Focus on Life™

We take things for granted. Sun will shine in the morning, subway will transport you to your destination, people will sell you the goods and services you need and so on. Everything we have experienced in the past will be at our reach also tomorrow. All this is true in the short term and provided that in the meanwhile there are no drastic changes. But how can you recognise something incremental and familiar that is causing big changes to happen in the medium to long term? Often we do not. We are ignorant.

If you do not appreciate the small things how can you expect to value anything else either? We take as granted that we have clean water, comfortable and predictable climate, adequate resources, clean environment, and a beautiful nature. Still we are every day acting in a manner that is destroying all the things we value, permanently. Water is only clean when it is not polluted by many sources over an extended period of time. Climate is moderate and predictable only when the proportion, quality and quantity of vegetation and forests stay within certain boundaries. The landscape remains beautiful only when it is not built over or harvested for some other means.

Destroying is easy. We are masters in exploitation and taking things apart. Reverse engineering and using something do not mean that one is capable of understanding the creation process or even the objects of interest. Only an ignorant person is proud of his/her achievements while leaving a mess behind. Harmony and balance are only possible when there is enough understanding and appreciation for the resources that enable one to take the next steps or further stages of development. It is very shortsighted to assume that one is capable of getting something indefinitely without causing dramatic changes along the way. Our industrial revolution and very rapid one-way consumption of resources has lasted only a few centuries. Still we have been able to cause permanent damage and destruction in almost every part of the planet. We are often blind to the things that develop over time. Unfortunately consistent havoc by billions of individuals every day can and will make a big mess. Ignorance is no excuse. We still need to live here, and so do the future generations.

Oxford American dictionary has a definition for our behaviour: “an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense.” And guess how this type of one-way and shortsighted living is called? Parasitic. A parasite does not appreciate its environment and supplier of the resources it needs. It is ignorant. Where is the sophistication and high culture we are so proud of? At least it is not visible in our everyday actions. Small things put together make the change—for good or worse. Don’t just think about it, start appreciating what you have. Today.

Everybody talks about it and still we don’t seem to get our house in order. How can we make our planet a better place for all of us? Talk is cheap and so far we have been too ignorant to get rid of the whole issue in large scale enough.

How do you deal with a harassing and aggressive person in your neighbourhood? You let the person know that his or her behaviour is not accepted or supported by others. All of us together define the rules and the accepted behaviour in our societies. By our very actions or non-actions we create our surroundings every day. Our ignorance and tolerance for aggressive and hostile intentions enable them to exist and flourish.

There is a very easy way to stop wars. Just follow the money. Who finance the wars? Who makes the final decisions to declare them? A war does not happen if people are not supporting nor allowing it to happen. Passive and ignorant attitude towards aggressive intentions in massive scale make us sheep that are lead to things that individuals in a personal level would not allow to happen. Our political systems are not stable–they are tilted towards reckless and irresponsible behaviour. All this is possible because of so called collective responsibility and financing—very few decide and gain but everybody pays the consequences, and nobody is personally liable. Things just happen—almost automatically. We cannot control them. Or this is how we are made to believe. The truth is that we just hand over our personal power to other people who are willing to use it, even against us. Organisations, political systems, or ideologies do not fight—only people do. Just think about it.

If you study the history you will find that most of the wars are declared by some sort of concepts or entities called nations, governments, or rulers. But only a handful of people cannot make entire societies into brainless killing machines that just destroy themselves beyond belief and any sense. How do you call a leader without followers? A person taking a walk. There are no wars if there are no people who are willing to fight. There are no wars if there are no enabling financing or weapons. Who makes the weapons? We do. Who finance the wars? We do. Who fights the wars? We do.

As long as we believe in some great archetypes of visionary and omnipotent leaders, rulers or administrative bodies that know what is good for us and tell us what to do there will always be people taking the lead and readily telling others what to do. Responsibility seems to be a very difficult lesson to learn. Similarly using one’s own common sense and reasoning are also rare skills. Why it is so hard to see that there is no such a thing as something for nothing or free lunches without paybacks?

