In the Company of Thieves

I've known many a thief in my moderate number of years drawing breath. Very few of them have stolen objects. Some have taken trust, others  faith. Most all of these loathsome, shallow creatures have stolen innocence. They have many well rehearsed arguments as to how such a thing cannot be stolen, but rather given willfully. It is a skillful lie. The worst of their crimes is convincing one to trust them.

Manipulation is a cruel form of human usage.

The common price all of them have given is the loss of their integrity. It is a thing they rarely miss, because they never understood it from the start.

Restless Regards,
-M

Fight.

On serious ground, gather in plunder.

In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march.

On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem.

On desperate ground, fight.


I was recently reminded of these words from a close friend who happened to be reading "In Death Ground" by David Webber. The author's translation provided in the book adapted from Sun Tzu's "Art of War" was a bit more dramatic to great effect:

"In difficult ground, press on; On hemmed-in ground, use subterfuge; In death ground, fight."


Good words.

Restless Regards,
-Monolith

The Irony of Open Minds.

Does it seem odd to anyone else that the people whom claim to have the most open minds are often the most closed minded people? The widely accepted conventions of modern society seem to be rather simplistic; religion is a lie, traditional values are bondage, we are all entitled to sex with whoever we choose and whenever we want it, all men are oppressors, the rights I agree with are okay, but the rest should be illegal.

I have yet to meet an open minded atheist. Most of them are at very least as dogmatic as any priest.

We live in an awkward world.  The ones who claim to be victims are often the bullies. The true victims rarely get a chance to speak.

The key to a good open mind these days would seem to be picking an ideology, forcing it on others, declare one's superiority, and only listen long enough to make one's next point.

I would trust an honest heart over these open minds any day.

Restless Regards,
-Monolith

Disappointed.

Observation doesn't do much for empathy, but standing on the outside looking in certainly has its hard lessons. Whoever said ignorance was bliss was some kind of truth bombing son of a bitch. People are entertaining, but for the most part just disappointing. I am allegedly hard to please. 

Whoops. Here I thought I was painfully simple.  

Maybe I'm a hypocrite, or at least hopelessly naive. Every barely concealed whisper seems to point to stubborn with a hint of pathetic, unrealistic idealism.

I can live with that.

Here's one for the dating profile. Disillusioned, disenfranchised, and utterly disappointed. Seeking...something better. 

I expected more than sitting sober through their drunken nights. More than the cheap sex. I definitely hoped for more than the cliche drugs and dance clubs full of liars, users, and thieves, hemorrhaging damage in all directions. Beware of human wreckage based pathogens.  

Here I am. An optimist on deadly ground; holding on to what remains of a hope that once burned bright.

Maybe I am alone. I suspect I'm not.

Best of luck.   

Restless Regards,

-Monolith