The Shins - It's Only Life

Some avid reader mentioned to me the other day that I had lost my sense of originality in the articles I post. This friendly voice complained of the videos I posted of Hitchens, Harris and many others. The fact that Christopher Hitchens is my hero justifies the unoriginal posting,. However, I display these videos because of the content contained in them. They represent a huge portion of who I am and what I believe. At times, I am unable to describe how I feel with such elequince and wit. Who better to be the voice of me than Hitchens or Harris or even Kagan. Their knowledge and vocabulary far exceed any human being that I know.  I respect them. So, I let them speak on my behalf. The readers of these posts grasp my ideals and become wiser in the process.  

But, today I want to shed a little light on the subject of gratitude. At times, the topics of my posts just come to me. It is quite a random but interesting process. As you read on, you will concur with me, I assure you.   

The genesis of today's topic came to me suddenly as I was walking out of a WaWa. I had held the door for a woman who apparently hurt her knee and was using a crutch to keep herself mobile. Being the gentle heart I am, I opened both doors for her as she entered the building. I did this not becuase I was seeking gratitude for my kind action but, because it's simply in my nature to perform kinds acts. Whether it be a character trait of mine or simply just how my brain is hardwired or social contract, I did the deed without expecting a thank you. The kind gesture was done for the sake of it - and nothing more. If the woman did not recognize my chivalry with a "Thanks", it would not take anything away from me or the act itself. In short, I was being kind for the sake of being kind. If for no other reason than to remind myself that I am a good person who can share my kindness with the world around me.   

If  I were to sit at a WaWa all day and watch the customers come out, I would see a lot of people holding the door for one another. Some, I would guess, do it subconsciously. It's a simple gesture of random kindness.  Not much thought needs to be put into it.  Some might say the act symbolizes the good in human nature; our ability to be kind without giving it much thought - almost a habitual act - a plus side to being the species on the top of the food chain. 

Other might say that most people aren't complete jerks and will hold the door for another person. The point being that they do give thought to the act and open the door. However, here is the variable. Do they display this gesture of kindess in hopes of gratitude from the other person or was this still done for the sake of doing good?  If they hold the door and don't recieve a "thank you", should they become mad? Should they get upset or angry because their act went unappreciated. They had expectations of gratitude coming their way but were not rewarded?

As I left the Wawa, I held the door for an able bodied man walking with some haste, as he passed me, I looked back over my shoulder to notcied that he didn't think twice to turn around and say "Thank you".   For a split second, I felt somewhat pissed off, Even a simple nod in my direction would have sufficed. Rather, this man never thought twice about the idea of thanking me.  He took advanatge of my kind nature as I stood there feeling the chill from his cold shoulder. 

I held back that 5 second thought of pissed at the ungrateful man and quickly remembered why I held the door open in the first place. I wasn't seeking gratitude. I was doing good for the sake of doing good and reaping the rewards.  The rewards being - overcoming the ungrateful people in this world that could bring my mood down in a split second,. 

Do you get pissed when people don't show the slightest once of gratitude for such a small random act of kindness?  Does it even cross your mind?   I want to know your thoghts on the matter.  I want to dig deeper into this because I know their is more to find. 

Thanks for your time.  

 

~Peace and Love~

 

I celebrate by watching these videos, listening to these intelligent men and reading their works so that I may pass down the words of wisdom and reason to anyone who is willing to listen with an open mind.

 

Because today is his birthday, Thomas Hobbes gets the quote of the day.

"The condition of man . . . is a condition of war of everyone against everyone."

Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury (5 April 1588 – 4 December 1679), in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy. His 1651 book Leviathan established the foundation for most of Western political philosophy from the perspective of social contract theory.

Hobbes was a champion of absolutism for the sovereign but he also developed some of the fundamentals of European liberal thought: the right of the individual; the natural equality of all men; the artificial character of the political order (which led to the later distinction between civil society and the state); the view that all legitimate political power must be "representative" and based on the consent of the people; and a liberal interpretation of law which leaves people free to do whatever the law does not explicitly forbid.

He was one of the founders of modern political philosophy. His understanding of humans as being matter and motion, obeying the same physical laws as other matter and motion, remains influential; and his account of human nature as self-interested cooperation, and of political communities as being based upon a "social contract" remains one of the major topics of political philosophy.

In addition to political philosophy, Hobbes also contributed to a diverse array of other fields, including history, geometry, the physics of gases, theology, ethics, and general philosophy.

Below is video I shot of Band of Skulls performing at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. It was an amazing show. The video is decent but there is some noise distortion. Hopefully it's still enjoyable to watch. I was amazed at the set up there. There was no space between the crowd and the stage like there is at The Trocadero. I was literally against the stage with my arms resting on the stage.   It was pretty cool. I can definitely see myself going there again.