Bruce Lee was considered by many in the Kung Fu tradition to be a heretic. In breaking from a commitment to a singular tradition, he formed Jeet Kune Do not as a new style, but a general epistemology to be open-minded to what works. Openness to all styles was a big no-no. Martial arts traditions, like religious traditions, have a history of promoting THE way (which was exclusively their way of course). It would turn out Lee was not a... Read more
In my lifetime (I’m 40 at the time of this writing), I’ve never seen such divisive times. Perhaps its just more visible than ever with social media. To be fair, there have certainly been periods of tension in my memory, but there is a unique spirt that worries me; one of tribalism and hatred – an alarming “us vs them” sentiment. I’ve always been inspired by what I believe to be the cure found in John 1:5; that “the light shines in... Read more
It could only be by faith, at least our leap of faith on that fateful day. That, and a bushido samurai spirit of being willing to die. In all fairness, in our situation, it was most likely just severe injury. But winning, losing, death (or severe injury) was not the concern. Like the samurai, our honor was at stake. From top to bottom, the street was around a 45-60 degree decline feeding into a nice cul-de-sac landing zone, about 200... Read more
Twenty-seven years imprisoned; then to go on what he accomplished, Nelson Mandela has inspired countless individuals with his legacy. There was a quote I started using some time ago; I’m not surprised all surprised it came from his mouth: “I never lose. I either win or learn.” I wrote earlier how Mandela would reflect on prose of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, later portrayed in the film. Latin for “unconquered”, those famous last two sentences are hard to be... Read more
The song is not just inspirational, but incredibly deep. If you’re not paying close attention, you could actually miss how deep it is. Further, it builds on my last Deep Song Breakdown, Metallica’s “Unforgiven”. In “Whatever it Takes”, Imagine Dragons decide to do whatever it takes to not be deemed “unforgiven”. Words like “whatever it takes” and “I was born to run, I was born for this”, you can definitely tell by both the title of the song and many of... Read more
Is truth subjective or objective; could it be both? What lies at the intersection of virtue theory and existentialism; does such an intersection even exist? For those that dig both ideas, but find tension in radical subjectivity vs. a more objective-based virtue ethic (living to one’s potential according to our nature as a social-rational animal); the Kierkegaard-Aristotle yinyang is the key. Actually, the fathers of virtue ethics and existentialism, especially in light of contemporary neuroscience, complement and balance each other. Allow... Read more
That famous Aristotle quote… “We are repeatedly what we do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” Well, that’s not actually Aristotle, it was Will Durant. Aristotle did say (bold my emphasis): “Virtue, then, being of two kinds, intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue in the main owes both its birth and its growth to teaching… Moral virtue comes about as a result of habit… None of the moral virtues arises in us by nature… We are adapted by nature... Read more
We’re a tribal species. Our way is THE way. To break from (or even doubt) our most cherished views and traditions is heresy. Depending on the particular tribe, you risk insult, financial livelihood, relationships, and even death. Most political and religious camps certainly follow this trend. You’re either all in or risk it all. Shun, cancel, and eliminate threats; heresy will not be tolerated. Given our evolutionary history, tribalism is not a surprise. But what are the odds that the... Read more
“Unforgiven”, by Metallica. I’m not too into heavy metal, but I have to credit the lyrical genius of Metallica with this song. To be frank, it’s one of, if not THE, deepest songs that I’ve ever heard. I did recently did a post on Thoreau, Holmes, and William Wallace on truly living a meaningful life. To the themes of “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” (Thoreau), “along for those that never sing, but die with all their music... Read more
In my trip to Savannah, Georgia this summer, I was once again amazed at the beauty of the south. But as you stroll down the historic Savannah River, there is an haunting duality you can feel – something in the pit of your stomach. It’s difficult to describe, but it’s a feeling somberness that is superimposed with terror – the ghosts of our nation’s past whispering to our souls – reminding us of the inhumane commerce that once took place... Read more
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