Thoughts Aloud

Note: (9/4/10) Until now, I had not posted anything here for over a year. Recently, my simpatico friend Troy has been posting his musings here; but the essays and older posts are mine. I intend to join him and start contributing more regularly. ◄Dave►

Why should I care what others think?
Most clueless sheeple don’t.
Emoters choose instead to feel,
Dogmatic faithful won’t.

You have entered the playground for the mind of an uncommon old man. I notice that long forgotten memories are triggered while chatting with others, and pondering them often leads to understanding how I came to be me. I have lived an interesting life to the fullest and folks often suggest I write a book. Instead of writing my memoirs, I intend to use this site for that purpose interactively with other thinkers. Perhaps you will become one of them. I plan to expound here on my experiences in life and such wisdom as they have earned me. Thus, my blog is open to comments or deeper discussions, and I enjoy writing essays on various subjects to clarify my thoughts, for myself and readers alike. The results over time should be much more than a book, and the reader can pick and choose which chapters he might find interesting or rewarding.

That said, this is my sandbox where I am indisputably the sovereign. We will play by my rules in my domain. I have spent sixty years trying to respect the wisdom of my elders, and now that I find it increasingly difficult to find one, I reckon it is my turn to pass along to posterity whatever wisdom I have garnered. Youngsters always think they already know it all; I did too at their age. The older I get however, the more I realize how little I actually know, how many earlier beliefs turned out false, and how few people can tell the difference.

I tend to be verbose and at times a curmudgeon. I value rational thinking above most everything and choose not to suffer fools. I am opinionated, uncommonly open, and forthright. If you tend to say, “I feel…” at places where I would say, “I think…” you might not like it around here. For I could care less what you are doing in the limbic system of your brain; I want to know your rational thoughts, not your emotions. Diplomacy was never my strong suit, and here on my turf I’ll not squander any effort on it.

If you are easily offended, don’t waste your time or my bandwidth telling me about it; I will just delete your post and encourage you to go find another place to play. This will be a repository for thoughts and ideas, not feelings. I earned my opinions honestly, by thinking things through in my own head. I have little time for those who waste oxygen parroting the latest absurdity they swallowed from another fool without even chewing, and expressing their dismay when others don’t. There are millions of minds out there, and for my purposes I only need to corral a few exceptional sages and battle hardened deep thinkers here. I’ve not the slightest interest in indulging any emotionally crippled specimens their outrages.

Culturally, I am a traditionalist redneck; politically I am an anti-government libertarian; and religiously I am an unabashed godless heathen. I have noticed this to be an uncommon combination that puts me at odds with just about everyone on one level or another. That’s fine because it also gives me at least something in common with more than most. I have lived in eight countries and sixteen States; and learned to go ‘native’ in all of them. I am as comfortable in a rowdy roadhouse as I am in the Ritz. I can put on the uniform of the day and fit right in most anywhere. To do so, however, requires the slight deception by omission of not revealing ones entire self in any given venue.

I have decided to let it all hang out here. I have a lot of diverse interests that shift, and opinions that evolve, over time. It would be a dull world if everyone agreed with me on every subject. I don’t expect or even desire that. I would think it foolish if my disagreeable thoughts on one subject were to cause you to dismiss the validity of my arguments on another, but what you do in your own head is your business. What has and is happening in mine will be openly and honestly revealed here, as it suits my purpose on more than one level.

Not the least of which is that those who are turned off by the real me will shun me, and those attracted by the real me might become friends. That is a win-win in my book. For when we pretend to be what we are not, even by omission, we attract those tedious folks who like what we are pretending to be; and those who would be attracted to our true selves have to keep looking elsewhere; and neither ever knows of the missed opportunity.

Rational thinkers, who might enjoy a respite from the ubiquitous emoting do-gooders, are welcome to come inside out of the cold.  Other thinkers and I are anxious to meet you and mull over your interests.

You’ll enjoy the open and unfettered atmosphere where we share our ideas, not our feelings.  We can use your help to BBQ any sacred cows that wander in. This is a temple for the rational mind, and nothing else is worshiped hereabouts.

You will find mine uncommonly open.  All my ideas and opinions are open to challenge, and few things give me as much pleasure as having my mind changed by a cogent argument. ◄Dave►

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