perspiration, and muscular contractions. Has your heart ever felt heavy because of sorrw? Do you grind your teeth when you're angry or clech your toes when your anxious? Hve you ever tried to just STOP breathing??? In today's world, it is becoming more and more clear that whenever we do not want to feel, we take on these characteristics in order to control emotions, and to stifle them. On an afternoon of March 2004, a High School Junior wrote the following word in his journal: "I am stricken by this innate feeling that I am dust -ceramic dust that is hard to breathe in or swallow. So I take in each breath with caution and constrict my flesh by writhing my arms and my spine to a state where I may remain motionless... and capeble of resisting the tensions of my mind, my rushing blood, and flooding emotions." I wasn't the only person to ever suppress emotions, and the truth is that more people are doing it every single day. Johanne Levesque of the University of Montreal says that the suppression of any emotion requires the voluntary constriction of the flow of breath. This can be achieved by tightening the throat, sealing lips, sinking the chest, immobilizing the belly, and/or by drastically reducing inhales and exhales. Thus, we have learned through indirectly acquired knowledge that whenever we are faced with something we would rather not feel, we must forcibly begin breathing less. I know that I have done it. Now be honest, haven't you? The way our mind interprets these responses as author Michael Sky states in his book, The Power of Emotion, is by thinking that perhaps it is better NOT to feel, because feeling always involves so much physical effort and strain. What I see is that the modern mentality to continue functioning at all costs has made us fear the ebb of energy associated with emotional release. So clearly it is time for society to make the decision whether to maintain its bottled up pressures, and to accept the inexplicable shocks of anguish, as Anais Nin had describes, or if the loss of energy from allowing ourselves to feel warrants the denial of phsycological relief. In a study done by Ms. Levesque, healthy teenage girls and adult women were analyzed for the physical effects of emotional responses in females. At various intervals, the participants were shown either a picture with a sad or joyful scenario, or a recorded clip with the same themes. They were also asked to try their best to make it seem to their observer as if they were feeling nothing. After being shown the pictures and movie clips, the following physical responses were aparent: excessive blinking, shallow breathing, tense fingers, sweating palms, stationary discomfort, and/or the wrinkling of various facial features. (I'm going to post this now and finish it later because I'm afraid of it getting lost.)
  5. I'm all for the "salma hayek" and "denzel washington" suggestions!
  6. I have no idea what characters they DO have already so I'll just make my suggestions: Dagny: Natalie Portman Jim: That guy from "the edge", the young one... Francisco: definitely some great theater actor that most people don't know but would be amazed by if they saw the movie John Galt: Definitely not Brad Pitt.... umm.... wow, he's a hard one. I think if I actually saw a human representation of John Galt to fit the part, my heart would stop, otherwise I'll most likely be disappointed. Rearden: Another theater actor... Daneskjold: Heath Ledger! Eddie: Ethan Hawk Jim's Wife: Kate Winslet (even though she definitely deserves a better role) ooooo the Philosopher: Sean Connery!!!! Ok.... I think I'll just stop there...
  7. Well, my computer (laptop), has decided that it will not let me use the floppy drive on it, and since I have no interet connected to it, I have no way of carrying my files with me, except by printing them. Since I don't exactly feel like typing up an 11 minute speech again, I'll just tell you basically what it is about and see if you could give me any suggestions. I've always recieved a lot of good insight and criticism here and last time I got 3rd place at the tournamen6t because of all the improvements I was able to make. The speech is about emotions. I had to write an oratory about something dealing with a social problem that can be applied to all of humanity. So I wrote about how modern-day humans are always suppressing emotions and how that is detrimental to their well-beings. It starts out by quoting Anais Nin with a situation she described in her book "Ladders to Fire", about a woman who suddenly experiences inexplicable shocks of anguish while crossing a street. I connect that to how our suppressed emotions are always surfacing at unexpected moments. Then I explain some reasons why every variety of individual suppresses emotions in their everyday lives. I adress women, mothers, fathers, men, teenagers, boys, infants...etc. Then I describe scientific studies with various people that showed the different physical characteristics of emotional suppression. ex: tress in males, lower lifespan, affects blood rate... etc. I even put in an example of something I once wrote in one of my old journals describing a personalized experience of emotional suppression. My resolution is that people should accept emotional response and actually incorporate it into their daily lives, while always knowing how to recover from any negative feelins. The two suggestions I present are from 2 different studies. One says that thinking happy thoughts aleviated sorrow and pain, and the other says that just Smiling can improve your mood. I'll try my best to post the exact speech very soon. If you have any suggestions as to how I could defend my point, please let me know. -J
  8. I GOT 3RD PLACE AT THE TORNAMENT!!!! (out of 12) YAY!!!!
  9. Hmm.....that's really bad.... I'm sorry, but I don't have any answers for your questions. I just did some research on previos Democratic Platform speeches and used the main points that I agreed with, but honestly, I have no idea what tax credits are. I just think it would be great to reduce the price of college. and the philosophy? I really wouldn't know that either. I was just stating the things I felt strongly about in a formal manner.
