Obviously

Some things are harder to accept than others. The previous sentence may seem at first an obvious statement, similar to other concepts and ideas that are commonly tossed around in our day-to-day lives. What more are words but merely sounds that indicate specific concepts and ideas? While we'd group words such as love, hatred, truth, justice and freedom as those that we have clear and concise concepts of, it is impossible for us to ever be able to put ourselves in the perspective of another to see just what their "clear and concise" definition of the word may be. Like most things, our definitions of love, hatred, truth, justice and freedom are completely relative to our own perspectives. This fact may seem harder to accept than another. It would be safe to assume that the idea of love being comprised not of one word, but of multiple ideas and concepts such as attachment and trust in varying degrees, is completely different than many other ideas of love. Would this perception of love be obscured and considered totally void of any merit or truth? Once again, whatever answers we think we hold to the question posed are completely relative.

Consider that argument can be provided to anything and that any ideological structures that oppose one another can be reduced to rubble within a few seconds by each other. In fact, all of the ideas or writings expressed in this blog can and have been picked apart with a few moments of analysis and argument. However, this blog is here only to offer another perspective, not to claim that the one it offers is absolute truth. These ideas may also be defended sturdily by adhering to the same concept with which they were torn down: Truth is also relative. We spend so much of our time formulating opinions and ideas, gathering them all to be truth because in our experience these equations have produced the most consistant results. Let me use this example: When love is mentioned, the word enters our ear and reverberates through the ear canal, eventually coming to our minds. This concept of love could generate a picture of a past relationship that had ended badly. It could then trigger the memory of yet another relationship that had ended even worse. Love for that man is much different than love for another who, say, has loved and married only one faithful partner. Peace is different for the man who lives alone in the mountains than the man who lives in the city. So when we clench so tightly our ideas, writing them in stone... what do we often end up with? Well, most of the time... argument.

It may be asserted that Socrates was correct when he taught that we, as humans, know nothing. For even the concept of knowing is only that- a machination of the human mind based on formulaic events and reactions. At least he was honest enough to admit it. Sadly, he was brought to trial and sentenced to death ultimately because someone, or a great many, did not agree with him. It is especially important to keep in mind that validation does not always equate to truth. Justice to one man may be revenge to another. Is it justice to murder in cold blood the man who murdered one's parents? Is it justice to kill innocent civilians in the homeland of those who have done the same? This blogger does not believe that justice is an eye for an eye or that death, pain and suffering of any kind, for any reason, bring balance to any equation. It is only through ultimate compassion that one may see his own faults and through empathy that he may forgive, repent or be forgiven. Tell the truth- if not for second, third, fourth, hundredth chances how many loved ones would still stand beside us? Our thirst for blood and vengeance should NEVER outweigh an unquenchable desire for justice. We as a society no longer know what it is to turn the other cheek. Blood spilled in vendetta only brings more blood spilled in vendetta. To turn crime against the criminal will only duplicate the scenario. This convoluted sense of justice is no more than a pathetic pride fight that no one will ever really win. We must learn to put down our flags and live life not as a victory march, but as a celebration. And while the ideas presented in this post may suggest a sort of hopeless child's game of constantly asking "why?" please do not mistake them for something so simple. Suffice it to say that no matter how obnoxiously desperate the child's game may be, it is true that we will always end up saying " I just don't know." Would it not be more beneficial then, for us to stop destructive ways of living that are perpetuated simply in tradition's sake dead in their tracks and start a new culture of understanding?

Here are some ideas on the definitions of a few common concepts.

Love - A relative accumulation of varying intense emotions brought about by mental stimuli; some of which traditionally include euphoria, trust, attachment and trauma.

Hatred - A negative accumulation of varying intense emotions brought about by mental stimuli; some of which traditionally include anger, frustration, depression and trauma.

Trust - The belief that something will fulfill one's expectations of it.

Peace - The balancing of two conflicting opposites.




Leave the cave.