Philosophy IRL (In Real Life)

The question of every child winning in musical chairs being "fair" or "right" is entirely the wrong question, or at least its the wrong issue that should be addressed. We as a society shouldn't be so concerned in making every child win at a game, because life is much more complex than a game, and more meaningful.

If we are teaching children that their happiness comes from winning at musical chairs then most children and eventually most people will be unhappy. That, in fact, is quite possibly one of the main problems that our economy is facing today, the idea that life is a game with people (the government) in charge, and that it is someone's responsibility to make everything fair for everyone.

Happiness, according to Aristotle, is more long lasting than its hedonist opposite. It is a general feeling of being happy, and so it is based on more steady and fulfilling things than material possessions, the social equivalent to winning a game. However, if we were to live in an impractical hedonist society, then we would tell people that its okay to tell run up your credit card bill so you can "keep up with the Jones'" and then tell people they deserve a house and car that they haven't worked for, and then when they fail in their payments tell the its okay and that the game keepers (the government) will take care of them from now on with money from the people who didn't spend their money so frivolously. Then no one is happy cause everyone has lost the game and no one has learned that real happiness comes in what you have and what you can earn, instead of what other people have and what you think you deserve.

The thing is that these are more than just philosophies, this is how people are living their lives.

The Good, the Bad, and the Right

In answering the question, “You’re so nice. You’re not good, you’re not bad, you’re just nice. I’m not good, I’m not nice, I’m just right.” What’s the difference between nice, good and right? I would say that it is best to be good, if that is an option. Being right doesn't make one good, because there is a write and a wrong way to achieve the same thing.

What about being nice though, where does that fit in? I would have to say that being nice is part of being good, however to be nice without being right can get you killed (in the case of facing the giant's wife in "Into the Woods"), or on a less dramatic and more realistic scale, get you hurt, or in some way enslaved. 

One real life application for this is the matter of self defense. Should people be allowed to defend themselves even if it means not being nice about it? Yes, I submit that as we as human beings have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of property and happiness, securing those things which we have lawfully and morally earned is a natural part of those rights. In fact, I would say that we have a moral responsibility to protect ourselves, and our families, which in some cases means our property as well. I am sure that God will not hold us as being wicked for protecting our own welfare, and that is what really matters is staying right with God.

The other argument would be, "Well if I'm hungry and someone has extra, don't I have a right to secure my own life?" I would say that you do have the right to secure your own life, however that does not include stealing from others. Just because someone has extra doesn't mean you are entitled to it, this thought process is a HUGE part of the problem in the United States and the world today in general. Stealing is wrong, charity is all together right, nice, and good. Those with extra should share, but they should not be legally forced to do so. It doesn't matter if the government does it, that's what Bastiat called "legal plunder," and he said that is plunder all the same.

In conclusion, be right, be nice, be good. Heaven will take the nice and the good over the right and the bad.

Into the Woods

In the play, "Into the Woods" I think the woods represent life. Its hard, and can be scary, but it is also beautiful and full of opportunity. Red Riding Hood learned that there are flowers and sights to see, but you have to stay close to the road or you get lost and distracted and don't get to where you want to go when you need to get there.

In fact, one of the things Red pointed out was “The prettier the flower, the farther from the path” which to me means the further off the beaten path you go, the less people have been around to spoil the opportunity. I think its OK to go off the path a little bit, because there are wonderful things to find and see, and that's a huge part of the adventure of living life! However, responsibility requires us to not neglect our duties.