  10. My Fellow Citizens: We find ourselves today at a crucial time period of American history. Our nation is in a state of downfall. With the War in Iraq, we have lost irrationally gargantuan quantities of money. We have had painstakingly high amounts of deaths due to war and other disasters when we had the capacity to preserve so many of them. Our economy is in a state of inflation. And our level of education is nowhere near as high as it could be. The time has come for us to make a shift from our current ineffective policies, because if we continue at this rate, it will become nearly impossible for us to ever recover. Our nation was founded as a symbol of individual triumph and possibility in a world where most of the odds were stacked up against us. Now, we must restore those ideals and those convictions back into the hearts of the American individuals, because it is they that are the basis of our nation, and the ones that have brought us this far. We live in a society with freedoms that are unknown to millions of people in the world, but in order to preserve our people and our nation, we must do everything within our power to defend those freedoms and uphold them always without any compromise. As your democratic candidate for presidency, I refuse to be as so many others that have stood up here with false promises and ambiguous statements. I shall not be basing my positions on religious standards, but rather on the highest ideals. I believe that we established the freedoms of religion and separation of church and state in this country in order to ensure the protection individual beliefs. Therefore, I shall I refrain from breaching that premise by imposing on you common statements of public devotion to a higher power, or of its support for our actions. I believe it is important for a leader to remain objective, and as I see it, we have three main objectives to confront at this time. These vital objectives are: the strengthening of our homeland security, the rebuilding of our alliances, and the restoration of our economy. First, and foremost, it has been seen throughout the nation, that American citizens are in a state of panic and distrust. Under our current administration, so much of our military has been centered in Iraq, that we have lost the protection necessary to ensure the well being of the people. A perfect example of this was the New Orleans disaster, and the President’s inexcusable delay in responding to the crisis. Under my leadership, I will guarantee that the lives of the American people shall not be taken for granted. It has been my life’s conviction to preserve the quality of life of all American individuals, and as President I plan on maintaining that primary policy for my life and in my actions. We need to improve our standards of analyzing, gathering, and sharing information in order to ensure the prevention of any further terrorist attacks on American soil. We need to strengthen our borders and increase reliable response to any internal crisis. And we must also struggle to attain resolutions for these global conflicts of confrontation and terror, so we may procure a nation that is safe for our future generations. Furthermore, it is time that we rebuild our international alliances, many of which have been neglected and broken by our current administration in a time that is crucial for us to gather our strengths and bolster our values as a whole in this world. We have to strive to restore the view of America as a nation that is respected, not one that is opposed or feared. We must strive to continue being one of the primary leading powers of the world, but never forget our foundations and our willingness to be open to diverse beliefs and differing interests, as long as those interests never jeopardize our own ideals. We have always believed in America as a place that can be admired; that advocates possibility, and that defends rights, not only for ourselves but also for humanity, and I plan on doing everything I can to keep us always bound to that prospect and that idea. Finally, it is critical that we commence a restoration of our economy. One of our main problems at this time is our dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Thus, I believe that in order to alleviate ourselves of such burdens as a reliance on products from our own enemies, we have to move in the direction of energy independence. I find it illogical for us to continue this policy of negotiation and compromise with governments that do not share our values and interests for the world, so we must endeavor to attain our energy through other means. As president, I would establish a system that supports and awards ingenuity, talent, determination, and creation. We must invest in our country’s researchers and scientists who may very soon harness fuel sources that will save us billions of dollars in the future, and that will improve the quality of life for all. One of the most promising possibilities at hand is the use of hydrogen as the future’s clean, reliable domestic source of energy, and I will be committed to funding the facilities necessary for these developments. Through all of these means, we shall progress toward a safer nation with protected ideals. We will regain worldwide alliances and support. And we will have greater economic independence and the strengthening of America and its people. My other platform positions are: · War In Iraq: To create a stable and secure government in Iraq that its people can trust, understand, and be involved in. This will involve appointing a commissioner that would have the credibility to deal with the Iraqi people while maintaining communication with the US on the development of policies and structure. · Abortion: The rights of a woman to her body should not be a matter of the government, and though it is the duty of the American government to preserve the lives and well being of its people, a nation cannot breach the personal rights of the individual. · Homosexual Marriages: In favor of the legalization of all homosexual civil unions throughout the United States. · Stem cell Research: In favor of furthering scientific exploration and analysis for advancements in medicine. · Education: o To enforce high standards and challenging curriculums. o To create of tax credits to reduce the price of a 4-year post-secondary education. o To supply the necessary resources for schools. o A raise in teacher wages to promote better education and to attain even more skilled and reliable instructors for our youth. o To advocate the importance of math and science, and specifically reward excellence in those fields. · Immigration: o To reinforce the protection of our borders and prevent any further illegal breaches to the US. o To not penalize immigrant students already in this country for their extensive efforts throughout the years and provide amnesty for them and their families. · Criminal Justice System: o Strict enforcing of laws and punishment for offenses. o To reject capital punishment and rather invest in further rehabilitation and assistance programs. Personal Pursuit as President: v To fund movements for the preservation of American youth and the reduction of teenage suicide rates within the nation.
