The creed.
[Picked this up from my teeny historic notes I was able to preserve among the collage of photos. Rereading this amused me and made me realized how soberly tangled I was on the idea of peace and political liberty in my teenage days. I cannot remember what sparked this reflection/essay. - V ]
I am what I am.
This is not a declaration of self-acceptance alone, rather an affirmation of my "I" that primarily defines my essence. I am not what others are thinking and talking about me.
I think, I judge, I evaluate. I make my own choice. I resolve my own circumstance.
I need nobody to police myself. I am responsible primarily not to anybody but to myself. I love all that I am. I mean what I say and say what I mean. I think, I will, and I act.
My hand is my life. My world is my ink. My thought is its soul. The transformation of my thoughts into words are my strength made visible.
I don't believe in dreams; dreams are proofs of mediocrity.
I believe on my mind, my reason, my self-esteem. I take no pride from anybody.
I desire for peace through generous toleration of mutual differences. I love pluralism of ideas. I am in constant war with the dogmatic retention of traditional forms and the favored clamor of sectarian bias. Beyond the limits of our knowledge, we may if desire believe in many things; but we have no moral right to impose our beliefs on others or erect our beliefs into official creed. In this information age of a world devoid of trade barriers, the principle of toleration is justified by virtue of freedom and liberty. This is however a limited tolerance since rational judgments must not inspire threats, destruction, and violence.
I believe in the fundamental necessity of change. But this change must not be inspired by war. It must be from the revolution of the mind. The concept that "war is preparation for peace" cannot justify development of weapons to make war impossible. Peace is the absence of violence. Not only that violence itself is incapable of speech and not merely that speech is helpless when confronted by violence. Because of this speechlessness political theory has little to say about the phenomenon and left its discussion to (political)technicians.
But certainly political thought can only follow the articulation i.e. something which transcends mere physical visibility as well as sheer audibility in order to be understood and manifested at all.
A theory of war on a theory of revolution therefore can only deal with the justification of violence because this justification constitutes its political limitations. If instead it arrived at glorification of violence as such, it is no longer political but anti-political. Everybody falls silent, it is in this that violence rules absolutely... that violence is a marginal phenomenon in the political realm-- for humans to the extent that they are political beings, are endowed with the power of speech.
I believe that a civilized society is a rational society. It is in this knowledge is fundamental to know more about the world for meaningful survival; to read the true meaning under causal and guarded words; to accept the statements of others in questioning faith; and, to believe that their gestures meant more than they convey.
I love symbolism.
I love the sunrise and sunset of each renewed day; reminded me of the wild bush in the calvary. Symbolic matters at times could be simply the ink of life; the wind beneath my plumes.
It could be the other spark contrasting my flame.
I am what I am.
This is not a declaration of self-acceptance alone, rather an affirmation of my "I" that primarily defines my essence. I am not what others are thinking and talking about me.
I think, I judge, I evaluate. I make my own choice. I resolve my own circumstance.
I need nobody to police myself. I am responsible primarily not to anybody but to myself. I love all that I am. I mean what I say and say what I mean. I think, I will, and I act.
My hand is my life. My world is my ink. My thought is its soul. The transformation of my thoughts into words are my strength made visible.
I don't believe in dreams; dreams are proofs of mediocrity.
I believe on my mind, my reason, my self-esteem. I take no pride from anybody.
I desire for peace through generous toleration of mutual differences. I love pluralism of ideas. I am in constant war with the dogmatic retention of traditional forms and the favored clamor of sectarian bias. Beyond the limits of our knowledge, we may if desire believe in many things; but we have no moral right to impose our beliefs on others or erect our beliefs into official creed. In this information age of a world devoid of trade barriers, the principle of toleration is justified by virtue of freedom and liberty. This is however a limited tolerance since rational judgments must not inspire threats, destruction, and violence.
I believe in the fundamental necessity of change. But this change must not be inspired by war. It must be from the revolution of the mind. The concept that "war is preparation for peace" cannot justify development of weapons to make war impossible. Peace is the absence of violence. Not only that violence itself is incapable of speech and not merely that speech is helpless when confronted by violence. Because of this speechlessness political theory has little to say about the phenomenon and left its discussion to (political)technicians.
But certainly political thought can only follow the articulation i.e. something which transcends mere physical visibility as well as sheer audibility in order to be understood and manifested at all.
A theory of war on a theory of revolution therefore can only deal with the justification of violence because this justification constitutes its political limitations. If instead it arrived at glorification of violence as such, it is no longer political but anti-political. Everybody falls silent, it is in this that violence rules absolutely... that violence is a marginal phenomenon in the political realm-- for humans to the extent that they are political beings, are endowed with the power of speech.
I believe that a civilized society is a rational society. It is in this knowledge is fundamental to know more about the world for meaningful survival; to read the true meaning under causal and guarded words; to accept the statements of others in questioning faith; and, to believe that their gestures meant more than they convey.
I love symbolism.
I love the sunrise and sunset of each renewed day; reminded me of the wild bush in the calvary. Symbolic matters at times could be simply the ink of life; the wind beneath my plumes.
It could be the other spark contrasting my flame.
