You said it well Steve, as usual, and I very much agree with this ... "We need to encourage public and political discussions that explore not just what is practical or efficient, but what is good, what is meaningful, and what is worth striving for."
Agree, however for many - especially when we are young, it is difficult to know what an authentic character actually is. Time can reveal this if allowed.
Today with social media beaming inauthentic characters as role models to everyone and sundry, the individual is much like Theseus - needs a golden thread to find their way out of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. Oh how to find ones Ariadne eh?
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed in Latin begins, 'Credo'. Credo is translated for liturgical purposes as 'I believe', or (to my lament) sometimes, 'We believe'. In English, this denotes a tone of having reached a terminus, an end point of intellectual and practical pursuit for truth. A conclusion.
But the direct translation from Latin is importantly different, 'I give my heart...'. It is much more a statement of intent and hope; a cherishing of what is to follow with an accompanying decision to respond in our daily lives. In order for beliefs to be integrated into our lives, and in turn the culture around us, they have to be not merely intellectually examined, but experienced and practiced.
The deconstructionists have left individuals, families, nations in a messy pile on the floor where jagged edges inflict pain left, right, and centre. The reconstruction will require not only great intellectual, moral, and physical effort, it will also require open hearts to call others out of the mire by being walking examples of a living hope and an enticing future that calls others to join in.
For some reason I'm reminded of the work done by Mike Royko and Studs Terkel in Chicago. Both of these known for their habit of interviewing a wide range of people, and writing up the results of those interviews. Apparently Studs Terkel did any number of in-depth interviews with the ordinary folk of Chicago and others (e.g., musicians). I suspect that this attention to their lives gets to the same place as a good answer to the question, so what do you believe?
With the advent of post-modernism and it's insidious companion 'deconstruction', large swathes of the populace have been hoodwinked and cast adrift. This has been slow but steady since the late 1960s within the tertiary years but nowadays this infection begins even in childcare and progresses on from there. Because of this situation the last few generations mostly do not have anything firm to grasp, lever or propel themselves forward with, hence the only eventual outcome of postmodernist thought is that NOTHING matters and ANY belief is merely relative. As such who is surprised that people have become conditioned to believe in nothing concrete - if they have a belief at all.
I am now 69 years of age, however during the mid 1990s I decided to go back to an Australian university and pick up my visual arts practice where I had left it off in the 1970s. I was encouraged by an arts uni lecturer to begin a Masters in Visual Art with a major in post modern studies. Mine was a painting practice (had been exhibiting and selling in a minor way for 20 years) and yet the 3 year MA had little to do with painting or the actual practice of visual art at all - the major focus was post modern and post structuralist thought and how it was/can be/should be used within the arts. Because of my late connection to a higher degree I was required to complete a 6 month bridging course in order to be fully re-educated into this PM world - I could not progress any further unless I could reflect back to them that I fully embraced this reality. Sure, the bridging also got me up to speed with contemporary study methods and university ways, but it was the indoctrination that, as a mature adult born in the 1950s really appalled me. The younger ones just shrugged and accepted it all. I managed to finish the whole degree in the end but it was a distasteful 3 years, although it was fascinating to see it all unfold.
My point with all this is that for many their whole idea of reality has been white anted, compromised, undermined or destroyed. They feel that most things are pointless and out of their control and when a human being feels that they have no agency in the world then the shadows of doubt, fear and depression really take hold. We may not, in reality actually have real agency over many things, but the BELIEF that we do can work wonders.
Belief is a 'super power', it can transform a being completely and in it's wake it can gather, heal and transform others, it is is infectious, durable, positive, loving and pacifying. Belief of what? True, useful, human centered belief is universal - merely believing in any or all of those above is more than enough to see one through.
How to change this as an individual?
Focus on small things that are good - nature and all it's variety can lead us to powerful and universal understandings (one might call that 'Truth') that will slowly allow the individual to feel a constant pattern of growth and evolution that exists for our benefit and use. This will lead to an "I can", instead of an "I can't".
So what do I believe?
I believe that most people are inherently 'good', however fear makes us behave in ways opposed to our own benefit
I believe that we are here for a reason - it's up to us to find out what that is
I believe that we all must take personal responsibility for our lives as much as our circumstances allow.
I believe that life is hard but that's what makes it so rewarding
I believe that there are things beyond our own arrogance and limited view of how things 'work' that we can tap into and take encouragement and healing from
I believe that we are all stronger than we think we are
I believe that ALL things happen for a reason
I believe that ALL 'bad' things and events have a silver lining - it's up to us to search and find them
But most of all I believe that humanity WILL prevail
You said it well Steve, as usual, and I very much agree with this ... "We need to encourage public and political discussions that explore not just what is practical or efficient, but what is good, what is meaningful, and what is worth striving for."