  11. For english clas: The OBJECTIVIST -BY: AmbivalentEye A beggar sits at the corner of 7th street and 13th avenue. He has mud-stained, ripped, moth-eaten rags over his body in the form of a shirt and some slacks. He sits with his legs spread out on the concrete and his right foot dangling off the edge of a sidewalk as he leans back on a metal trash bin. A woman with golden locks, a powdered face, and a humble smile is walking in his direction. She is dressed in casual attire –a pastel collared blouse and some khaki pants. She wears a cross around her neck, hanging from thin, gold links resting gently on her skin. As she passes the man on the corner, she pauses, turns, and then faces him with a warm smile. She proceeds to pull out a $20 bill from a tiny wallet in her purse. Woman: Good day Sir! Here. (Extends bill out to him). Take care of yourself now, and may God bless you! The beggar takes the money and the lady continues in the same direction she was walking. The beggar sneers as he presses the fresh, new bill between the tips of his fingers. Then, with a single acrimonious movement, he shoved the bill into the folds of his shirt and thought of the fine whiskey bottle he would now be able to buy. He stretched his arms and forced out a loud belch from the pit of his stomach so he could once again enjoy the scent of his last drink about an hour earlier. Meanwhile, a gentleman across the street that had stood waiting for a red light to cross, had been keenly observing the entire incident. He stands proudly erect with his head held high and his stiff, broad hands resting at his sides. He wears a finely tailored black suit, with a white shirt unbuttoned at the top, revealing the taut lines leading from his neck to his shoulders and down to the rest of his torso. The traffic light shifts to red and the moving cars slowly come to a complete stop. The man steps forward in the most confident manner, taking swift purposeful steps across the pavement, never looking down, and making it seem like he owned the street and the cars were his creation. When he reached the sidewalk on the other side of the street his torso immediately cast a shadow upon the beggar’s prostrated figure. Such that when the beggar looked up to the man, he could only distinguish a silhouette of utmost dignity with a piercing glare of sunlight outlining the upper half of the tall figure. Beggar: Who are you? (The man doesn’t answer) (The beggar reaches out with his frail right hand, looking up at the dark figure pleadingly.) Gentleman: Why? Beggar: What? (Answers in confusion) Gentleman: Why should I give you my money? Beggar: (Shrinking in place) B..bececause…. I…..NEED it. Gentleman: And? Beggar: (Baffled) Huh? Gentleman: Tell me. What right do you have to MY money? Beggar: (Apologetically) I don’t understand Sir. But I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday morning, and any contribution from you would really be helpful and extremely appreciated. Gentleman: Well, Ok. But what have you done since yesterday morning to try to get yourself a new meal or a better life? Beggar: Well… umm… I mean… I’ve been doing this. I searched through several trash bins, but none had anything edible. I promise you I haven’t stolen any food in the past week. Gentleman: And how long will it be before you do it again? Beggar: You must understand Sir. I have to survive SOMEHOW. Gentleman: Even at the expense of others? Even if you are depriving other individuals from their meals, their values, or even the product of their hard work? Beggar: No! Wait… what? Sir, I don’t understand you. Gentleman: You’re telling me that you have reduced yourself to the status of a scavenger –a creature that lives off of the remains of others because it chooses to not produce anything for itself. Then you tell me that if your scavenging doesn’t work, you would be willing to rob and con those same people that had been providing for your existence all along!?! You say that you HAVE TO survive somehow. Why? (The beggar now tucks up his legs and puts his arms around them acting as if he is cold when really he is feeling threatened.) Beggar: Because… (Lowers tone) I don’t want to die…(Looks down) Gentleman: Then what do you have to live for if you are doing nothing productive to provide for your life? Beggar: (Slightly sobbing) Sir, please… May I just have a couple of bucks? I ask nothing more of you. Gentleman: But don’t you see that you are asking for the sustenance of MY life as well? I have labored many hours struggling to earn my paycheck at the end of the week. I have devoted my time, my effort, my intelligence, and my strength to earn that money. So at the end of the week, I KNOW that I have earned my own living. I know that I don’t have to ask others to support me, and it is also clear that everyone everywhere also has the potential of supporting themselves. What can you say to that? Can you honestly look at me in the eye and tell me that you have EARNED the money that I have slaved myself for during the whole week?! Beggar: (Submittingly) No, Sir. (The gentleman stands silent for a moment, looking down on the decrepit creature.) Gentleman: I am going to do something for you. (Takes out small piece of paper from his wallet). Here is my card. I would like to offer you a job. Call this number Friday morning, and my secretary, Deborah, will tell you what you’ll be doing. Beggar: A job? But why? Gentleman: Because I believe in principle. And according to the principles of my life, any human being has the capacity to be rational and do things selfishly for the sake of their own existence. I shall never have any regard for you as a scavenger or simple consumer. You must earn your status in life and you must be willing and able to always provide for yourself without bringing detriment to those around you. I deal with people on terms of barter and fair exchange only. I will give you a job because I want you to work for me, and produce for me. I shall never commit an act without personal interest and neither should you. I suggest you think about that. (The beggar takes the card and stares at it as the gentleman walks away) Three days later, on Friday morning, the beggar was too drunk to make the phone call. The liquor spilled over his clothes ruining the card within. THE END
