Nitemare's Philosophy

"Take what is useful and develop from there."-Bruce Lee

"The most important part of a belief is that it empowers the believer."-J. S. DeArruda

• Logic vs. Reason

  I find it an annoyance when people try to logically solve a human oriented problem. Logic is fine if you're trying to solve an algebra problem, or puzzling through how to engineer a new lightweight, heat-resistant chemical. But when it comes down to the issue of life in general, logic eventually leads to inaction and oblivion. The questions of "why?" and "why not?" are irrelevant, for in the end you die anyway. If your are going to cease to be regardless of your actions, then why waste your time and energy doing anything? This is why I find reason to be so much more useful. The logical solution is not always best. People do not think logically; we rationalize, make excuses, do things for short-term entertainment that may jeopardize long-term goals, not to mention we lie, cheat, and steal constantly despite the knowledge that we will eventually be caught. Life has never been defined well enough to satisfy scientist, priests, or philosophers. The fact that reason also possesses this property suggests a link. This is not logic, for what logic is there in assuming that two things you don't understand are connected in any way? What it really comes down to is that reason does not defeat itself, while logic does.

• The Importance of Soul

  Every belief system I have ever come across (with the exception of atheism and possibly nihilism) shares at least one aspect: belief in the soul. Further the soul is defined as a sort of ghostly existence that resides with (within?) us all. It also has the quality of immortality, or at least potentially so. Could this be nothing more than denial of our own mortality? Perhaps, but there is no reason to strip our lives of hope, or to rob us of the belief (even if wrong) that our actions will be remembered for all time. On a side note, I am continually irked by people who "sell their souls" or come out and swear on "my soul". If it is true that souls are immortal (and do we have reason to believe otherwise?) than it is also reasonable to assume that they have collected unimaginably vast quantities of knowledge and power. How can you, a mere mortal, claim ownership of such a thing? You do not own your soul, it owns you. I do not say we are slaves, but rather like hands. If severed from the body a hand can be kept alive, but without the mind it is devoid of purpose. I could continue on with this argument, but that would be straying away from philosophy and into religion (as if I haven't already).

• Helping Others

  There are some people who enjoy helping others. This is admirable, but often I have seen the same person being helped over and over again. Sometimes in order to help a person you must not help them. The greatest aid you can give another is to teach them to take care of themselves. And there are some individuals who just have to learn the hard way. Not everyone is strong enough to do it. I know it's cruel, but you help the whole species more by letting these people fail.

• Duty to One's Self

  First and foremost we have a duty to ourselves to survive. If incapable of caring for ourselves, how can we claim to care for another? Who enjoys being a burden to their loved ones? Each individual should be able to look out for themselves. We also have a duty to ourselves to try to enjoy life, and yes, sometimes our own joy comes at the cost of another's sorrow. It is noble to sacrifice joy so that others will not know sadness, but if you are so good why is it that you do not allow yourself to be happy if you've earned it? How are you less deserving than another? There shall always be sadness, as well as joy, in people's lives. It is our challenge to find enough happiness to keep ourselves going through the times of sadness-we have a duty to ourselves to survive.

• Accepting One's Self

  One of the problems many people have is that they cannot accept the lives they lead. They constantly lie to themselves about their appearance, their value to society, skill as a lover, ability to parent, and on and on. Stop lying to yourself. Take a good long look at yourself. Throw away your ego for five minutes and look at yourself. That before you is who you really are. If you didn't like what you saw, you're not alone. We all have our failings. None of us likes to be confronted by them. And don't go and blame your parents or society. It is not your fault that you are the way you are. It is your fault for remaining that way. You can try to change who you are. It is a long and painful process that involves a lot of sacrifice. But if it means that in the end you'll be able to get the happiness you want, be able to care for yourself, and honestly say that you have earned it then the sense of satisfaction will be worth it.

• The Past & The Future

  Neither the past nor the future exist. They are abstract concepts. The past is useful for what you know from it and giving you a sense of identity. The future is there so that the present does not become stagnant; the idea of the "future" allows us to live through times of difficulty. If not for the two then we would be confused by the otherwise chaotic existence that the present would be. And yet, all we have is the present. The past cannot be changed and must be accepted. The present is the way we are. If you don't like the way it is, then present actions can change the present of the future. You can either be the master of your destiny or be mastered by it, take your pick.

• Letting Go

  "Letting go" is perhaps the most difficult thing for us to do. It means to no longer carry around our grudges and hatred. It means relieving ourselves of the importance we place upon our lives. It means no longer complaining and worrying. It means instead of raising a fist we simply go home, go to bed, get up in the morning, go to work, and get on with our lives.