The Maxims in the Modern Day
Otherwise known as "A novice rambles on about things."
I've been thinking about trying to write something like this for a while. I think a great many of the Maxims aren't difficult to understand or follow in this day and age. Others, not so much. And yet more that might honestly just best be discarded, because they seem to be a product of the culture of the Ancients (Rule your wife (Γυναικος αρχε) for example).
The second one on the Temenos Theon page is "Know thyself." Perhaps it's just my perception on things, but a great deal of popular culture is about becoming what you aren't. Botox. Cosmetic Surgery (there's even a children's book out for it to prepare children for their mothers having plastic surgery). The degree to which popular culture is fixated on celebrities. There's nothing wrong with changing oneself or one's body; losing weight and working out are examples of this. But it can go too far. My sister was very skinny and was obsessed with working out, and some of it was surely due to poor self image. While her case may not have included trying to look more like a model or celebrity, other people do. And they most likely lose sight of themselves, changing themselves into something else that they simply aren't.
I know that I can workout and lose weight. I also know I am bad about committing to such things because I am lazy. It's become a part of who I am. But this can be changed. Or I believe it can. Knowing whether or not I can truly change myself would be a matter where this Maxim applies. Am I capable? Or is it so ingrained onto my being that I cannot? I know I give in easily to temptation, which is something I am trying to change. To go against the Maxim would be to deny that, delude myself into thinking I don't give in easily. Realizing that I am one way or another is important, and allows me the possibility to change.
It may just be my faulty perception, but I think people need to be taught introspection from an early age. There are few areas I can think of to change the current educational system, and this is one of them (allowing young students to explore their talents instead of shoving them down a pre-set educational course is another, but also much more impractical). Knowing yourself can only help, I would think, and I'm not sure enough people focus on it.
End of ramble. x3 May not be entirely coherent.
I've been thinking about trying to write something like this for a while. I think a great many of the Maxims aren't difficult to understand or follow in this day and age. Others, not so much. And yet more that might honestly just best be discarded, because they seem to be a product of the culture of the Ancients (Rule your wife (Γυναικος αρχε) for example).
The second one on the Temenos Theon page is "Know thyself." Perhaps it's just my perception on things, but a great deal of popular culture is about becoming what you aren't. Botox. Cosmetic Surgery (there's even a children's book out for it to prepare children for their mothers having plastic surgery). The degree to which popular culture is fixated on celebrities. There's nothing wrong with changing oneself or one's body; losing weight and working out are examples of this. But it can go too far. My sister was very skinny and was obsessed with working out, and some of it was surely due to poor self image. While her case may not have included trying to look more like a model or celebrity, other people do. And they most likely lose sight of themselves, changing themselves into something else that they simply aren't.
I know that I can workout and lose weight. I also know I am bad about committing to such things because I am lazy. It's become a part of who I am. But this can be changed. Or I believe it can. Knowing whether or not I can truly change myself would be a matter where this Maxim applies. Am I capable? Or is it so ingrained onto my being that I cannot? I know I give in easily to temptation, which is something I am trying to change. To go against the Maxim would be to deny that, delude myself into thinking I don't give in easily. Realizing that I am one way or another is important, and allows me the possibility to change.
It may just be my faulty perception, but I think people need to be taught introspection from an early age. There are few areas I can think of to change the current educational system, and this is one of them (allowing young students to explore their talents instead of shoving them down a pre-set educational course is another, but also much more impractical). Knowing yourself can only help, I would think, and I'm not sure enough people focus on it.
End of ramble. x3 May not be entirely coherent.