Many, many years ago I went hunting and bagged a deer. It was a good clean shot and that's about all that's worth saying of it.
I've never gone hunting since and probably won't. I don't really like it. So why did I go in the first place?
Ownership. I'd had similar conversations with the same lily-livered hypocrites. I concluded that deferring the necessary but odious simply because it is odious is poor practice.
I like a good steak from time to time. I ought to take responsibility for the fact that animals die on my behalf. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about cholera; I ought to take responsibility and at least be able to install a toilet or rod out my home's line. I like living in an orderly and lawful society; I ought to take responsibility for my own safety and security, not simply ask some other guy to risk his life to protect mine (haughty, snobbish horror!).
The "Philosophy of Liberty" animation from the late Lux Lucre starts out with the premise that "you own your own life." How can I say I own my own life if I refuse to take responsibility for as many aspects of it as I possibly and practically can?
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've done more than a few of them, and while there are some I don't mind paying others to do, I still prefer getting dirty to pushing paper around.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs a dirty job on their resume. I was a hospital janitor, among other things.
ReplyDeleteHey, Tam! Did you ever get that book I sent?
Many, many years ago I went hunting and bagged a deer. It was a good clean shot and that's about all that's worth saying of it.
ReplyDeleteI've never gone hunting since and probably won't. I don't really like it. So why did I go in the first place?
Ownership. I'd had similar conversations with the same lily-livered hypocrites. I concluded that deferring the necessary but odious simply because it is odious is poor practice.
I like a good steak from time to time. I ought to take responsibility for the fact that animals die on my behalf. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about cholera; I ought to take responsibility and at least be able to install a toilet or rod out my home's line. I like living in an orderly and lawful society; I ought to take responsibility for my own safety and security, not simply ask some other guy to risk his life to protect mine (haughty, snobbish horror!).
The "Philosophy of Liberty" animation from the late Lux Lucre starts out with the premise that "you own your own life." How can I say I own my own life if I refuse to take responsibility for as many aspects of it as I possibly and practically can?
Thanks for sharing that, Tam!