Hi,
I’ll try this again. As it’s obvious, I’m new to this board. I chose the username I did, for a specific purpose. I posted an intro that was short that had more than one purpose as I’ve shared with RationalBiker, since it got tossed in the trash, and I got labeled a troll.
Here is what I said in my other intro, which I will explain this time. Then you can decide if you want me to stick around or not. I’ll accept whatever you all decide.
There are certain inherent characteristics that make up each one of us. As a group we are everybody, in that group we could be anybody, but make no mistake we are somebody and yet nobody in that group. Although this looks cryptic, and Zen-like as RB expressed to me in our chat. It really isn’t. What it is is a deeper understanding of human nature. Let me explain.
I know that I am capable of anything any of you are. This makes up the group known as everybody in this post. I know that under the right circumstances I am capable of committing murder, and so are you. I know under the right circumstances I am capable of following whatever my hearts desire is. And so are you, even if that included having an affair with your wife or girlfriend, after all, I’d be following one of the core principles of Objectivism. I am, in essence no different from anyone on this board because this is human nature. So this covers the “I’m Everybody” part of that OP.
Because I can’t make up the entire group known here as “everybody”. It’s safe to say, not only am I anybody I am somebody in that group. I am no different from any of you, capable of whatever you are capable of because that’s just human nature.
But at the same time I’m nobody. In a crowd of people I can stand/sit there all day and unless someone speaks to me or I them, I’m just a face in the crowd, I’m nobody to everybody else there. I might as well not even be there, because who really cares if I am?
This is the spectrum used in the last part of my OP. It doesn’t matter if I’m me, or you, or a beggar on the street, or a CEO in an office. If the beggar and the CEO were to trade places, would I treat them any differently? Not really. Because I’m really only looking out for my own self-interest, and unless they have something to offer, they remain, “nobody” to me. Just as I do with you unless I show you I have something to contribute that would be beneficial to your own self-interest. This hits on the understanding of the first 3 core principles of the Objectivist philosophy.
My POV cannot change that fact, because facts are facts. The fact is, it’s human nature to do what we do for our own self-interest and self-preservation.
For the fourth core principle to ever be able to be applied, we would all have to be of one mind, and one agreeable understanding. Which in essence would be the ideal “live and let live” society. But in my years on this planet, I have never seen how it could possibly work, for the simple reason the only “utopia” or live and let live society that would be in my best self-interest, would be one that excluded all of you and everybody else. There would be no need for a government or economic structure. Which creates the haves and the have-nots. (the beggar and the CEO).
Maximus replied to my original opening post. He asked if I was the person who makes him have a headache. I replied, yes, I am. I can’t honestly say that I have never talked to him, nor the fact that this post might not give him a headache. I was being truthful in my remark. Because on the Internet, we all have a certain anonymity that exists (fact). I am everybody, I am anybody, I am somebody, and I’m nobody. That my friend, is the bigger picture in all of this.
The timing of my signing up here is no coincidence. As I have been a “guest” lurker for some time now off and on. Studying your behaviors through your words and actions. I chose this username for a reason. There’s nothing extremely clever about it. It’s a fact, (principle #1) to you, if I don’t think the same way as you, I’m nobody, and I’m to be treated as such. If I don’t think the way you do, the planet would be a better place if I wasn’t here, I am nobody. Because if I’m different, I’m upsetting the applecart. (the application of core principles 2,3, and 4).
But because of my original OP, I got labeled as a troll. And this is where the timing is significant. As I watched the discussion about the situation on this Christian message board. I had to ask myself, as I re-read the rules of this board. What makes this board different from that one? If I violate rules 1 and 2 here, I’m out of here am I not? Honestly, it’s quite possible that this post will get me the same ticket. So you can see why I say, the only possible way for a live and let live society to work, would be one that would exclude all of you and everybody else. Because that would be in my best self-interest.
So I have to ask this question. Am I an Objectivist? Have a demonstrated possibly a deeper understanding of who I am with the confirmation of that fact from watching you? Am I you, and me? The only way you can know for sure, is to look at yourself. There are certain characteristics that indicate we are one in the same in the way we think.
I do however, hope that if this finds it’s way into the trash as well and I am banned. It will not fall on deaf ears. I have been a student of my own self-interest all my life. I will leave you with this thought to ponder.
The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see.--Ayn Rand
Ban me if you must.