What's in a name

I'm quite pleased in my choice of overall title for my blog. It struck me today that its probably not the clearest on the net though. In other words, I'm sure a lot of people reading it would as "What the hell do you mean?" I'm not altogether unfamiliar with the question. The term "Garden of the Real" has to do with my sense of life (or at least the sense that I am attempting to build. A great deal of that involves my study and application of the philosophy of Objectivism. To that end reason and dealing with reality as it is has become particularly important to me of late. That commitment has involved significant reevaluation of previously held beliefs, particularly religious. Its become clear to me that the belief that a unseen paradise floating just outside of our awareness is a false and destructive belief. There never was a magical garden of eden where all needs are effortlessly met; there never will be. Adherents to such a belief miss what I think is a profound truth. We are already living in the best possible world, for us. We aren't adapted for a existence of mindless hedonism and satiation. We're adapted for this one. An existence of thought, achievement, innovation, pursuit of real values, and hard won success. For us a garden of eden would quickly reveal itself to be a dull, listless hell. It simply wouldn't be our place. Our place is here, meeting challenges in the only world that is. Our place is the "Garden of the Real".


-- posted on the move

Stunned beginnings

I don't intend for my little contribution to the net to be negative in attitude. It's a sad thing that drives me to start in such a manner. This week the president of the United States seriously considered cutting federal funding to veteran's health care by pushing the funding onto private insurance companies. The projected take on that betrayal? About half of the 900 million dollars we pledged to give the Palestinians last month. Thankfully, the administration backed off amidst the suprised outcry of the Americans left that still deserve the title. There's only one problem. We will not forget who was so very willing to turn his back on us, your defenders, while supporting our enemies, our thieves, our incompetent, and our irresponsible. We will not forget. One day, prehaps soon, you may turn back to ask our services, which you have always taken for granted. One day soon you may have to face the resolve of those sworn to end you with nothing but a vast field of discarded shields as your only defense; swords thrust blade down into the earth a monument to your foolishness.




-- posted on the move