Our trip to Spain this month found us visiting some incredible sites. One of our notable visits (for me, at least) was the Monastery and Royal Palace of El Escorial in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial; specifically the Royal Library. Biblioteca del monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, by Xauxa Håkan Svensson, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. The library consists of several rooms (most of them no longer used), however, …
What is Romanticism? Ask anyone on the street what “Romanticism” is and you’re likely to get replies that include: beautiful flowers, surprise gifts, elegant date nights, heartfelt love letters, tender gestures, etc. – – essentially, anything that generates romance between two people in a relationship. While that concept is nice (and important) it isn’t the same definition of “Romanticism” as my focus in this article. Specifically, I speak of Romanticism as a state of mind; …
What is autodidacticism and what can it mean for you being an autodidact? “Stack of Old Books” by Austin Kirk is licensed under CC BY 2.0 What’s an autodidact? Autodidactism is the process of self-learning, also called self-education. An autodidact is a person who chooses (on their own) to identify a subject of interest and then learn everything possible about it; preferably researching and studying it in an objective manner. It can be pursued as …
One of my favorite places in the world is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II, grandson of Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt. Completed and opened to friends and family during Christmas 1895, it’s the largest private residence in the United States, and is still owned by descendants of the family. George Washington Vanderbilt by John Singer Sargent Public Domain, Link The “house” is a gorgeous châteauesque-styled mansion …
What do I Mean by “Mundane”? I use the word “mundane” frequently, and realized I should probably level-set on its meaning. So . . . what exactly is “mundane”? From my perspective and life-philosophy, the mundane in life is bare minimum “living.” It looks something like this: Work, eat, consume, zone out on media, sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat. Do the same thing day-after-day, week-after-week, year-after-year. It’s about just getting through the work day, then escaping …
If you resonate with any of the messages presented to you in the writings on this site, you’re already of the mindset of someone who knows the importance of Growth and Self-Actualization. But what is it exactly? Why is it important – at least to some of us who are driven beyond the normal and mundane? Growth Personal Growth is the desire to self-develop yourself; to become more than you are today; to discover the …
Why should anyone be concerned with identifying their Purpose and Mission in life? What good is it? Will it really make any difference with living life in this hodgepodge world of the mundane and chaotic? What’s the difference between Purpose, Mission and Vision? Do I need big goals to have a Purpose and Mission? Or is it the other way around? Is this some kind of useless, fuzzy-bullshit, corporate or new age stuff? Hang on, …
What an incredible achievement by private enterprise that inspires and strikes me with awe and wonder . . . (video starts at 8:00 minute mark) I just love the way SpaceX does their launch coverage: allowing a huge crowd inside mission control, young energetic people to describe what’s going on, people of both sexes working within mission control, and video cameras mounted everywhere showing you live what’s going on, before and throughout the actual launch. …
SpaceX – Engineering and Technology Awe & Wonder Read More »
On the heels of my segment on Propaganda, it makes sense to also share this methodology of modern propaganda called “Astroturfing.” What is Astroturfing? Essentially it’s the attempt to create an impression of widespread grassroots support for a policy, individual, or product, where little such support actually exists. I stumbled on this excellent video by Sharyl Atkisson, an ex-CBS investigative journalist who apparently still holds the ethics of journalism in high regard (a rarity in …
Astroturfing – a Slick 21st-Century Manipulation of Fake Support Read More »
My last article on Social/Cultural Conditioning naturally leads into a discussion about Propaganda. While Social Conditioning is concerned with the life-long process of molding people’s thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors to what society and peer groups want them to be, propaganda can be viewed as the continual fuel to keep those minds and emotions in line. And specifically, to condition people to follow the desired directives of those in power “selling” the message. Most of us, it …
I could write a long article about Conformity, but really … what could be more convincing than this representative example? (video: Brain Games – Conformity (Waiting Room) ) Peer Pressure We are pressured and convinced through a lifetime of social conditioning to conform, get along, go along, agree with, regardless of the rationality. This isn’t complicated. You will have a natural tendency to conform to the group – the majority. You simply need to have …
Into the UnknownHermon Atkins MacNeilWhite Marble, c1912Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC (All images in this post by the Author: James L. Patterson)
NightMario Joseph KorbelWhite Marble, c1932Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC (All images for this post by the Author: James L. Patterson)
Diana of the ChaseAnna Hyatt HuntingtonBronze, 1922Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC (All images in this post by the Author: James L. Patterson)
Sunlounger – Crawling (Chillout mix) Chillout and relax . . . (Featured image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay )
E.S. Posthumus – Estemos Peaceful beauty . . . (Featured image by Denis Velicanov from Pixabay)
