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What principles do YOU live by?

Tasine 2012/08/06 23:33:46
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I've had people on SH tell me "you have a closed mind". They see that as
a horrible thing. They are correct that I do have a closed mind. They
are wrong that it is a bad thing.

I have worked for a lot of
years to live by a set of principles - probably a lot of you live by
principle. All of my decisions MUST fit into those principles. My voting
relies on those principles. My conscience relies on those principles.

My principles are not spelled out in some university paper, or in some political platform.

My principles consist of:
1. Respect and love for my fellow man - if that respect and love is mutual.
2. Helping the needy - if they also help themselves
3. Follow all laws, even when I know they are stupid laws. I will admit this is a trying thing to do re some laws.
4. Telling the truth - if I lied, I could not respect myself. And I expect no one to respect me if I hold no respect for myself.
5. Never cheat on anything. (see # 4)
6. Respect other people's property and space

AND THE ONE PRIMARY ONE WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS: PROMOTION OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS
I will not knowingly vote for any politician who is willing to step on my (and your) rights.

I
don't have to mull and labor over decisions. Before the question is
asked, I know what my answer will be. My answer will be based on the
above principles. Will I change my answer if I am challenged to do so?
NO, I will not.

So, do you live by principles, or do you live off the cuff?
+5
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  • T. James H 2012/09/04 02:25:26
  • jackolantyrn356 2012/08/07 16:15:34
    None of the above
    jackolantyrn356
    +2
    live by th Bibole and the Constitution. everything else is a try at improving boith
    reply
  • bcarrera 2012/08/07 08:47:30
    My philosophy is this:
    bcarrera
    +1
    There is no such thing as doing nothing.
    reply
  • Tasine bcarrera 2012/08/07 13:34:29
    Tasine
    +2
    Wish I could employ you!
    reply
  • MlssCue =Go Blue= 2012/08/07 07:57:25
    I live by Biblical teaching.
    MlssCue =Go Blue=
    +1
    The Bible & The Golden Rule, has never steered me wrong.
    reply
  • Tasine MlssCue... 2012/08/07 13:36:38
    Tasine
    +1
    Those will ALWAYS steer you well - but you already KNOW that. Good for you!
    reply
  • MlssCue... Tasine 2012/08/07 13:38:44
    MlssCue =Go Blue=
    +1
    Yes ma'am I do, thank you :)
    reply
  • oros 2012/08/07 07:05:07
    I live by the Golden Rule.
    oros
    +2
    Seems to cover all of the bases in my simple world at least.
    reply
  • Tasine oros 2012/08/07 13:37:46
    Tasine
    +2
    One can only imagine what the world would be like if everyone would live by the Golden Rule!
    reply
  • MlssCue... Tasine 2012/08/07 13:38:59
    MlssCue =Go Blue=
    +2
    Beautiful!
    reply
  • oros Tasine 2012/08/07 15:58:27
    oros
    +1
    What a wonderful world it would be but it is to simple for most to understand is it not.
    reply
  • Tasine oros 2012/08/07 16:03:43
    Tasine
    +1
    Yep, unfortunately. ;-(
    reply
  • Striker 2012/08/07 02:23:59
    I prefer not to say.
    Striker
    +1
    sorry "None of the above" wasn't showing when I had to choose.
    My simple set of principles is here:
    http://no-ruler.net/essence/
    a.k.a. a moral foundation of Principle.
    How many politicians bother to stand on that?
    reply
  • Tasine Striker 2012/08/07 13:39:58
    Tasine
    +1
    I've read your articles, Striker. I really enjoy them, and I think you are on target for making America a better place to live.
    reply
  • Striker Tasine 2012/08/07 15:10:46
    Striker
    +1
    And I appreciate your help and contributions there! Thank you!
    reply
  • Pixie·ŸŸMzAwesome♠ƤĦĂĔŢ♠ 2012/08/07 00:10:40
    Undecided
    Pixie·ŸŸMzAwesome♠ƤĦĂĔŢ♠
    I respect myself first, then those who have shown me respect then strangers and least the people who have shown me they do not deserve my respect.