  12. I was allowed to have a maximum of 100 words from another work, that's why I used the same "Robin Hood" example as in Atlas Shrugged. I will be presenting thgis speech in a tournament next Saturday. I would appreciate any commentary. Have you ever read Robin Hood? Have you ever heard of him? Robin hood is one of the most famous stories of all time. It has been passed on from generation to generation. There have been countless movies made on it and little children’s books with colorful pictures. And all this time… Throughout all of the years of being told of the noble acts of a man in tights that took from the rich to give to the poor, very few have ever stopped to realize that it is one of the most dangerous and horrible stories of all time. Let’s look at this from a different perspective. Here is a man that claims it right to take away from a productive high class society to give to the homeless, groveling, beggars on the streets simply because they believed they “needed” things more. Don’t get me wrong, I know the story did not originate this way, I hope. I’m sure the original version meant that Robin was taking from the looting rulers to give back to those that had been robbed, but that’s not the story that has survived the ages. Now, he is remembered not as defender of property, but as the instigator that supplemented those that based their gains on needs. He suddenly isn’t the defender of the robbed, but rather a provider of the poor –a complete altruist that did things “for the good of the people”. This is what is destroying our society: this so-called, “Good of the people”, these selfless acts –this altruism. According to Webster’s dictionary, Altruism is described as the selfless concern for the welfare of others, or the devotion to the interests of others. Did you notice anything wrong with that definition? If you didn’t, then you are the type of person that has already been corrupted. First of all, “selfless concern”. SELFLESS, meaning, NO SELF! As if you were nonhuman. How could anyone do anything without the slightest concern for himself or herself? Why can’t we preach the selfish concern for YOUR OWN welfare? Wouldn’t that be more logical? You exist to keep yourself alive. Shouldn’t you always seek out what is best for YOU? Selflessness is seriously the most evil premise being advocated throughout the world today, and do you have any idea what selflessness results in? Selflessness results in the loss of control of your own existence. So basically, you don’t have a choice in anything you do or say. Selflessness is like the Anti-American, a citizen with absolutely no freedoms who is subjective to the whims of a totalitarian state. This is what happens you know. A selfless person is first controlled by their kindred, then by the masses, and then by the state. Do you know what this is called? Shh… I’ll tell you… It’s called socialism. Altruism is the core of socialist philosophies and socialist governments. Socialist philosophy holds that individuals have a moral obligation to help others, if necessary, at the expense of one's own interest or benefit. Any person who follows that doctrine is known as an "altruist.” What are socialist governments you might ask? Well, some of the most common examples are: fascism, communism, absolutism, Marxism, and Leninism. The exact political parties that throughout history have threatened to bring the end of the world. For example, in the early 1900’s, socialist governments were developing in nations all around the world. In Spain, Francisco Franco imposed fascism on the Spanish society, which gave government complete control of the economy, demanded public nationalism, and brutally suppressed any opposition. This is also called totalitarianism, or a policy of controlling all aspects of human life and the wiping out any resistance. In the Soviet Union that once dominated Russia, communism advocated a society of no social classes and an economy where everything was distributed evenly amongst everyone. First of all, by wiping out social classes, you are forcing people to be the same. Suddenly there are no leaders or producers because everything is done by a collective and distributed collectively. Do you have any idea what this means? It means that anything you make doesn’t really belong to you, it belongs to the nation, and the nation splits it up into 5 million little pieces to give a fraction of nothingness to everyone. YOU KNOW what this is like. I know you do. Do you remember that time when you were really young and one of your siblings or cousins came into your room and took something amazing you had just made? You probably screamed about it, or cried about it, or went to your parents to complain (like we all do). Then your parents said, “Oh let them hold it for a while. You’ve got to learn how to share” SHARE? Do you know where the word “share” has gotten us with most of our youthful creations? It has ended up in total destruction. You know what I mean. You’re sitting down making a drawing, then your little brother or cousin comes along and you know you have to “share” so you let him borrow some, and the little brat breaks all of your colors and scribbles on your page! This altruism being taught by parents everywhere is what later results in the socialist nations. What right does the man down the street have to your property? What right does the president have to your clothes or your food? What right does your brother have to YOUR colors??? Society needs to start being more selfish. The problem is, that the word selfishness is like a golden statue that has been covered over with thick dust because of misinterpretations. People believe that being selfish is to not care about anybody else and to claim everything for yourself regardless of who it’s harming. But the truth is, that if you went to the original definition, selfishness is