[Update]: I changed the title, because it really isn't the same thing as the NPR series. That was not a good choice on my part.
I had responded to a comment with one of my usual windbag pontifications, and it was suggested that I "diary" it (We are modifying the English language as we go here, folks).
I thought about it, and agree that, for this kind of thing, why not.
It is a "bullet point" list of personal beliefs. I don't know about anyone else, but it was actually a good excercise for me to do this.
In many ways, I actually hold conservative beliefs. In many other ways, I have some pretty radical beliefs.
The important thing is that I do have beliefs. None of these conflict with each other. If they seem to, then look closer.
I do think that my beliefs are the result of the Forge of Life Experience, and reflect an interesting and varied life.
Without further ado...
- I believe that we should be able to list our beliefs like this.
- I believe in God. Not your God. It doesn't matter which one.
- I believe in the essential goodness of Man. This includes the good in bad people. I know it's there, and I have known -personally- some very bad people.
- I believe -very strongly- in Honor. Old-fashioned, Edwardian Honor. You know, the kind that no one else believes in any more, and thinks of as "quaint."
- I believe in Honesty. "Cash register" Honesty and personal Honesty. Even tiny lies hurt me. I don't claim perfection, but the only lies I tell are tiny ones (Yeah, Honey, I remembered...)
- I believe in Personal Accountability. Not yours; mine.
- I believe in Love.
- I believe in Charity.
- I believe in Kindness.
- I believe in Humility. Not humiliation or shame. Humility.
- I believe in Education. If they won't teach you, go out and learn on your own. Worked for me.
- I believe in a Classless Society. I strongly disagree with caste systems; both codified and implicit.
- I believe in Spirituality (different from religion -if I have to explain, you won't understand.)
- I believe in Capitalism. Just not unregulated capitalism.
- I believe in a free market. Just not a completely free market.
- I believe in democracy, but I'm wondering why every new democracy is a multi-cameral parlimentary system...
- I believe in faith-based initiatives. I just think that we should keep the government out of it.
- I believe in sexual propriety, but not repression.
- I believe that the entire abortion issue is used as a polarizing red herring by both sides.
- I believe that it is very unwise to have a one-item agenda. If a stance on abortion or religion is your only reason for voting for a politician, they will use that to manipulate you.
- I believe that we all need to have expanded horizons. This is so important that I can't even begin to prioritize it. I was talking to a chap in Tokyo recently, and had to explain that America is not a malevolent or stupid country. It is a country of people that don't want to look outside of their back yards.
- I believe that it is my civic duty to learn about the world in which I live.
- I believe that it is my civic duty to keep an open mind.
- I believe in civic duty.
- I believe in a need for structure.
- I believe in infrastructure.
- I believe in compromise. It is the only way to peace.
- I believe that hatred, racism and bigotry are natural parts of being human, and that we need to make a conscious effort to overcome our own prejudices. A good upbringing helps, but it doesn't happen naturally. We always need to be examining ourselves.
- I believe that we must always strive for personal improvement. It won't happen on its own. We need to work for it.
- I believe that work is its own reward.
- I believe in Evolution, and that it is far more of a compliment to God than the old "Magic Wand" theory. I'm an engineer, and can respect the work of a Master.
- I believe that Intelligent Design is a dishonest ploy by religionists to manipulate our children. This is a shame, because I do believe that God has a hand in our design and our world. These idiots are destroying the credibility of those of us who want to give God credit for a damn fine job.
- I believe in personal discipline.
- I believe that, as a leader, I must earn my authority. It is not bestowed with the job title.
- I believe that, as a manager, I get paid for the work my employees do, not the work I do.
- I believe in personal sacrifice in pursuit of the Common Good.
- I believe in the Common Good.
- I believe in a "Social Conscience." This is the "unwritten rule" of being a member of a society. One fish in a school. One starling in a flock. Anyone who has ever been to Japan knows exactly what I mean.
- I believe that parents have far more influence on kids than do schools, and that it is a bloody shame that we blame our schools for our own failure to be examples to our own children.
- I believe in children, and that we are leaving them a legacy. Let's make it a good one.
- I believe that Hell is where the heart is. I could care less about what happens after I die. There's no excuse for creating a Hell today in promise of a Heaven tomorrow.
- I believe in a small, effective government, but that is probably a pipe dream. If a government is going to be large, it needs to be well-regulated, which means lots of bureaucracy and red tape.
- I believe in a strong, effective military, and the political will to use it.
- I believe that war is about as evil as you can get, and that it should never, ever be actively sought.
- I believe that our position as a rich superpower makes us a target, and we can't play in the same ring as a lot of other nations.
- That being said, I also believe that it bestows upon us some serious responsibilities.
- I believe in the right to be wealthy.
- I believe in the right to be not-wealthy. You shouldn't have to get rich to be heard.
- I believe in fiscal responsibility. I don't carry credit card debt. Not one goddam dime. My house payment is my only debt, and my FICO is over 800.
- I believe in the power of a good example, not in a demagogic decree. If you say it, do it, or shut your goddam yap.
- I believe that we should be careful of expressing views in areas in which we have no personal experience or investment. I'm not saying that we shouldn't. I'm saying that we should be prepared to be proven wrong or even pathetically ignorant. Happens to me all the time. It's called "learning."
- I believe that we should always be learning something new. All the time. Every day.
- I believe that we should be nice to our fellows.
- I believe that we should protect our boundaries, both personally and nationally.
- That being said, we can't protect boundaries that we don't understand. We need to learn exactly what they are.
- I believe in measured response. We shouldn't protect our boundaries with nuclear weapons. This causes as much damage inside the boundary as outside.
- I believe in self-knowledge. I live by a spiritual discipline that requires this. The advantages are enormous. I have benefitted greatly by this. If you learn yourself, honestly and completely, you will have an unfair advantage in life.
- I believe that everyone deserves respect, even if they don't give us respect.
- I believe that we need to know our enemies, and understand them. One day, they will be our friends. (Almost every one of my former enemies is now a fast friend.)
- I believe that life is short, and we need to live it the way that Ghandi guy said.
- I believe in being polite. Not weak or scraping. polite. The art of strength-based politeness seems to be a lost art.
- I believe that I don't know jack, and I need to learn more.
- I believe in apology. If I did wrong, I must admit it. I do not believe in excessive apology. Just apologize for my own part and my own wrongdoing. Your apology is yours to make or evade, and you don't owe me one. I owe you one.
- I believe that apologies should be made in the same venue as the transgression. There is nothing worse than a public denunciation and a private apology. That apology is worthless and an insult.
- I believe in being direct and communicating in the vernacular of the intended audience. In other words, "fancy talk" is often a pretty chickenshit way out of saying something that needs to be said and understood. It is often used to be cruel and elitist.
- I believe in the United States. It is the greatest country in the world, and I am proud of her. We just need to get these skid marks out of her skivvies...
- I believe that I should live by these principles on a personal basis, and not insist that my fellow man follow them.