...where the Two become the One
Atlas Shrugged meets Peter Pan meets a Logocentric Christianity The great departure was not an ending, but a thinning. It was a quiet exodus, unnoticed by those who measured the world in headlines and polls. There was no rupture in the sky, no grand announcement, only a gradual and persistent vanishing of certain individuals. They were the chess players in a world that had embraced Calvinball, the architects in an […] Read more »
Can individuality, individualism, or individuation exist without the ego? Individualism, from a Randian perspective, is the moral stance that man’s primary moral purpose is the pursuit of his own rational self-interest and happiness through the unfettered use of his reason. It holds that a man must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. In the modern search for meaning, the ego has […] Read more »
The All is mind; the Universe is mental. ~The First Hermetic Principle – Mentalism, The Kybalion The proposition that human thought is creative stands as a profound psychological and philosophical truth. What you think, you become. The ideas you permit to inhabit your mind are the architectural blueprints for the reality of your life, with effects that ripple out into the world. Every action is born from a thought, every […] Read more »
At the heart of our relationship not just with the state, but with many of our most powerful social, cultural, and even religious norms, lies a foundational premise so widely accepted it is rarely questioned: the social contract. We are told this is the legitimate basis for our interactions, an implicit agreement for the sake of security and order. Yet, when we place this contract under the lens of reason, […] Read more »
In the complex and often fraught interplay between the individual and the vast machinery of the state, a fundamental conflict frequently emerges, one that opens a chasm between the raw capacity for force and the legitimate right to authority. When a citizen finds themselves in the crosshairs of a bureaucratic entity, the very nature of truth, reason, and justice is called into question, transforming the landscape of civil discourse into […] Read more »
The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools. ~Greek historian Thucydides The archetype of the warrior is etched into the bedrock of human history, a symbol of courage and discipline. Yet, within this single image lie two profoundly different figures: the soldier and the philosopher-warrior. The former is a highly effective instrument of power, defined by their […] Read more »
Building your house on the solid rock of Logocentric thinking In our modern world, the drive for a strong sense of self, for recognition, and for tangible success is a powerful motivator. We seek to build an identity that is effective and respected. Yet, in this pursuit, a fundamental paradox emerges: the very things many desire—a powerful ego, wealth, and influence—cannot be successfully attained by chasing them directly. True, sustainable […] Read more »
“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” This is what the LORD of […] Read more »
From a psychological perspective, the idea that “focus creates one’s reality” suggests that an individual’s attention and cognitive prioritization shape their perception and experience of the world by filtering sensory information and amplifying what aligns with their focus. This process, often linked to mechanisms like the brain’s reticular activating system, influences beliefs, emotions, and behaviors, effectively constructing a subjective reality based on where one directs their mental energy. The principle […] Read more »
Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Fay advocates for raising responsible, self-confident children through empathetic discipline and natural consequences. The book emphasizes allowing children to make choices within clear boundaries, fostering accountability by letting them experience the logical outcomes of their decisions. It promotes a parenting style that balances love with firm guidance, avoiding punitive measures to encourage critical thinking and independence. Rebellion is a counterfeit […] Read more »
Consent is the voluntary agreement to an action or proposal, expressed either explicitly through clear statements or actions, or implicitly through conduct that reasonably indicates acceptance. In legal contexts, implied consent may be inferred from suffering (enduring without objection) or tolerance (allowing without resistance), though these must align with rational, uncoerced choice to be morally valid. Coercion is the act of compelling someone to act or agree through threats, intimidation, […] Read more »
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out […] Read more »
Human consciousness often clings to a zoomed-in state, fixated on personal narratives, viewpoints, and structures that provide an illusion of control. This hyper-focused perspective stems from a primal need for safety, where individuals anchor themselves to familiar stories and rigid frameworks to navigate life’s uncertainties. By staying zoomed-in, people believe they can manage their environment, relationships, and outcomes. However, this narrow focus creates a self-imposed “control Matrix”—a mental construct reinforced […] Read more »
A victim mindset is a cognitive pattern where individuals consistently perceive themselves as powerless targets of external circumstances, blaming others or events for their difficulties. This mindset resists personal responsibility and change, often clinging to a narrative of helplessness to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths. Socratic humility is the intellectual virtue of recognizing and embracing the limits of one’s knowledge, fostering openness to learning and growth. It counters arrogance by encouraging a […] Read more »
Intellectual Humility: Having a consciousness of the limits of one’s knowledge, including a sensitivity to circumstances in which one’s native egocentrism is likely to function self-deceptively; sensitivity to bias, prejudice and limitations of one’s viewpoint. Intellectual humility depends on recognizing that one should not claim more than one actually knows. It does not imply spinelessness or submissiveness. It implies the lack of intellectual pretentiousness, boastfulness, or conceit, combined with insight […] Read more »