actually the anti-altruism. It is the primary concern for your welfare above all others, and the pursuit of things that benefit your life. The main reason why even today, we are in danger of socialist governments, is because people continue to see selfishness as a vice instead of a virtue. If you’re trying to keep yourself alive and pursue your own happiness, isn’t it logical to have yourself as your number one priority? Society, for decades, has failed to acknowledge that what they really want from the youth of this country is for us to be more selfish. If all students were selfish then they would strive for their optimum potential and the achievement of their goals. According to the Yellow Ribbon Association that struggles to minimize teenage suicides, there are about 3 teenage suicides for every homicidal act in this country, and the rate has actually tripled since the 1970’s. Also, ANRED Inc., which stands for Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, has also stated that there are about 5 million teenage Americans today that suffer from eating disorders. If students were all selfish, there wouldn’t be all of these alarmingly high suicide rates and eating disorders, because for you to be selfish you have to care about yourself and about keeping yourself in the best condition. Why would you be altruistic and try to fix someone else’s life at the expense of your own. I mean, if all of the religious premises weren’t a factor, what benefit could you possibly get from starving just to hand your money over to beggars? Yes, they may “need” it more than you do, but the vital point is that you need it as well, and you deserve to keep that money because you have earned it. What can the beggar say in regards to that? You can’t possibly believe that someone who made wrong decisions to end up on the streets and that doesn’t really care about life, has a greater right to your money that you do even though you were the one that worked hours and struggled to get it. Thus, your best interest should be placed above all others before you even consider being a part of some sort of charity. So getting back to Robin Hood. This is a man that has been praised as a symbol of inspiring humility and charity with wealth that he did not own; by giving away goods that he did not produce. He made it seem like need was the source of right; as if a person deserved to be given everything simply because they needed it more than another. He is the reason why so many people give up every day and expect to be supported by the government. Why so many get huge loans, never pay their bills, and still expect financial assistance. The elder says, “ The government has to pay my medications! It is their duty!” The merchant screams, “He’s made a product that the people need so we should just nationalize it and give it to everyone!” The student whines “ But the state has to fund my education! I mean come on, I was Senior King and the President of the drama club!” What all of these people are expecting without any substantial basis for their requests or anything to barter with, is pure altruism. And it is people that think this way, that make living for the rest of us so horrible. Robin Hood is the man that devoted his life to his inferiors by constantly robbing from his superiors, and in the same way, governments throughout history have likewise enforced extreme taxes on the upper class to supply benefits for the lower class. Altruism is the reason why people are falling apart all around us. Because by following altruism, they have devoted themselves to the interests of others, rather than being concerned with their own profits and well-being. These premises are what we should be fighting. We should be opposing the Robin Hoods that tell us that we should live for the sake of other people’s lives. In the mid-1900’s a woman named Ayn Rand was one of the first, and most successful people in creating a movement against altruism. It was called,”Objectivism”. I leave you with a direct quote from Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged, and the oath that I have now claimed for my own life: “I SWEAR BY MY LIFE AND MY LOVE OF IT THAT I WILL NEVER LIVE FOR THE SAKE OF ANOTHER MAN, NOR ASK ANOTHER MAN TO LIVE FOR MINE.”
  13. "Going even deeper in the philosophical hierarchy, you cannot decide whether to follow reason or faith until you decide about the nature of reality. Does it exist as you perceive it and do you have a consciousness capable of understanding it through reason? Or is your mind crippled, thus requiring faith in a god, the supposed cause of reality? These are metaphysical questions. The following would be my answers, but keep in mind that I have been wrestling with some issues for 43 years. (I am 61,) 1. All that exists is this world, this reality, and that includes me, having a consciousness capable of understanding things. 2. Reason is the path to follow. 3. My ethics -- my "shoulds" -- must be based on facts. If I were in fact a homosexual, there would be no question of "becoming" one but of being one, and acting accordingly." These awrguments make so much sense to me...that I can't believe I didn't think about these things before. I think I'm giving up on the whole "eternal damnation" concept. It really is completely irrational to me and I refuse to continue believing the smae irrationality that's been passed on through families for generations. In a way, I've always had my conflicts with religion because almost anything they ever said felt very wrong to me. I shall not be turned into a sacrificial being and they have no right to my life! No one does. I know I'm not making a bad choice in deciding to pursue a homosexual lifestyle. I will still be following all of my principles and morals. Well, to be honest, this is more complicated than I mentioned in the first place because I wouldn't even fathom having intercourse with a guy. I've never had a problem in my relationships with girls it's just that I also have other interests. Yet this is about control of my own life....and I plan on claiming it! The