28 March 2006

Individualism makes this country, not Groups

There are times I marvel at what my fingers produce in the way of verbiage! I can barely start the thought and off they go creating something from somewhere inside... if I try to do that consciusly it is a halting effort, at best, with stops and starts and back-tracks... which actually *read* just the same, but on the end of typing it in the difference is extreme. Of course physical and mental factors do wash over and change things, too. So, the good Mr. Z at Bloviating Zeppelin thought over my thoughts which were in response to his and so on... and put up a post to try and regularize what it takes to make this country of Ours special. And needless to say, I responded! As in all other of my copied material this is kept in its original format as best I can with all errors in typing, syntax, logic and worldly dimensions left intact:

And so it is true, Mr. Z. Building a Republic is hard work, and we have gotten this strange notion that passing the buck up resolves us of the responsibility to ensure that things are done right.

We are a nation of individuals that have come together to say: these few things are necessary to govern us, the rest of the rights and powers are Ours. Keep your mitts off!

But, when 'Groups' say that they are more important than individuals and that 'Groups' should have things individuals should not have... then we come to a basic disagreement of what makes our Republic special. We are not 'Groups' coming together to make a society, we are individuals with diverse backgrounds wanting to be one diverse People.

Putting the Group above the individual is Statist and Elitist. By giving more power to Groups, individuals are denied their fair say in things and that is the path to Authoritarian rule by a Group that sits above all other Groups. That is where the Left is today: wanting Groups to rule over mere individuals.

Group-think. Group-acceptance. Group-rights. Group-rule.

Accepting that there are such things as Groups with rights will be the death of the Republic of Free People. Individualism becomes only the collection of Groups you belong to for easy definition, sorting, demeanment and castigation. Individuals are seen as outsiders, anti-social, and very un-group like.

I am an individual and I am not nor ever will be a Prisoner to someone else's definition of me. Because the moment you think you have the group I belong to pegged, I will do something so un-grouplike and think thoughts so different that I must *not* be of that group.

Accept me as an individual or not at all. I do not care. Try to put me into a straightjacket of conformity and you will find yourself wearing it as I dance around you.

And *that* has got to be an ugly sight!
I would probably collapse in exhaustion after a step or two, anyways.

Now the Good Mr. Z comes back with wanting to send my thoughts to everyone in the world! Not only impractical, but it would cause a massive worldwide headache and a run on aspirin and so many willow trees would be gnawed clear through that the entire species would go extinct in hours. So I replied with my usual and a bit more:
Mr. Z - Do check the info on my blog... my words and ideas are free for thefting so long as you give appropriate citation and credit or blame as you see fit.

I do not want limelight.

I want a *better* Republic.

I do not have energy to grandstand or give talks or even guarantee I will be semi-conscious for an interview.

But when I have concentration and energy I can write.

Take my ideas and thoughts. Build on them. Make them your own thereby.

This is how a Free People work: word of mouth and Franklin's Common Wisdom.

I am NO Tom Paine.

I am NO Ben Franklin.

But their words and thoughts have become Our Own. That is how the Republic was spread and how it best grows.

Bottom up, not socialistic or authoritarian top down.

Steal my ideas and make them yours and they shall grow. For one or two others may just do the same... and an idea will spread. You and I will be lost as the founders of it, but the idea is what matters.

Ideas made this Nation.

And those ideas continue to reshape Our world to this day.
And so it goes. Steal and add on to my ideas, give credit or blame and some linkage or attribution.

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