I am, therefore I must think...
The purpose of this blog is similar to many blogs out there: to spread ideas. Particularly my ideas. I consider myself a rational, active minded person. I love the discussion of ideas but if you use any logical fallacies, prepare to be called out on them. I am interested in individual liberty and the philosophies involved with liberty. I refuse to label myself as this type of philosopher or that, because I think broad labels lead to dogmatism and regression of ideas. Respect begets respect, so keep that in mind when commenting.
Please feel free to browse through my public posts to get a feel for who I am and what I think. If you are not a member, I have just recently made it so you can comment on my public posts, however the comment will first need to be approved by me, so please be patient. If you wish to view the rest of my writings (70% of this blog is only viewable to members) please register or login. If you like what I have to say, be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed as well: 
MAF
Hope everyone had a great Capitalism Day!
I know we Objectivists are always in the process of self improvement but I think this is a great time to analyze ourselves just as we analyze our financial records and goals for our business this time of year. Since productivity does not stop at the business level I think the new year is a great time to analyze yourself and project your self improvement goals for 2007.
Here are my goals/resolutions for 2007. Comment on this post with yours.
- Organize a fully fledged business plan for my marketing business (including building the new website)
- Stop wasting time arguing with those who do not wish to critically think (eg. those who discredit Objectivism without knowing clearly what the entire philosophy entails such as those who blank out when they hear terms like laissez faire capitalism without understanding the ethics behind it)
- Close down old blogs that serve no purpose anymore
- Cut back on booze/smoking
- Work out on a weekly basis and improve overall health with better eating habits (because I gained 30 pounds in the last year!)
- Learn how to deal with client/customer criticism
- Lay out goals for the next day on the previous night/weekend
- Work less on the weekend by working more hours during the week
- Invest
- Record every tax deduction ahead of time (improve accounting records)
- Learn how to cook (to save money by not going out all the time)
Don’t stop your list after January 1st. Go back to it weekly and modify it to fit the best plan for self improvement. Also, make a private list if you don’t like publishing your resolutions.
Since I am becoming increasingly busy with my business, I would like to offer my readers a chance to become authors. If you are interested in writing short posts about (but not limited to) the following, please comment on this post:
- Capitalism
- Objectivism
- Atheism
- Politics
- Entertainment
- …and anything related to those subjects or other subjects discussed on this blog
If you have your own blog and wish to duplicate a good post or two from your blog you may do that as well. The more content I have on this blog, the better. I figure if you help me out by building some content, I can help you out by sending some traffic to your blog/site. Let me know what you think.
I’m going to be going on vacation soon, so this blog may be neglected unless I have something urgent to relay to the masses. So, have a great Capitalism Day and be sure to treat yourself as much or more than you treat your loved ones.
I have observed the following time and time again. This is an observation piece I’ve been wanting to write for awhile. These are simply my observations of many Objectivists that I have encountered. Many of the stages happen all at once for some, in different orders for others, but most stages happen at least once in their lives.
- Stage 1: Anthem. You read Atlas Shrugged/The Fountainhead/Anthem for the first time. You either reject the book(s) whole heartedly in the first chapter or continue reading feverishly to the end of the book, and then go back and read Galt’s Speech several times. At the end of the book you proclaim yourself as a modern John Galt and start to experience the world in a glimmering new light. You have a new found confidence in yourself and are ready to take the world on your shoulders. You also realize that there are many things in this world that you do not want to shoulder, but are ready to try to bear them despite Galt’s sage advice. The only thing that still bothers you is your lingering theism, but you brush that issue aside for another day.
- Stage 2: Randroid. You take any challenge from any so-called intellectual. You even go far as seeking out opponents to pwnerize with your new found philosophical tool kit. You frequent socialist message boards, anarcho-capitalist forums and even take a swing at those who agree with you on a political level: Libertarians. You quote Ayn Rand as much or more than you write your own ideas. You find yourself frustrated and angry, and often lash out in snarky, condecending ways against your opponents. Finally you challenge god himself, and you win when you realize that his existence does not matter.
- Stage 2a: The Alternate Route. You reject Rand’s ideas as cultish because of something you read on the Internet comparing religion to philosophy, and go back to your old habits. You get angry at people who are reading any Rand literature and smuggly say, “I was once a follower of the Cult of Rand, but I matured. Save yourself some time and put down that trash and read a real philosopher, like Plato.”
- Stage 3: The Individualist. You absorb the world by reading every political article you can find and writing your thoughts about it on your blog/journal. You start to take command of your life when you finally renounce any last dash of faith that you had. You work harder than ever before, proud of your sweat and tears, but are also increasingly burdened by the challenges you are undertaking. Occasionally you get the bug to argue with a leftist, but mostly you challenge your own ideas in your mind, measuring each Objectively and logically as possible. This is a time for growth and learning for you and you enjoy every second of it.
- Stage 4: John Galt. You are satisfied with your philosophy on life and understand it completely. You learn to manage your passions and not destroy yourself in the process of acheiving your own happiness. You only take time to voice your opinion when it is in your best rational interest. You meet worthy intellectual challenges with confidence, and easily brush those aside who have nothing to add to your existence. The world may be crumbling around you, but your concern is with your own path, no matter what shambles others have left it in as they carelessly cross over it. Who is John Galt? You are.
- Stage 5: Super Saiyan Rand. The 5th level that only one has acheived. She will not be forgotten for what she has brought the rest of us.