comment I valued the most was from Dismuke. Because it really got through to me and I'm seriuously not going to continue this cycle of self-inflicted guilt when I have nothing to prove to me that these fears are really worth anything. I feel like all of christianity has been formulated to sscare the hell out of people and then make them feel guilty for a million things that never did but convince them of anyway. "What if everything other people have told you about this Higher Power turns out to be total poppycock and that, when you die, you simply cease to exist and return to the exact same status as before you were born? If so and had you "played it safe," wouldn't you have missed out on something wonderful? And, if so, since you won't get a chance to do it over again, doesn't it make sense to "play it safe just in case" and live your life - which you do know is a fact of realty, and a rather wonderful one at that - to its fullest instead of ruining it in the name of mere arbitrary possibilities that other people you know have asserted? " "Such people's description of their god sounded to me more like what I imagined the devil to be like." I know....that's what I've always felt too. It really doesn't make anysense because it's always contradicting itself, and I KNOW there isn't such a thing as contradictions. "The only way to "play it safe" there is to convert to Islam. But wait. There are also Hindus. What if they are right? What if the Buddhists are right. Consider all of the countless religious beliefs and practices that have existed and prospered down through history. What if the Aztecs who practiced human sacrifices were right? What if the one true religion by which one could avoid eternal damnation was the one that was practiced by a pre-Columbian tribe that roamed the hills of Idaho? If any of these "possibilities" are true - well, you are eternally screwed in a major sort of way.Now, ask yourself how and why that "what if" question when asked about the religion you were brought up with is any more significant than when it is asked about all the others? " This is what impacted me the most. It's true that if the "possibility" exists for any of these religions to be true....then every single one of us is probably just screwed to begin with by being born into a different type of family. " "what ifs" should be based on what we KNOW to be true - i.e. they should be based on reality because we do know that reality is real. You are, more or less, asking the right questions - so I think the chances are good that, if you keep thinking about it, you will eventually come up with the right answers. But I urge you to keep thinking about it and please do not stop or give up until you know that you have reached the correct answer. You see, your question about the possibility of eternal misery is a very important one. If it turns out that you simply cease to exist after you die and you go back to the same status as before you were born, then that means that THIS life is your eternity" Thank you so much for this! You have no idea how much these comments meant to me. It has helped so much! "You've questioned religion this far, so I'd ask myself how is homosexuality immoral in the first place. Is this a case of an objective moral principle? Is it a case of a supernatural bully making commands with no discernable reason (other than that he can?) If you can't see why it should be wrong, then the only question seems whether you go with your judgement or hope that religion knows something you can't." Ok. Yes. That will be my very next analysis, because either there is really something wrong with desires towards members of the same sex, or society has created an immense taboo of biased rationalizations. Oh yeah, and I had never heard of the Rattigan Society, but thank you for telling me about it! It's probably amazing.
  14. I know this argument has gone off to the center of the galaxy in this forum...but this is actually a personal issue. I'm quite young, and there are still a lot of things I haven't figured out about my life. Ever since I started posting here, I've had my conflicts of sometimes being "too religious" and then "not religious at all". This is one of the reasons I have that conflict. I was raised by your typical puritanical christian ideals. Therefore, it's been drilled into me that becoming a homosexual would mean to simply expect eternal damnation upon death. This has always and still, constantly, freaks the hell out of me. I tend to break away from all religion because of the fact that "God's existence" can't be proven, just as it's "possibility" can't be disproven. But then, if I really am gay... since I haven't actually committed any homosexual act to this point, would it really be of greater moral value to stick by the religious principles and resist temptation, or be more logical and accept that maybe it's just one of my physiological characteristics and I can't really do anything about something that is already a part of my way of thinking and perceiving. My mind is basically on two possible choices: either follow logic and accept some of the natural curisosities I may have in members of my own sex and possible take the risk of "an eternity of punishment", or a life suppressing thoughts and desires in me because of somebody else's standards. I simply don't wnat to make a stupid choice and ruin my existence... (yes I do believe in souls). I would appreciate any comments or suggestions on how I should approach this issue... Thank you, -J
  15. O COME ON!!! I can't belive there aren't any votes for "We The Living". I LOVED THAT BOOK!!! I think it made me cry... But Fountainhead had a more powerful effect on me. -J
  16. JUST AS AN UPDATE: I got 4th place at the tournament out of 10 people. Only the top 3 are recognized though. I had a great time though. The judges actually admired me for picking such a controversial topic. They said I had a problem with my nervousness, because it was making my sentences choppy, but that I'd get through that as the year goes along. Thanks for your comments, -J.