Souls In Motion – Sensual Illusion (Balearic Mix) Beautiful and laid-back tune – soul soothing . . . (Featured image by James L. Patterson)
Related very closely to the concept of Groupthink is a process called Social Conditioning . However, where Groupthink relates to cognitive issues in a small group, Social Conditioning is concerned more with broad social implications – typically nationwide. Definition: Social conditioning is the sociological process of training individuals in a society to respond in a manner generally approved by the society in general and peer groups within society. Manifestations of social conditioning are vast, but …
In a continuing series of articles regarding barriers to Proper Thinking let’s address Groupthink. “Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.” – Walter Lippmann What is Groupthink? Wikipedia: “Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation …
What is Dogma? Dogma is any ideology that demands of its followers unquestioned loyalty and faith. Faith in its doctrines . . . in its leaders . . . in its proclamations. Behind its ‘scripture’ may stand elements of truths – some of which can (and are) useful at times. However, it demands no questioning of its current tenets – particularly by laypersons and “outsiders.” Violators of this edict are either ignored and/or ridiculed and …
Delerium – Light Your Light [Featuring Jael] (Featured image by jplenio from Pixabay)
A beautiful piece of music from Sleepthief: Afterthoughts featuring vocalist Lauren Edman. Heavenly . . . . . Ethereal . . . . . (Featured image by James L. Patterson)
What Exactly Are Values? Value can fall into several arenas: Economic – the material worth of something compared to the monetary price paid. Utility/Importance – something held in high regard due to its usefulness or importance to you. Aesthetic – this could technically be a part of Utility/Importance, above, but has a more specific relation to art, beauty, harmony and nature such that it elicits a pleasurable experience for the viewer. Personal-Core/Ethical – what’s most …
I saw this on a car’s bumper sticker today: “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” It definitely struck me and resonated with what I continually try to focus upon. Always question your basic beliefs and assumptions. Objectively (truly objectively) look at all points of an argument or belief. Use the Clinical Attitude whenever possible. Embrace intellectual integrity and be willing to admit that beliefs you’ve held for many years may be wrong when you’re presented with …
Another GORGEOUS song by Kristy Thirsk – Fading Light, from the compilation CD Beauty 2 (which I’ve owned for numerous years). . . (Featured image by James L. Patterson)
Sleepthief – Sublunar (Sweet Angel) Probably my favorite female vocalist for ethereal/dream-pop/angelic/trance-type music, Kristy Thirsk. Hauntingly beautiful (as is all of her music with Sleepthief, Delerium, Balligomingo, and Conjure One). (Featured image by James L. Patterson)
Samson and the Lion Gleb Derujinsky Limestone, 1949 Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC Mr. Derujinsky must have been one of Anna Hyatt Huntington’s favorites, as there are numerous scultpures by him on the grounds of Brookgreen Gardens. And . . . they all seem to resonate with me. 🙂 (All images by the Author: James L. Patterson)
Man Carving His Own Destiny Albin Polášek Indiana Limestone, 1961 Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC I very much like the description on the placard sign about the artist’s vision of “man chiseling himself, struggling to hack out his own character, carving his future by the effort of his will.” This aligns in my mind with an individual’s effort to create the best person they can be during their short sojourn on this Earth – …
Nereid Berthold Nebel Marble, c. 1945 Brookgreen Gardens – Murrells Inlet, SC (All images by the Author: James L. Patterson)
I originally wanted to start the “Science” category with a short series of posts discussing some very basic introductory concepts to serve as a baseline/reference for future discussion. However, I happened to be in the middle of some great research involving the helical motion of the solar system, so I chose to grab the fire while it was burning and go ahead with that article first. So, stepping back a bit to address the basics …
Part 1 can be found here Summary of Part 1 So . . . . in a similar manner to my experience, we have someone (DjSadhu) discover a fact that: was never before shared with him in any form (school, documentaries, books, web sites, etc.), and was a revolutionary idea totally different from what he did learn, so he had to share his “aha” moment with others. Unlike me (no video animation expertise) DjSadhu produces …
An instinctive visualization? Based on science classes in school, books we’ve seen, images online, and even TV documentaries, most of us (laypersons) visualize the Solar System something like this or this. We are taught the planets circle the sun in elliptical orbits at various distances and speeds, and for the most part the orbits are very nearly in the same flat, geometric plane (Pluto being the obvious exception) . Through life we end up carrying …
her·e·tic ˈherəˌtik/ noun – a person believing in or practicing religious heresy 1.1 – a person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted. (source: Oxford dictionary) I’ve spent years as a seeker – looking for answers to questions; keys to life; secrets of success; hidden/esoteric knowledge; ultimately the truth. I think it started sometime in the mid- to late-90s when I was in my late 30s. However, when I really think back …
I love this quote: “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller (Featured image by Steve Yelvington on Wikimedia Commons, licensed by Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Featured image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay)