Words to Live By

[Yoruichi-san]

Inspired by MM's sig, here's some tenants of my own philosophy, which I style "somewhat neo-Nietzschean":

1. Be the person you want yourself to be, even if the rest of the world doesn't.

2. Choose relationships that help you be the person you want to be, not that hold you back.

3. [Generally] it's better to regret having done something than to regret having done nothing.

4. (This is related to my theory of 'social calculus', which I may expound on in a future thread) Judge a person not on who they are, but on who they are becoming.

And some quotes that I feel define parts of it:

I have often thought that the best way to define a man's character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it came upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: "This is the real me!"

-William James

Hello Mr. Yesterday,

Use your time machine,

Ask the me of the past,

Who often spoke of dreams,

In those shining of eyes of yours,

Do you see the me of today?

Lyrics to Hello Mr. Yesterday, Hundred Percent Free

What are yours?

[MissKitten]

Figured I'd help you out here.

1. Always keep an open mind

a. Don't judge without a legitimate reason

b. Don't be prejudiced or biased

2. Find something beautiful in everyone

a. It's there if you only look hard enough

3. Never suppress yourself

a. The only you is the real you

b. Don't hide who you are, because you will regret it

4. Take a few minutes each day to be a little crazy

Meh, it's not funny or catchy or anything, but it's my personal philosophy.

[Quag]

4. stretch those minutes to 24 hrs and I all in

[flamebirde]

You can only be happy if you choose to.

[Molly Mae]

Glad to see I still inspire things in people, even though I've long since retired from that business. I guess that's the way it falls when you've read too much Emerson and Vonnegut.

Here are a few quotes that I try to keep in mind day-to-day.

People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Character is higher than intellect... A great soul will be strong to live, as well as to think.-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is." --Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

I really like that William James quote. I'd never seen it before. Thanks.

[Yoruichi-san]

Yeah, I actually found it on the side of a box of blueberry infused green tea...lol...just goes to show you to pay attention to the little things in life...

...too bad I feel most alive when I'm asleep ...dreams are so much more exciting than real life...especially when I get to fight monsters/bad guys/airships and have superpowers ;P.

If anyone is interested, further exposition of 'social calculus' is on my blog, which is now linked to in the 'blogs' section of this site, or go directly to 'schrodingersdemoncat.blogspot'. Admittedly, I've been somewhat remiss in writing to it...*whistling*

[tiger_lily111]

Well ... see sig below.

Other words of wisdom / quotes about life & living I like -

"The blackest night must end in dawn, the light dispel the dreamer's fear..."

-- Anne McCaffrey, Dragonflight

"... we are the people our parents warned us about!"

-- Jimmy Buffett

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."

-- Jimi Hendrix

Then of course, there's the one about taking life with a wedge of lime & a shot of tequila. (akin to lemons, lemonade ... nevermind)