by Ray Jason
The sky was as dark and nasty as the soul of a
Dostoyevsky villain. Huge, powerful
clouds that looked like charcoal dipped in molten lead, were blasting down the
mountainside towards AVENTURA. I let out
more anchor chain and checked the deck for any loose items. Then I went below to await the tempest. It did not disappoint! Fierce wind ushered in rain as strong as a
tropical waterfall. After 20 minutes the
worst of it passed and the sky lightened to a sort of pewter gray. The rain decreased from torrential to steady.
This was the perfect accompaniment for my present
task. I had just responded to a
heartfelt email from an unknown teenager who found solace in my writing. He was struggling with the awareness that he
was different from most of his classmates; and that he did not fit in. High school can be a very cruel environment
for someone who does not conform. I sent
him an encouraging email, but then realized that there are so many others in
their formative years who are battling the same demons. And so I decided to write an essay dealing
with their difficulties in the hopes of bolstering both their spirits and their
resolve.
*******
This is familiar psychological territory for me. A focal point of my own youth had been my
recognition that I was unusual. It
wasn’t so severe that I felt like an outcast; nor was it so ennobled that I
viewed myself as a crusading rebel.
Instead, I just knew - vaguely but with certainty - that I
was different.
I tended to look at things more deeply – to analyze
words and actions carefully in an attempt to see what was really going on. And my emotional sensitivity gave me a low
tolerance for strife. Family arguments
that might easily be laughed off by other temperaments, weighed very heavily on
me.
On a less personal level, when I looked around the
world I saw a planet of astonishing beauty and riches; and yet a human project
that was plagued by poverty, injustice and senseless bloodshed. It puzzled and troubled me that a species
with so much intelligence and ingenuity could not solve these problems.
The great blessing of those difficult years was my
wonderful mother. Even though she only
had a minimal education, she seemed to possess maximum Wisdom. She never belittled me for my non-conformist
way of looking at life. In fact, she
vigorously encouraged me to follow my own path - as long as it harmed no one. My mom was an extraordinary nurturer; and she
remains a lifelong inspiration.
The reason for this little autobiographical profile is
to assure you that as I address this topic it is not just from a theoretical
position. I have been there … and I know your agony! So let me share with you the meandering path
that I followed which allowed me to cherish my non-conformity rather
than regret it.
*******
Of the various definitions for “philosopher,” my
favorite has always been “a lover of Wisdom.”
Early in my search for a deeper understanding of the human condition, I
discovered three powerful quotations that guided my explorations. They helped me navigate through many of life’s
tribulations and they brought me soothing comfort in dark times. Perhaps they can do the same for you.
The first quote is from Socrates. “The
unexamined Life is not worth living!” These
seven words are so timeless and so illuminating that they have been passed
along from generation to generation for over 2,000 years. For the non-conformist these are celebratory
words. They empower you to resist just
getting swept along by the tides of modern living. They implore you to scrutinize and evaluate
those currents.
Most of your peers are addicted to their smartPhones
or to the Mall or to the latest MileyJustinSelena scandal. They probably mock you for perceiving the
shallowness of such pursuits and for not joining in. But take comfort in this – almost all human betterment
has been empowered by people who were out of step with the herd. Those in the mainstream do not advance the river
of human flourishing – they impede it.
History is shaped by those on the fringes who disturb the waters with
their uncomfortable and inconvenient insights.
Rage on!
The second indispensible quotation that has sculpted my
life, comes from one of my great heroes, Henry David Thoreau. “A man
is rich in direct proportion to the number of things that he can live without.” Not only do our possessions end up
possessing us, they also suffocate us.
If you embrace a life of voluntary simplicity you will not have to spend
so much time in the pursuit of money.
Instead, you can dedicate yourself to the quest for knowledge.
Too much stuff also robs us of our powers of
perception. To truly examine the world,
a certain slowness and tranquility is required.
Look around you at your peers. Do
they seem relaxed and introspective or do they appear frenzied and confused? I recommend that you minimize your desire for
possessions which mostly nurture the ego; and maximize your love of philosophy
which nourishes the soul.
Simplify on!
The third quote that seared itself into my worldview
comes from the great populist mystical poet, Walt Whitman: “Question much – obey little!” Not only are these extremely wise words,
they have also proven to be exceedingly prophetic. Almost all of the over-arching elements of the
so-called “civilized” world have been grossly corrupted. Government no longer serves the people – it serves
the rich. Education doesn’t encourage
critical thinking – it encourages “hivemind.”
Capitalism does not “raise all boats” – it drowns the poor people living
on the shore. The media does not report
the truth – it distorts the truth in order to serve the ruling elites.
It is the non-conformists who have the courage to
question the status quo and challenge the dominant paradigm. And with the increasing cleverness and
ruthlessness of the Powers That Rule – a far more accurate term than the Powers
That Be – in manipulating public perception, the need for alert and brave people
of conscious is greater than ever.
Question on!
*******
Those three wise adages from Socrates, Thoreau and
Whitman were immensely valuable in helping me adhere to my own personal path of
non-conformity – my own road less traveled.
I suspect that they will be equally helpful to you as well. But because the writing of this piece has
forced me to visit the misery of my own teenage years, and because I wish for
you to experience as little of that as possible, I am now going to share with you
some of the contemporary writers who have had a transformative impact on me. None of these sources were available to me
when I was your age; and so it is gratifying to be able to acquaint you with
their work. There are many more that I
could include, but this list will be an excellent primer to get you
started. Enjoy!
·
THE REAL AMERICA –
Howard Zinn, Chalmers Johnson, William Blum, Morris Berman, Chris Hedges and Paul Craig
Roberts
·
THE ILLS OF
CIVILIZATION – Daniel Quinn, Chellis Glendinning, Derrick Jensen and John
Zerzan
·
THE PROBLEMS WITH
CAPITALISM – Michael Parenti, David Korten, John Perkins and Jerry Mander
·
DEEP POLITICS –
Charles Hugh Smith and Peter Dale Scott
·
THE POSSIBILITY
OF COLLAPSE – Dmitry Orlov, Carolyn Baker, Guy McPherson, James Howard Kunstler,
Chris Martenson and Richard Heinberg
*******
When I had completed the longhand version of this
essay, I put down my clipboard and headed topside to see if the sky had
cleared. To my astonishment I discovered
three little birds skittering happily around my self-steering vane. Had they been up there cavorting for the entire
time that I had been writing? I smiled
at the image of these three tiny, joy-filled birds playing the role of
miniature muses for this often inept philosopher.
.