Peace is possible only when we appreciate our own personal power and freedom so greatly that we are not willing to give it away or tolerate violent and aggressive behaviour from anyone. How do you declare wars if there are only people? And more importantly who would declare wars if there are only people minding their own business and protecting their personal freedom against any aggressor. Peace is a sign of ultimate strength—not weakness. So far we have only managed to destroy and create havoc. We have not deserved peace yet—we have not appreciated it enough to make it a reality for us. We have been driven by our personal greed, jealousy, and hate. Peace cannot be imposed—you have to live it.

“The intrusion of politics into the field of economics is simply an evidence of human ignorance or arrogance, and is as fatuous as an attempt to control the rise and fall of tides. Since the beginning of political institutions, there have been attempts to fix wages, control prices, and create capital, all resulting in failure.”

Frank Chodorov from The Rise and Fall of Society.

Read the first chapter.

Chapter 6: The Humanity of Trade.

Elections are coming in many countries so it is fruitful to remind both the candidates and the voters how the system works.

The receipt for the power hungry and ignorant is the following.

Firstly, create an abstract system that is superior to any individual and call it something good in general. A state will do if you cannot come up with anything else.

Secondly, impose some rules and regulations that are forcible by violence in case of disobedience when necessary. By the rules and laws take away from the individuals their basic rights and sovereignty to the point that they will not directly exhaust under them. Don’t bother with minorities (individual is the smallest), just make sure that the majority is behind you. Naturally a large part of the regulations are to collect massive amounts of wealth from the population for unspecified common good and welfare of the people.

Thirdly, let the people select some individuals to represent themselves and let these individuals form parties if they like. Obviously these individuals are paid by the state and they are not responsible of their actions to anyone, the least to any individual who has elected them. To elect a representative once in a few years is a great privilege itself and it will suffice. After all, it’s the people who have elected all the representatives and thus they are responsible of their actions as well.

Fourthly, hire state officials and a ruling elite to run the state. Since they are paid by the state they are objective and keep only the good of the people in mind. Give posts for intellectuals in order that they become dependent on the state. This ensures that the majority will back the state.

Fifthly, let the state officials and the intellectuals to come up with more rules and regulations. After all the state is about managing the people, for its own good. Impose also strict penalties for breaking these rules. Enroll a substantial amount of bureaucrats to monitor the overall system and make them write studies and reports. Measure the productivity and demand ever more paper work and red tape in order to keep the system busy and inflated. This is the state’s shop front and thus it has to look busy and efficient.

Sixthly, start to utilise the confiscated wealth for special purposes and privileges benefiting some minority groups (i.e. individuals or entities) defined and decided either by the current majority or by the state officials. Make sure that the decision criteria are flexible in order to adjust for ever-changing circumstances and situations. This is the prime motor of the state apparatus: take away rights in general (be innovative) and provide special exceptions, privileges, subsidies and permissions to few. This creates the prestige and the continuous need for consulting with state officials.

Seventhly, endorse the necessity and great achievements of the state apparatus. Make clear that everything done by the state is for the well-being of the people and the state itself is totally unselfish. Do not forget to add that it is very hard and difficult to take care of everyone’s welfare and thus the current budget is to be enlarged in the future.

Eighthly, create a lot of public debate how some minor portions of the budget should be allocated and to whom. This will keep the public busy and the larger budget moments can be allocated smoothly to the interest groups lobbying and providing the best possible leverage.

Ninthly, favour the majority by budget allocations and promises of better future. Praise the poor and the people dependent on the state aids and state support. Frown the wealthy, rich and those of individual type. Contrast them to the non-profit status and common good of state that is not selfishly focusing on its own interest but the welfare of all. Increase the tax burden in order to make it difficult if practically impossible to become wealthy and thus financially independent of the state. The already rich are only interested to maintain their status and thus they are nothing to worry about.

Tenthly, if there are some domestic problems and public concerns about the justifications and actions of the state blame everyone else but the state (e.g the business cycle, global trade, bad weather, difficult circumstances).

And the bonus: use the opportunities created by the lobbyist, business and most of all the flexible legislation for personal wealth on top of the good pay and perks provided by the state.

A society is decaying when it is interested in only of the effects and not in the causes. What happens when the ‘needs’ are of most importance and the ways to satisfy them are despised? A moral decline.

Who does not have any needs? We all do. Newspapers are full of ‘needs’ to be fulfilled. They are very urgent and thus must be satisfied at any cost. But whose needs are more important than anyone else’s?  Why should others fulfil someone else’s needs? In short, what is the justification for the underlying assumption that everybody else except the person itself should be responsible for satisfying one’s own needs? This is to say that it is fine and noble to receive without one’s own effort and let the others even work for it. To close the circle the ones who are working for the ‘needs’ of others are morally despised by the others because they are making an effort and thus at least are getting something done. They are called selfish and greedy. It is socially acceptable to receive benefits in due cause solely because one needs them but it is low and almost criminal to mind one’s own business and stand firmly on one’s own two feet. Their needs are of no importance since they are capable of taking care of themselves. Thus it is OK to discriminate against the ones with capabilities and virtue—“they have it all” as it is often said. It is the ones who do not have are more important exactly because they lack something. And because they have deficiencies their ‘needs’ have to be fulfilled. In another words, ability and hard work are less valued than ignorance and vices. Not doing and trying are achievement themselves whereas making an effort and working for one’s success are self-evident and of no importance whatsoever—they are sacrificial.

It is socially acceptable to care for others’ well-being, often even in general terms without being able to define the others specifically (i.e. ‘public good’, welfare of the state, general good or welfare), and to do something that is non-profit and thus ‘not selfish’. This means that everyone minds everyone else’s business but no one is allowed to mind one’s own. A socially acceptable and morally just society is one where no one is selfish and thus not focusing at all for one’s own needs and well being. In addition, it is socially acceptable to receive if one has needs but if everyone is just to receive from where is it all then coming from? And how can the others know exactly what are the most important needs for everybody else? Or is it so that there is a more general standard which defines what others are supposed to need and in what proportions? Or is it just called the welfare state and democracy by majority rule?

This is the era of individualism. No matter whether we talk about individuals, nations or international coalitions. Everywhere the separation is the prime directive and the underlying assumption. Still nobody is an isolated island. We only pretend to be separated.

Separation means that there is something that is included and the rest is excluded. It defines limits and polarises its object from its environment. In most of the cases separation is also associated with independence. It is assumed that this separation is outside of its environment and hence it is a self-supporting unit. In reality, this is seldom the case.

Our virtual reality can be easily exposed and revealed. It actually does not really matter whether we consider an individual or a nation. Look around you and observe the world around you. Immediately you see a plenty of products and services. Some of them are crucial for your well-being. Life-supporting elements such as electricity, clean water, and food are the most obvious. Where do they come from? Part of the power is coming from local sources but often oil or other scarce supply is needed. Also you breakfast table is most likely catered with fruits and products around the world. Ever more of our ordinary life is imported elsewhere. Call to a contact centre and you might be redirected to India or other cheaper service location. Visit a retail store and realise that most of the electronics and other products are manufactured in China or Asia.

We need each other. We are dependent on each other. We breath the same air, we drink the same water, we eat the same food. Why we continue to consider ourselves as isolated and independent entities when the reality speaks otherwise? Ignorance and selfishness start already harassing our lives in forms of natural catastrophes and epidemical diseases. Exploiting elsewhere and shutting our eyes does not make the reality go away. We can only fool ourselves — in our mind. Still the reality has its means to give us wake-up calls. A time to stop dreaming?

We know only what we know. This sounds very simple and naïve but still it is a powerful statement. It also defines what we do not know, which is very important to realise as well. One could say that we limit our world and experiences by our awareness.

Learning new and being open to new opportunities and possibilities is not easy. This can be clearly seen from the above axiom, or just by looking around you and observing how the people you know carry on having their usual habits and routines—often unchanged for decades. As if this would not be enough to restrict and narrow our potential we do it also proactively, and others do it for us.