  17. The tournament doesn't have a topic, it has a bunch of events. Last week I was in Congress and I posted a speech on Amnesty here too. I GOT THIRD PLACE AT THE TOURNAMENT! but they only award 1st and 2nd. It was out of 15 total speakers presenting Bills. This week I'm doing Original Oratory. I have to present some sort of social problem or social criticism and then talk about it for 8 minutes. I have to do this speech on Saturday so I like getting opinions here. Thank you for your comment. I actually did change the speech cause I hated the beginning. I ended up doing a thing around the childish concept of Sex as "IT" and worked my way into the text. Also, the age range is from 14 to about 18 year olds. All, or most of the judges are parents or school staff that volunteer. I'm just hoping I won't get one of those pro-abstinence republican mothers, cause then I'd be screwed. I wanted to purposely make my topic controversial. I even added a line at the begining of my second paragraph that says, "So, how about we get into an orgy of self-analysis". The speeches are supposed to be slightly humorous for emphasis and to get popular attention from the crowd. It also has to be completely memorized so I have to work on that now. Thanks for everything. Bye! -J
  18. On Teenagers and Expression of Sexuality How old do you think I am? Truthfully, I am 16! And I have come to the decision that despite a common taboo of youths and sexual expression, I am here to talk about SEX. Does this statement scare you? Does it make you uneasy? I find it absurd that in a society of so many freedoms, we teenagers are still suppressed from our ability to express our own opinions, ideas, and feelings about our personal states of life. I have found that this is actually essential to our lives. Communication, I mean. Through communication and self-expression, a developing adolescent learns about the world, him/herself, but most importantly, this adolescent receives insight into varying perspectives that assist in creating the fundamental principles of our lives. Adolescence, according to the Florida Developmental Psychology Association, is a crucial time period of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional change in everybody’s life. This development occurs in the context of family, peers, community, but most importantly, from a renewed concept of oneself. Studies of high schools throughout the nation, done by the Alder’s institute in 1992, ’96, ’98, and 2004, show that the main problem is communication. Governmental agencies for the past decade have attempted to fix the problem by enforcing sex-ed in secondary education. Has this really helped? Partly, but not specifically. What this society needs is for adolescents to come out of their shell. Teenagers should have the freedom as well as the guiltlessness to openly and maturely discuss sexual concepts and feelings. Why don’t they? Primarily, because it makes adults uncomfortable. For example, we have spent years hearing all sorts of parents and guardians advocate the safety and naturalness of masturbation, and yet, only a very rare minority has ever chosen to acknowledge the fact that nearly every single one of their sons has done it. Communication is the number one means to assemble personal concepts and standards. Discussion is one of the most significant factors in the establishment of personal morals because in this manner, not only are you learning new information, but you also see differing perspectives and can set the foundation to your own ethics. There are an estimated 10 stages to adolescence. The beginning phases include physical maturity, increased empathy and desire, and the desire to learn and be guided. It can very well be accepted that adolescents do not simply learn by being downloaded a bunch of facts. The gradual learning processes include, but are not limited to, increased attention, pursued interests, personal curiosity as well as extra-personal curiosity, the realization of sexual preference and orientation, experimentation, and exchange of ideas. Through all of these means, the adolescent learns what exactly sexuality is, how it plays a role in their life, and what decisions are appropriate regarding the matter. My belief is that none of these processes should be suppressed, because the result of such an act, as can be seen today, is a growing population of teens that hate their bodies and their desires because they don’t specifically understand what has happened to them or why these changes are so significant. Any sex-ed course can instruct these students on “what” happens. But the truth is that this country has neither the time, nor the money to establish programs that could answer all of the in-depth analysis of why. Why is it alright for a woman to be prone to emotions and a guy cannot? Why is it that women seem to hold greater value for sexual acts than men do? This isn’t science or some sort of physiology. I’m talking about psychological development and the unfulfilled needs of the teenage individual and how those needs affect his/her life. Sexual expression is the key to resolving all of these personal conflicts. If teenagers had more liberty to speak their minds about the state they are in and their perspectives, then members of society would finally have a thorough understanding of one another. We are no longer in puritan times. I shall not be branded with a scarlet letter for admitting to the act of masturbation, but societal standards have made it so that I can expect a strange look from you upon mentioning it. When I refer to sexual expression, I am referring specifically to the freedom to speak, to write, to create; some of the same intrinsic principles that this nation was founded on. Teens should be able to talk to one another about sexual concerns, they should be able to express their natural sexual frustrations and desires in constructive ways such as literature, artwork, crafts, and they should also never be scorned for the natural processes of personal curiosity and experimentation that they have as long as it remains within a discreet and appropriate setting. I am not here to promote sex or social anarchy. I believe that we are all very complex creatures, and as such, it is vital for us, especially as teenagers, to comprehend all of these intricacies early on, from individual experience and analysis. We should have the freedom to express our sexuality. We, as youths, should strive for that level of maturity, such as adults should strive for the same maturity in listening to what we have to say. (I hate how the beginning is right now. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know. Again, this is a speech I have to make for a debate tournament. -J)
  19. HAHAHAHAHA! And I thought I was a minority here. I must have been when I started posting here at the age of 12. Back then I remember it was so much fun discussing with "Dagny" and "AshRyan" my conflifts over Faith vs. Reason. It's been a tough crowd, but I really do love you guys. -J
  20. yes, it is true: disease from the side of the Natives was nearly nonexistent. Even in the Jamestown situation that you speak of, the settlers only suffred from harsh winters and starvation. It wasn't disease. If there was any precedence of disease it was European diseases, not any from America. In fact, according to my text book, the only disease that has been traced back to the Native Indians and was carried beck to Europe was Syphilis.
