The options sought for obtaining goals can be squelched by the social environment one operates in. It is, however, eminent that viable goal options will eventually emerge as society matures. The option I'm trying to nurture promises to free the creative ego from the current threats of institutionalized violence. If the meaning of an “Eminent Goal Option” is now clarified then click here to jump ahead - otherwise lets further examine this word for word.
The good news first. Excluding the outside chance of some glorious war and the wholesale devastation of the physical environment, our world is unstoppably spiraling toward ever enhanced levels of rationality and an unfolding utopia. This is no compliment nor show of faith in our species. Instead, it's a mere recognition of the basic fact that in due time and despite ourselves, superior results inevitably take hold over inferior ones. Capitalism's triumph over communism, had nothing to do with the effectiveness, validity nor vehemence of any rhetorical campaigns. It had to do with clean food in the mouth and fitting apparel for the ego. Likewise with slavery (past & present) in the ‘land of the free’. Lincoln's obsession was hardly bent on freeing anyone, but in maintaining the Union. Actually, considering the nonviolent intent of the South to simply secede, the North's reaction itself constitutes an act of aggression to subjugate (enslave) the South and strip her of any sense of self sovereignty. Hence field slavery failed on its own merits (without heroic outside force). That is, compulsory servitude doesn't work - at least not compared to the cotton gin or a farm combine. This of course, only begs the point that human slaves of whatever caliber cannot perform at the same level as liberated egos.
We should recognize that nothing on time-frames (the big ‘rub’) has been said regarding our sweet unavoidable destiny. Notably, it did not commence with the printing press, the industrial revolution nor any other technical advancement. Instead it's better understood as originating at the selfish gene level. After all, the Darwinian selection process boils down to, ‘what ever works best survives best’ (and has been accredited with the amazing proliferation of life). Be that as it may, the good news is made only better with the advent of the ego. What we're actually suggesting here is a progression to the evolutionary process itself. Haphazard trial & error survival is later augmented with reflexive discomfort/pain avoidance and pleasure seeking. Then comes the quantum leap to egoism and reflective goal seeking.
Admittedly, many of our more celebrated (yet patently preposterous) intentions involve the domination of others. This succeeds in proportion to the complimentary expectations of those ready to be domineered. Relations governed under this arrested mindset continue to constrict the world arena.
Creativity (a hallmark of the healthy ego) is perhaps the most effective antithesis to the royalist's goals. If there's such a thing as a soul, then its best evidenced by our creativity. And perhaps the most striking age old truism we can cite here is that unlike anything else, creativity is it's own reward. Nothing is more gratifying nor ego mending; a true end in itself. This perhaps goes a long way in explaining why the goal of jealously cultivating instruments of governmental terror to dominate and control creative works is inevitably NOT the endeavor of great artist themselves, but anal-retentive turds intolerant of uncontrolled uncensored innovation.
Are not inspiration, invention, and novelty the very essence of art? This sentiment is elegantly reverberated at wordpress.org where “CODE IS POETRY” lends merit to the idea of software as an art. The crux of the concept here is that the same pensive powers of ego that so well serve the artist equally aid the software developer and technologist – not to mention the philosopher. Inter alia, the flow of options unleashed by the circumspect ego represents our best hopes for a consistently unfolding, ever perfected future.
Have you ever been thunderstruck by the incredulously insane notions our species can embrace? For instance, the particular Latino subculture in which I'm currently immersed invariably insists on perceiving fear as a prerequisite for respect. When respect without fear is not an option, some very joyless consequences follow. Respect founded in merited regard, forms a basis for gentle nourishing relations. This is precluded however when ‘respect’ is gained through erratic cruelties and terror.
Similarly, when slave ownership is attributed to egoism, ego aversion is advocated exactly when strong healthy egos are most needed. Indeed, the appetite to exercise coercion to control others inevitability consumes those suffering from a weak self image. This common aberration springs from a spirit of fear, where nothing is more intimidating nor misunderstood than a clean impenitent ego. A quiet, self-confident core that renders one impervious to control by popular meme sets intimates an order of morality inaccessible to the fearful. Violence is not the trade mark of the valiant but the vicious – mean minds lacking the option to be their own person are compelled to forcefully limit the options others enjoy.
Options are the focus since the control of options is the key to limiting freedom and advancement. Freedom/options are, of course, originally forged by individual insight. Our society however constitutes a huge overbearing element in one's operating environment. So while brave souls may secure the personal freedom to perceive truly marvelous options, the social stage can still thwart the best intentions through either indifference or severe and violent reactions if need be.
GNU/Linux marches on as a most inspiring work - in fact, nothing personally enthralls me with more awestruck regard. A huge part of this veneration can be attributed to the unequivocal decimation of the neo-capitalistic dictum that such an extensive success happening is possible only with mega-dollars of funding.1 Now that's big time rule breaking, a major introduction of a new option. With a goal that could very likely crumble the M$ empire. Here's a phenomenon spawned into existence to fulfill/satisfy a huge unseen vacuum created by thwarted creativity.
Well, the preceding was my attempt to partially introduce myself by sharing a few perspectives. Naturally I do not know your disposition regarding the unbearably ludicrous, creativity crushing, oppression represented by ill founded intellectual property precepts gone maniacal. However, if you're comfortable using my work to help promote peaceful ends, then that's sufficient for me. The minimal payment I'd like to offer (to you) is a promotion of your project/work through a listing in my modest on-line index. Moreover, if you have (our will create) a public pgp/gpg key that you could send it to me along with some information covering your efforts. I could then pay you with an appropriate YeNom (which you can read all about here).
Help would be appreciated to accelerate a particular eminent goal option; namely a two part objective of 1) freeing creativity from the threat of violence and 2) rewarding creators via mechanisms wholly independent of the present proprietary monetary cartel. Any real options to effect these goals may be precluded by the social realities (mindset) currently in force, but I believe the emergence of such options is eminent. Naturally those with strong egos that impel them to value creative freedom over obsessive controls (as encouraged by compulsive jurisdictions) are particularly welcomed to explore means of working together to more effectively minimize delays in the realization of a more rational world.
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1Before concluding that your host is antagonistic toward money, let me assure you that few could possibly have more respect for the utility of this vehicle than I. In fact, it's my exuberant philosophical regard for money that fuels a vehemently active stand against our current proprietary global monetary system. Taking a antagonistic stance toward monetary monopolist is awkward however; as the current money menace enjoys Ayn Rand's “sanction of the victim” to a painfully dumbfounded extreme.