Imagine that you are faced with a new situation that is somewhat awkward or cumbersome. To whom will you tell about it? Quickly you scan through your friends and decide to share the information with people who can handle the news. In another words you do not bother upsetting the persons, who you feel with your past experience, would be shocked and would have hard time taking in the news. Everybody knows a relative or a person who is very uptight and square with his/her world-view. With those persons you are very careful how you put your words and what kind of issues are appropriate discussion topics. You filter your interaction and communication proactively, subconsciously.

So, who limits and what? Is it you or the rest of the world?

Have you ever considered what dying means? Often we are
very shady and quiet about death. It is something we do not
want to consider or think about. It is a taboo. It is something
that only happens to somebody else—not to us. In other
words—we are afraid of it. But why?

What exactly are we afraid of? Something we do not know
anything about? Maybe.

Dying means that we are departed instantly from every-
thing we are attached to and have. We have to give away
everything so familiar and “natural” to us, something and
everything we have taken for granted. Our health, physical
body, friends, family, wealth, possessions, lifestyle, habits, and
so on. This is death. It is detachment.

Clinging and attachment do not have to be physical in
nature. We can have obsessions, desires, needs, and cravings.
Suddenly we cannot satisfy those by physical means anymore.
We are forced to be without them. This is death.

We have to die in order to live. What does that mean? We
think that we are alive and kicking when we are driven by our
lower qualities like desire, lust, obsession, and so on.
Satisfying and fulfilling these consume most of our lives. We
call this living. We are in a never-ending circle where old
needs are fulfilled and instantly new ones arise. How liberat-
ing and happy!

Being truly alive means that we are free to live, not
obsessed or forced continuously to fulfil something. Free to
be.In order to achieve this, we have to set ourselves free from
our attachments and desires. They are strong and we cannot
win them by force. The more we resist them, the larger they
become. We can beat them only by ignoring them, by learn-
ing to live without them, by detaching ourselves from every-
thing in a similar manner—as death will do to us, finally, but
this time we do it voluntarily, gradually.

It is a misunderstanding to believe that detachment will
mean literally dying and living without anything interesting
or fun. On the contrary, how much fun and freedom do you
have when you are obsessed by something? Detachment does
not mean giving up living—only giving away all the attach-
ment and clinging. You can still enjoy the sunrise and have a
delicious meal, but the difference is that those do not bear any
utility value for you anymore—they simply are. There is no
need for anything. One is not lacking anything because need
implicitly declares a lack of something (i.e., the object of the
need).

Clinging and attachment are based on ignorance, and de
facto the only thing to give away is the wrong understanding.
Greater wisdom liberates. Always.

The view,
so vivid and exciting,
full of life,
happiness and joy,
sometimes sorrow, often pain,
from limited knowledge and
ignorance,
glances still;

Stepping back,
enlarging the scope,
gaining new foothold,
spectating,
from a distance,
different angle;

Firmly pacing,
knowing,
from here I must walk,
these curtains must fall,
something must go;

Giving away,
the known,
to make space,
for the unknown,
letting go,
to fall,
the facade,
so dear and attached,
which does not hold,
it must go;

The one behind,
was an angle of mine,
based on defects,
that was all,
nothing really at all,
but it was all,
I knew.

We are conservative by nature. We tend to enclose ourselves.
Some of the fences we build are physical and more tangible,
while others are more abstract. We want to protect ourselves
from the outside world and its renewal.

External fences are easier to conceive. They have many
faces, from muscle building to creating physical security
measures, all the way to building wealth and monetary riches.
Mental fences are harder to pinpoint and the most difficult
for us to realize. We hide behind our own habits, traditions,
mental and conceptual principles and rules, ways of behavior,
and subconscious patterns. These mental barriers limit our
perception and understanding of the realities of the world.
They filter the outside world for us and give us our sense of
security and control. But by doing so, they also prevent us
from renewing and developing ourselves. Our existence is
based on our self-perception, and the fences are guarding us
from anything that is not known and familiar to us—the
unpleasantness of the external world.