Philosophy
It's easy to sit here and say that all men, or women, are equal. That no single person is greater, or better, than any other. It's a convenient philosophy. Not only does it valid each person equally, but it also keeps us humble, modest, traits of wise men (so they say). Best of all, it protects us from when we fail to become something more. "Oh, that's okay. After all, no one us can be greater than the rest."
But what happens when you come face-to-face with the capacity to become greater than what you are? When you're suddenly faced with the prospect of surpassing everyone else, becoming superior to them, and reaching the heights of what you're capable of. What happens when you suddenly find yourself at the footsteps of a new philosophy that will completely go against everything you've ever told yourself?
I've been faced with this conundrum for the better portion of the last eight years. All my life I've been told that I can be a "great person." Yet, I've never really tried, for fear of failing. I've often told myself that all people are equal. It's nice. It's friendly. People talk to you more when you don't believe you're better than them. I've always sought the approval of other people, and it's hard to have that when you BELIEVE you are better than them.
Many times I've gotten the sense that I am a great person. Greater than all the little insects around me. It comes from little things. Realizing people don't have the common sense that I do. Finding out that I know something that they don't, something I thought that was so obvious. And it builds up until I realize "goddamn, I'm better." Then I face two roads: one that keeps me humble and modest, while at the same time limiting myself, and one that rises me above the common filth, and makes me better.
This, of course, makes me a bit of a prick. But I've met people, girls, that like that sort of thing. The kind of air about you that radiates "I'm above this all and nothing can bring me down, because when the day is over, my gene pool has surpassed your own." I dunno, perhaps I'm exaggerating. Either way, you know what they say: girls just want to fuck the tough guys, they don't want to marry them.
Of course, the obvious answer to this problem is this: "Just be a great person and be humble." Well, it's hard. And there's a reason why it's hard and it's because all power corrupts, whether it be military power, financial power, or brain power. That's why all politicians are corrupt, why there are no Mr. Smiths in Washington. You can't have the raw power that comes with being better than the rest without becoming a little cocky.
Once again, I've come to face another ancient philosophy of mine: that power DOESN'T corrupt. Of course, I've forced myself to believe this because, at the end of the day, I WANT power and, in order to want the sort of power that makes you a bad person while you want to be a good person, you've got to lie to yourself and say that you'll still BE a good person once you have that power. Now, I don't know whether or not power truly does corrupt a person or not, but it's a rather well-accepted truth.
Often times, we tell ourselves something we know that isn't true, in order to accomplish what we want. I know I've done this a lot. Let things fly in the face of what I believe in order to obtain what I want. The end justifies the means. That's what it's all about. Power DOESN'T corrupt me, therefore it's okay to want power and to strive for it. So we can still be friends and you don't have to walk away.
We tell ourselves things, believe things, and rarely do we change our course until it's too late. Until the damage is already done. Some times, not even then.
Humans are such strange creatures. Or maybe it's just me.
But what happens when you come face-to-face with the capacity to become greater than what you are? When you're suddenly faced with the prospect of surpassing everyone else, becoming superior to them, and reaching the heights of what you're capable of. What happens when you suddenly find yourself at the footsteps of a new philosophy that will completely go against everything you've ever told yourself?
I've been faced with this conundrum for the better portion of the last eight years. All my life I've been told that I can be a "great person." Yet, I've never really tried, for fear of failing. I've often told myself that all people are equal. It's nice. It's friendly. People talk to you more when you don't believe you're better than them. I've always sought the approval of other people, and it's hard to have that when you BELIEVE you are better than them.
Many times I've gotten the sense that I am a great person. Greater than all the little insects around me. It comes from little things. Realizing people don't have the common sense that I do. Finding out that I know something that they don't, something I thought that was so obvious. And it builds up until I realize "goddamn, I'm better." Then I face two roads: one that keeps me humble and modest, while at the same time limiting myself, and one that rises me above the common filth, and makes me better.
This, of course, makes me a bit of a prick. But I've met people, girls, that like that sort of thing. The kind of air about you that radiates "I'm above this all and nothing can bring me down, because when the day is over, my gene pool has surpassed your own." I dunno, perhaps I'm exaggerating. Either way, you know what they say: girls just want to fuck the tough guys, they don't want to marry them.
Of course, the obvious answer to this problem is this: "Just be a great person and be humble." Well, it's hard. And there's a reason why it's hard and it's because all power corrupts, whether it be military power, financial power, or brain power. That's why all politicians are corrupt, why there are no Mr. Smiths in Washington. You can't have the raw power that comes with being better than the rest without becoming a little cocky.
Once again, I've come to face another ancient philosophy of mine: that power DOESN'T corrupt. Of course, I've forced myself to believe this because, at the end of the day, I WANT power and, in order to want the sort of power that makes you a bad person while you want to be a good person, you've got to lie to yourself and say that you'll still BE a good person once you have that power. Now, I don't know whether or not power truly does corrupt a person or not, but it's a rather well-accepted truth.
Often times, we tell ourselves something we know that isn't true, in order to accomplish what we want. I know I've done this a lot. Let things fly in the face of what I believe in order to obtain what I want. The end justifies the means. That's what it's all about. Power DOESN'T corrupt me, therefore it's okay to want power and to strive for it. So we can still be friends and you don't have to walk away.
We tell ourselves things, believe things, and rarely do we change our course until it's too late. Until the damage is already done. Some times, not even then.
Humans are such strange creatures. Or maybe it's just me.