Well, I'm going to shock everyone and do two posts in one day, yet this one is short. This one is nothing more than the asking a few questions in order to stimulate conversation, so here they are...
1. What is it that makes you feel proud of America?
2. What is it that makes America great?
3. What is it that makes individuals great?
4. What exactly is the American Dream?
5. What does it exactly mean to have the Freedom of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?
6. What is the Pursuit of Happiness?
7. What is it that really matters?
8. What is it that you really want deep down?
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15 comments:
Great questions, Lista! I think America was founded upon great principles, and the fact that so many want to come and live here is a testament to its greatness. I feel fortunate to be born here, and I do not take the responsibility of being a person who lives in freedom lightly. I feel that our freedoms are meant for us to use our God-given talents the way we see fit. The pursuit of happiness does not mean that we are guaranteed it, just that we are free to use our rights (without infringing upon another's rights) to seek out what brings joy to our lives.
I may add more later, but great discussion starters!
Well, here goes:
1. That we have given so much towards the pursuit of Freedom and Liberty abroad.
2. The fact that it remains above all other countries as the last great bastion of Freedom and Liberty.
3. Not all individuals are great. Those that are great are those that have embraced their individual spirit and pursue it by their own accord.
4. Whatever the individual pursuing it deems it to be.
5. Those are rights granted to us by our creator. Rights are not defined by an end result. True and honest rights do not compel, coerce, or enslave another individual against their will. Rights do not guarantee a desired end. Rather, rights guarantee an action. As such, a right to Life is a right to one's life and that which encompasses it. There is not right that one will actually live. The right to be Liberated is the right to be free from the bonds of another. However, there is no guarantee that one couldn't be (heaven forbid) kidnapped and held against their will. And, the right to the pursuit of happiness. The key word there of course pursuit. We have the right to pursue (within the confines of the law of course) that which makes us happy. There is of course no guarantee that will attain it. Say for example buying a yacht and sailing across the Atlantic is your idea of happiness. There's no guarantee that you'll ever afford the yacht or even learn how to sail it. You are however gifted with the right to pursue that goal.
6. Whatever it is the individual pursuing it deems it to be. It is their's to own and pursue. As such, one's own pursuit is not to be perceived as what another's pursuit ought to be.
7. Whatever you deem it to be.
8. What I want is to live my life free and liberated from the bonds of any other individual on the face of this earth. I want them to liver their life as they see fit without any inclination or thought that I exist for them. As such, I will live my life as I see fit, caring for my family, my loved ones, etc. without any expectation that any other individual on this earth owes me anything. This is not to say that when we fall on hard times we can't look for help. However, by most individual's accounts they expect it. That in my opinion is wrong.
My life is mine as another is theirs. I am the means to my own end. My existence is not to serve as a means to the ends of another.
Maybe I'll wait until a few more of these accumulate before I respond.
If you wait, you'll become overwhelmed. Probably best to comment at present.
Thanks, but I'm Ok. I couldn't decide at first whether or not to use comment moderation because actually all of my commenters are really polite and I haven't had any problems, yet what I do find is that it slows things down a little and prevents my blog from becoming a chat room in my absence. Don't be afraid to leave comments. I complain a lot. But I'll be just fine. Really.
If you want a response, though, everything you said sounds really good. You did a great job.
I moved to the US 4 years ago. SO all of the things make sense to me, and I really see what makes America different from any where else in this world.
Thanks for commenting, Oiltrader. I'd love to hear your perspective. What do you like about America and exactly how do you find it different than the other countries in of the world?
i use comment moderator because one may comment on a previous post and i'd like to know their thoughts on it. and i may not know a comment has been made.
as for pursuit of happiness we need to remember that the key word in that phrase is pursuit not happiness. it never was intended to mean that everyone has a right to happiness only the right to pursue it. some will find happiness others will not but all had the right to pursue it.
and it never was the intent that in the pursuit of happiness we have the right to pursue it at other's expense.
and in the pursuit of happiness it does not justify blaming others if in that pursuit we find unhappiness.
basically, in my humble opinion, it just means we have the right to live our lives without government interference. how our lives turn out is up to us as individuals by the decisions we make.
I do receive e-mails whenever someone posts a comment to my blog, without having to have the comments be moderated. But to each his or her own to run their blog the way they see fit.
Ditto what Beth said.
I find that the majority of posts are acceptible in nature. As such, my blog settings are reflective of the majority. But again, whatever floats your boat.
true beth you can but moderating also allows for the moderation of comments to make sure they abide by the rules that you set. another thing it helps control spammers. and i've had a few of them already.
Nice comments; all of you. When I find the time, I'll respond a little more to some of you and try and answer my own questions.
Spammers?? I'd almost welcome the extra traffic. LOL
Well yes, you brought up these questions, and we'd like to hear your answers, too!
Did you hear that you guys? Let's all go and bombard Soapbox's blog. He's sort of interesting. I'm guessing he just doesn't know how to market himself.
Patience Beth. I need time to think. Perhaps I'll have a good answer in my head by the end of the day.
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