the why, why, why of it all. Self-awareness is the basis of what makes us mortal, fallible, and real. Each of us wants to be exceptional, but what defines us as a species is our compulsion to delude ourselves into believing that each of us is unique, different and, in some sense, immortal – while the human race inexorably arranges its own extinction. That desire to better oneself, to attain perfection, or even measure oneself against a whole. I'll admit that the human mind fascinate me. We have an amazing ability to remember, label, and classify object, experiences and even thoughts. Beauty is an ideal for some, myself included. I am mesmerized by the play of light across a body of water. Fountains offer countless hours of distraction as do flames lapping at a hearth in winter. Serene in the stillness, a respite from a hectic world or a return to nature and the simple knowledge that the elements consume constantly. Seasons come and go; first stark and barren fields are worked and toiled, graced by water, sun, and seed. But risk and dangers are continual; an early (or late) frost, insect infestation, or drought can wreak havoc. In that vein artists across the generations have attempted to capture images of bountiful harvest and irrepressible fertility, to counter barren winter months and dispel dark winter thoughts. These attempts may be the nearest to immortality we may come. I adhere to the adage that we came into the world with nothing and we leave with nothing. While life should not be a solitary thing; self expression--the ability to share our viewpoint, thoughts, feelings, and reactions--stands at the core of art. Artists have a variety of visual outlets; painting, sculpture, drawing, and photography. Others paint with words through poetry. It is in these acts of creation that we are nearest the concept of a god, acting as he has acted arranging matter for the edification and good of man. Some escape to completely fantastical worlds, and while I appreciate the work of Salvador Dali, I don't respond to it as I do the Dutch masters, or the geniuses of the Renaissance. Whose artistic representations are merely imitations of known objects. I agree with Leo Tolstoy; art is not meant for purely individual expression but should be employed to lay open what is universal in man. Art also provides a history of the intellect of mankind - allowing glimpses into our collective development as a species, and of our shortcomings from age to age. Life is filled with choices. The struggle to achieve what is right through our choices has two aspects: the rights of the individual or human rights in general stand on one side, while the abstract concept of righteousness lies on the other, transcending individual or collective interests, occupying a pinnacle of rectitude indifferent to consequence or collective utility. Which are we to choose as we calibrate our moral compass? A belief can turn into something larger, a truth – something which is unquestioned and unalterable and which affects every man, woman, and child. What makes something right or wrong for that matter? Is it a government decree, a theological pronouncement, a prevailing opinion, either in the majority or the minority? Which of these do we serve and which do we ignore? Each person born on this earth is allowed the capacity to explore, to learn, and to experience. And with each birth, growth and development, a slightly different moral universe is created, as cognition is shaped by varied attitudes and emotions, virtues and vices. But the basis of my life is this: I will try to learn and grow each day by experiencing new and exciting things along with routine necessities that my body must have. I must sleep, I must eat, and I must drink. These are staples of my existence. But I can elevate these experiences by actively seeking to open myself to a variety of influences. Remaining objective is more complicated than it appears. The effort is aided by opening the consciousness to a wide array of influences and allowing no opinion to grow so exalted as to become impervious to objective reality and reason. Having an opinion is necessary in so many aspects of life; in fact, society almost requires it of us (as witness the incessant polling of the last election cycle and the inadmissibility of “undecided” as a response). While opinion is an inalienable right, one should try to build an educated position that resonates with reason and experience, rather than recite a derivative mantra which satisfies only the need to identify with some larger collective or to be accepted and loved on the basis of conformity. Worse still is ignorance. Society allows us great privileges. Many people sacrificed blood, sweat and tears, or life itself for freedom of thought and expression. It is quite easy to squander that birthright in exchange for the pottage of social approval. Any achievement requires some type of sacrifice, whether it is paid in labor, in loss or in alienation. Nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without a venture of social capital.
The metaphor of life as a footrace is fitting, since it implies a definite beginning and end with some fixed distance stretching between. But it breaks down when we consider the competitive aspect. One’s race is not against another; it is only measured against the self. We grow each day as new experiences present themselves to us in choice and action. Knowledge, much like freedom, can be damning; we have the rope in hand and can either hang ourselves with it or build a bridge to a better future. I have been taught right from wrong, and have made decisions to the best of my ability. Wisdom is the facility to apply the understanding that one has reaped from the field of experience for the betterment of self and society. The power and freedom of agency is, in short, an amazing gift. But the consequences measured in the long term could bring either a blessing or a curse quite beyond our control; they are not subject to our choice. I believe that similar to Newton’s laws of action and reaction, once an action is set into motion it must complete its course along pathways ordained by the power of current circumstance. Each chain of events has its own internal logic and, combined with many other individual choices, it balloons into a larger dynamic of action and consequence that the individual can scarcely anticipate; if he cannot anticipate it, it follows that he cannot hold himself accountable for it. The question of good or evil in this scenario becomes a moot point. The individual can only affect good or evil through his actions in so far as he can anticipate their ends. Intention alone is the essence of morality or immorality, just as Kant held. There are few simple truths in life: only that never and always statements are false. And that taxes and death are inevitable.
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