This is a list of various sayings or thoughts, and possibly some actual principles, that I use when trying to consider problems, issues, and even everyday situations. And some that I just think about sometimes and wanted to share.

See also : morals, quotes.

in this page....

in other pages....

I don't remember where I got this off hand (maybe a bumper sticker?), but this speaks loads to me. It really defines how the blame game is used as subterfuge, and people who think for themselves and are interested in finding solutions don't throw names back and forth, and often don't even come close to trying to assign blame.

This principle I made up out of my dislike of the usage of labels for people, and in particular everything I tie in to anti-labelism. Anti-labelism to me is being against labelism, in trying not to act in labelist ways. Labelism to me includes things like how labels, alleged even, are used to reject information or ideas from a particular source or sometimes just someone related to the source. I expect people who work in the news and other industries are well aware of this concept, as they precisely focus on labels and judging people, usually for their labels and a mix with skewed information.

The first line is from a song, and the lyrics also include they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. And that song is a good illustration of the principle I think if you listen to the lyrics. (I need to review it more carefully, and follow up on that.)

The second line pretty well defined my Dad, and I think I might have even heard him say it. (He didn't talk much as he was very deaf.) But anything that could get reused was saved. Really more of a pack rat thing, but to me it defines the concept. Although technically, it's still wasteful for people to privately keep things, even if things to be reused that would be usually thrown out, when the things can be centrally shared.

I made up this one, as to me it's really actions that count not blame. Blaming and pointing responsibility on abstract positions instead of who takes action, to me is just a scapegoat thing to not acknowledge one's own guilt, direct or indirect. Maybe not always when pointing responsibility, but when it comes to blaming.... maybe always.

But it's not about people who use mis-information or manipulative tactics to encourage people to take certain actions (harm or kill another person for example), it's about the person who takes the action. It's everyone's responsibility to verify the accuracy of information, and to carefully consider it and think for one's self - in the sense of seeing if there are other alternatives... and if it's really necessary.

This I saw on a bumper sticker on truck, and it really illustrated to me how everyone should share their opinion. And not just that you have something worthwhile to share (probably not, although you think so), but that by discussing with others and with an open mind, you probably will learn a lot yourself.

And, important to note, is this is applies to writing and publishing as well, just the "voice shakes" part doesn't fit. (Change that to even if hesitant or afraid.)

Admittedly, I have no experience or knowledge in this area, so I am just kinda guessing this is true. I believe I originally saw this on a sticker somewhere or something, but is maybe originally from Jimi Hendrix. (Maybe lyrics in a song?)

Forgot where I got this from at the moment.

I am paying attention, and boy am I outraged!

I made this up. Can't remember when, it was a long time ago.

Many of the big changes in history all started with a small change by a small group of people. Recently I found information indicating that this is usually about 1% of the population of a specifc group to bring the change in. I refer to this as the "1% solution".

No one else in the world can make as big and as positive of a change as you can!

Look at what a person does (and where they spend their money) to see what they really mean (effect on the world intend to have). Clarify that they understand the results of their actions, then if their words conflict, they are simply being a hypocrite.

The best way to understand this principle is if you are familiar with the episode of Lost in Space (season 1, episode 24) that has Dr. Smith becoming a king.

Basically, it's about making a leader that you put all the blame on when things go wrong so the followers do not have to take responsibility for their actions, or have something just to blame bad luck on.

There are countless examples in u.s.a. politics of where the president was used as a scapegoat and a world public image was presented that the citizens of the u.s.a. (or nature) was not responsible for the results of a problem. (Even though they were.) This also provides a guilt relief mechanism, as well as a blame mechanism.

(Note : I'm not sure of the spelling of Sleemoth or Gloog.)

"Knowing what you know is fine. Recognizing what you don't know, especially what you think you do know, is a valuable skill."

- Fejj

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Older versions....

Knowing what you know is fine, but "knowing" that what you believe in is true is dangerous.

Or better like this?

Knowing what you know is fine, but "knowing" that what you believe is true really is true, is dangerous.

This was almost.

Knowing what you know is great, but recognizing what you don't know is a valuable skill.

(This is my own principle I made up. There were other versions in the past. Maybe if I wrote them down, I'll find them sometime and I will add them here....)

I will try to briefly explain. This is another thing stemming from egoism. Everybody thinks they know everything basically. But with exception of some specific knowledge which they accept a professional knows or at least better.

This is best understood at abstract level 2 or higher.

This principle was best expressed that I've heard so far as "It is better to find one fault in yourself, than to find a thousand in someone else.". (The Suite Life. Ep: 2x06 T: 21:42)

Actually I think it is better worded like this : "It is better to find one fault in yourself than many faults in others.".

And an important note is that "yourself" can apply to an individual or a group. This can be very powerful when looked at as "find fault in yourself" refers to your country or other larger group.

This principle is primarily about not wasting time and energy arguing about exceptions, or any twist on the main meaning.

This applies to human life for example. I reject the concept of the body count being used to rate how terrible something is. For me, every human life destroyed is wrong, and more lives lost just mean more wrongs, not that the one wrong is worse.

This line from Tubthumping by Chumbawamba describes my attitude regarding the project. And I have lived that many times over.

There is a long list of things that I have failed at and quit. I am basically a quiter. But the project is far too important, and when I think of the people suffering now, and especially in the future, I simply have to get back up again. There is no choice by my principles and morals.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to leave the world a better place; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

(Source unknown. But this is apparently a shortend version of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.)

Almost every time I read this I cry a little bit. Not because of my burning desire to succeed with the project, but because I wish so badly that everyone else had the same desire to succeed.

My principle here is about how regretting something in the past not only is wasteful but pointless.

"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

I am crazy enough to think I can, but not succeeding yet. But I'm not dead yet, so who knows. A little bit of help would be nice though....

So much in the world, what people are doing, is opposite of this.

This is based on an expression in Dutch, that is about "mopping up with the faucet open".

The principle is : turn the faucet off first, then start mopping up. Or solve the problem first, then help clean up (help the victims).

I will be posting so many examples over time, in different places on this site.

But to illustrate, I have a couple of examples in mind.

One is about a charity organization in a village in Peru that provides daytime shelter for kids living on the streets. The point is to help educate them and support them with the hope they can build a somewhat normal life.

The possible problem here is that poor families might intentionally send kids on the streets to become part of this program if there is no real opportunity or school for them where they are (like in remote hills or something).

The big problem, is that people who care about the street kids, have less pressure to do something about preventing kids from coming on the streets, because they are being "taken care of" by this program.

The only real way to deal with problems like this is to focus first on stopping the stream of kids landing on the streets - analyizing, preventing, etc. Then move on to helping those on the streets already. This does not have to happen in order, as long as the focus remains on turning the faucet off, especially with trying to counter the effects of mopping up so that people think things are okay.

There are also numerous cases of where victims of this or that war are being helped, so much so, that the war itself becomes less of a concern, and upset people less, because at least the victims are being helped.

And by "share your knowledge", I really mean don't sell it, but give freely to those who may be interested. In some cases, a FOS DVD may be of value.

Information/knowledge is valuable, and easy to share, especially with technology today, so not sharing (freely) is simply greed.

See also this quote.