  21. You're lucky I'm currently studying this in class. Keep in mind that the Great Awakening was also known as the Great Revival The Following are some things I've put together for school. The Great Awakening · Arminianism opposition began in Northampton, Massachusetts by cause of Reverend Jonathan Edwards. · Congregations began accepting memberships without evidence of a conversion experience and adopted a seating plan that places wealthy church families front and center. · Church Youth started skipping mass and other religious gatherings. · Reverend Edwards wanted to bring the youth back to the church. à His sermons appealed to people’s emotions and the growing religious fervor caused church memberships to rise. · The people of many colonies sought out preachers with more emotive or moving sermons. · The local revivals became intercolonial once Anglican Minister, George Whitefield made a tour of the colonies in 1738. · The Great Revival was seen as the second phase of the Protestant Reformation. · Pennsylvania à William Tennent and son Gilbert § Preacher with a school that trained men for ministry. Ø Later became Princeton University founded 1746 “Among Presbyterians, open conflict broke out between the revivalists and the old guard, and in some regions, the church divided into separate organizations.” · New England à New Lights and Old Lights accused one another of heresy and called for the revival of Calvinism. · The South à Started in the 1740’s with Scots-Irish Presbyterians, and had full impact in 1760’s and 1770’s with Methodists and Baptists. § Introduced slaves to Christianity for the first time. à Baptist churches started having sporadic preachings from blacks and whites, slaves and masters. · Revival had its deepest effect in young people Great Awakening Politics · Old Lights passed laws to suppress the revival. · Separatists refused to pay taxes. · New Lights were denied seats in Assembly. · 1760’s: Connecticut New Lights organized themselves politically and mounted a rebellion that turned the Old Lights out of office. à This sparked the necessary leadership for the American Revolution in Connecticut. The Great Revival 1. Because the Enlightenment ideals supported the analysis of your own choices and principles, members of the congregation began another wave of Protestant Reform that resulted in the Revival. 2. The Great Awakening was most accepted by the youth of the communities’ poorer families whose complicated and somewhat dysfunctional lives gave them the inclination to seek religious refuge and “salvation”. 3. George Whitefield was an Anglican minister that made an evangelical tour of the colonies in 1738 to increase the church memberships. His speeches were said to be very powerful and moving to all his audiences. 4. With the Great Awakening, established churches were suddenly faced with members who sought reform and more emotive sermons. These revolts resulted in the attack or dismissal of many ministers and the division of the upper Congregationalist clergy. 5. The Great Awakening was seen as the first “national” event in American history because it involved solely the Protestant groups established here in North America and dealt solely with issues within, rather than from Europe. 6. Yes, the Great Awakening significantly affected the South because it was the first time that slaves were admitted openly into Christianity, and in fact the effect was so powerful that in some communities, black slaves would preach with as much leisure as white masters would. Great Awakening Politics 1. Some possible political implications of the great awakening that historians suggest are the fact that it provided the politicians that would lead the American revolution in colonies like Connecticut, it gave normal people the opportunity to participate in public debate and public action that affected the direction of their lives. It gave ordinary people the power and the courage to question their leaders.
  22. I would be glad to answer these questions....if I knew the answers. Unfortunately, the United States has a tendency of teaching its youth primarily eternal analyses about itself and its history, disregarding an immense percentage of the outside world. Therefore, what I mean by all this is that in school, we were only taught about European intrests in North America, all the rest was simply left out. But I will try to learn more about it all just for my sake.
  23. BECAUSE NO ONE DESERVES TO DIE UNJUSTLY!
  24. I understand and support all of that! It's the first time I see someone else express these thoughts. I am what people call, Bicurious. I am not bisexual because I have never engaged in any type of act with another man in order to make my decision over whether or not that is my preference or not. I have a very strong feeling though that I am probably gay. The doubt alone tells me that maybe I am just confused but the point is that if it evr came down to it, Homosexuality would be MY choice by preference. But I too cannot understand men that try to negate their own nature and gender. If I am gay, then I am one of those masculine gays, despite the fact that I am an extremely emotional person. I love being a man, and I would never do anything to go against that. I accept my body, and I accept my mind. I do understand that the biological goal of my life is to paass on genetic material and indeed I do hope to one day be married into a heterosexual relationship and have children. Once again, homosexuality is merely an interest for me that I may one day choose to indulge in by choice. It is not who I am. Is it really ethical to be a transexual? I don't know. I'm just asking. How could it be right to go against your nature and try to turn yourself into a completely different way of being? I just don't agree with that. What on earth are you talking about?!?!? That is absolutely wrong! and I can't believe you would make such an ignorant generalization! First of all. I do not believe anyone is born a homosexual because we are all creatures of nature and by nature we are meant to be be with the opposite sex in order to pass on genetic material and preserve the specie. And the whole thing about being taught to hate the opposite sex: That is not true! I don't know any homosexual that would agree to that. It isn't hatred for the opposite sex, its merely a preference for people of the same sex. Just because someone prefers chocolate milk, that doesn't mean that white milk is evil. Now, in regards to the 90% statistic. I can actually support that to a certain extent because it is generally true and it does tend to be a factor in a lot of the person's personal way of thinking and perception. Yet, I have learned that it isn't right to say that all homosexuals have been molested or taken advantage of at some point in their life. Some just want it. -J
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