Well done Steven.
The most important attribute a person can have is that of a strong, honest, authentic character.
Agree, however for many - especially when we are young, it is difficult to know what an authentic character actually is. Time can reveal this if allowed.
Today with social media beaming inauthentic characters as role models to everyone and sundry, the individual is much like Theseus - needs a golden thread to find their way out of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. Oh how to find ones Ariadne eh?
Thanks again Steven for another thoughtful and provocative piece.
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed in Latin begins, 'Credo'. Credo is translated for liturgical purposes as 'I believe', or (to my lament) sometimes, 'We believe'. In English, this denotes a tone of having reached a terminus, an end point of intellectual and practical pursuit for truth. A conclusion.
But the direct translation from Latin is importantly different, 'I give my heart...'. It is much more a statement of intent and hope; a cherishing of what is to follow with an accompanying decision to respond in our daily lives. In order for beliefs to be integrated into our lives, and in turn the culture around us, they have to be not merely intellectually examined, but experienced and practiced.
The deconstructionists have left individuals, families, nations in a messy pile on the floor where jagged edges inflict pain left, right, and centre. The reconstruction will require not only great intellectual, moral, and physical effort, it will also require open hearts to call others out of the mire by being walking examples of a living hope and an enticing future that calls others to join in.
Beautifully put - thank you.
Thanks for this. I believe it is important to seek real good.
For some reason I'm reminded of the work done by Mike Royko and Studs Terkel in Chicago. Both of these known for their habit of interviewing a wide range of people, and writing up the results of those interviews. Apparently Studs Terkel did any number of in-depth interviews with the ordinary folk of Chicago and others (e.g., musicians). I suspect that this attention to their lives gets to the same place as a good answer to the question, so what do you believe?
Royko Was an institution in Chicago press when I lived there many decades ago
With the advent of post-modernism and it's insidious companion 'deconstruction', large swathes of the populace have been hoodwinked and cast adrift. This has been slow but steady since the late 1960s within the tertiary years but nowadays this infection begins even in childcare and progresses on from there. Because of this situation the last few generations mostly do not have anything firm to grasp, lever or propel themselves forward with, hence the only eventual outcome of postmodernist thought is that NOTHING matters and ANY belief is merely relative. As such who is surprised that people have become conditioned to believe in nothing concrete - if they have a belief at all.
I am now 69 years of age, however during the mid 1990s I decided to go back to an Australian university and pick up my visual arts practice where I had left it off in the 1970s. I was encouraged by an arts uni lecturer to begin a Masters in Visual Art with a major in post modern studies. Mine was a painting practice (had been exhibiting and selling in a minor way for 20 years) and yet the 3 year MA had little to do with painting or the actual practice of visual art at all - the major focus was post modern and post structuralist thought and how it was/can be/should be used within the arts. Because of my late connection to a higher degree I was required to complete a 6 month bridging course in order to be fully re-educated into this PM world - I could not progress any further unless I could reflect back to them that I fully embraced this reality. Sure, the bridging also got me up to speed with contemporary study methods and university ways, but it was the indoctrination that, as a mature adult born in the 1950s really appalled me. The younger ones just shrugged and accepted it all. I managed to finish the whole degree in the end but it was a distasteful 3 years, although it was fascinating to see it all unfold.
My point with all this is that for many their whole idea of reality has been white anted, compromised, undermined or destroyed. They feel that most things are pointless and out of their control and when a human being feels that they have no agency in the world then the shadows of doubt, fear and depression really take hold. We may not, in reality actually have real agency over many things, but the BELIEF that we do can work wonders.
Belief is a 'super power', it can transform a being completely and in it's wake it can gather, heal and transform others, it is is infectious, durable, positive, loving and pacifying. Belief of what? True, useful, human centered belief is universal - merely believing in any or all of those above is more than enough to see one through.
How to change this as an individual?
Focus on small things that are good - nature and all it's variety can lead us to powerful and universal understandings (one might call that 'Truth') that will slowly allow the individual to feel a constant pattern of growth and evolution that exists for our benefit and use. This will lead to an "I can", instead of an "I can't".
So what do I believe?
I believe that most people are inherently 'good', however fear makes us behave in ways opposed to our own benefit
I believe that we are here for a reason - it's up to us to find out what that is
I believe that we all must take personal responsibility for our lives as much as our circumstances allow.
I believe that life is hard but that's what makes it so rewarding
I believe that there are things beyond our own arrogance and limited view of how things 'work' that we can tap into and take encouragement and healing from
I believe that we are all stronger than we think we are
I believe that ALL things happen for a reason
I believe that ALL 'bad' things and events have a silver lining - it's up to us to search and find them
But most of all I believe that humanity WILL prevail
Wow Henri. Thanks for showing everyone the power of expressing one’s personal beliefs.