    I try to treat people they way I want to be treated. Those that do ot treat me well are not even worth my time
    reply
  • Tasine Pixie·Ÿ... 2012/08/07 13:41:21
    Tasine
    +1
    That's sort of like the way I am too.
    reply
  • gregory.ditzler 2012/08/07 00:01:43 (edited)
    My philosophy is this:
    gregory.ditzler
    Several different works of philosophy, the one I reference the most is my profile picture.
    reply
  • Tasine gregory... 2012/08/07 13:57:18
    Tasine
    Interesting. Not having studied philosophy in any depth whatsoever, I wish you would tell us, if you can, in what ways does Nietzsche and his philosophy influence you and your decisions? I'm interested, too, in how you have been able to absorb so much info so quickly. I hope you will share more with us.
    reply
  • gregory... Tasine 2012/08/07 15:31:59
    gregory.ditzler
    +1
    Well I believe that morality is subjective and that there is no meaning to life other than the meaning I give it. This means to me that if I want to give my life meaning it's up to me to make my life meaningful. Nietzsche also said that in order to live a good life we need to push the boundaries of good and evil in the realm of conventional morality and become an individual with your own moral code that can decide for themselves what is good or evil instead of following some prejudice of what is good or evil. I also believe what doesn't kill me makes me stronger and feel that will to power is the best explanation for human motivation. Also Nietzsche's view of religion is something I agree with him on.
    reply
  • Tasine gregory... 2012/08/07 15:47:26
    Tasine
    Thanks for the response. I agree that self MUST serve self-interest, we must make our lives meaningful if we expect them to BE meaningful, but I doubt I believe that should go as far as I believe Nietzsche or you feel it should go. I also believe that what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, but I also believe there is a higher purpose in that scenario - and you didn't mention that.

    You believe morality is subjective, and I find that strange. So does this mean that if I find murder to be moral, I can and will in good conscience commit murder? That in good conscience you can rape women? That in good conscience steal from others? Surely you don't find these things "moral". Neither does any other normal person raised by civilized people find them moral.
    reply
  • gregory... Tasine 2012/08/07 16:02:21
    gregory.ditzler
    No I don't but that's a bad example of morality seeing as there is no conflict there as everyone has an animal instinct that tells them to fear for their own life and bodily autonomy. Take the issue of abortion and you'll understand subjective morality. There is clearly good arguments to be made on both sides as which is good and which is bad. Animal instinct is not morality however because there are sometimes when people have no other choice than to kill others in the case of the death penalty or a war it is necessary. If someone is in pain and they don't want to be euthanasia is perfectly acceptable. Also consider that there is no measurement of morality so there is no way to tell with the exception of extreme cases whether an individual is good or evil.

    As for higher purpose I don't believe there is any purpose superior to the purpose I give myself.
    reply
  • Tasine gregory... 2012/08/07 17:44:18
    Tasine
    I deliberately used the word MURDER, not KILL - there is a huge difference. My philosophy differs from yours, I am sure, in that I believe human life is sacrosanct, precious. a true gift and an absolute right. Ergo, I do not favor PARTICULARLY partial birth abortion, and I prefer women be responsible enough to not get pregnant if at all possible if she doesn't want a baby because if she aborts it, she is destroying a life that is not hers to destroy. It is not HER body. It belongs to the baby SHE is responsible for. I have no real problem with abortion in cases of rape and incest - approximately 1% of the abortions performed in the US every year.

    As to the cases I cite re morality, and you think of as "animal instinct", I do disagree - and rather strongly on two points. Precious few animals kill "just because", or even out of jealousy or envy. Man is almost exclusive in that particular club. Secondly, the "animal instincts" were made into laws based, not on what is "animal instinct", but on what is the Bible as our forefathers interpreted it. And, no, I am not a Bible reader, am not a church member, do not attend church, and do not call myself a Christian - it's another label that very few people understand. But I respect the religion and the nation founded on Christian prin...
    I deliberately used the word MURDER, not KILL - there is a huge difference. My philosophy differs from yours, I am sure, in that I believe human life is sacrosanct, precious. a true gift and an absolute right. Ergo, I do not favor PARTICULARLY partial birth abortion, and I prefer women be responsible enough to not get pregnant if at all possible if she doesn't want a baby because if she aborts it, she is destroying a life that is not hers to destroy. It is not HER body. It belongs to the baby SHE is responsible for. I have no real problem with abortion in cases of rape and incest - approximately 1% of the abortions performed in the US every year.

    As to the cases I cite re morality, and you think of as "animal instinct", I do disagree - and rather strongly on two points. Precious few animals kill "just because", or even out of jealousy or envy. Man is almost exclusive in that particular club. Secondly, the "animal instincts" were made into laws based, not on what is "animal instinct", but on what is the Bible as our forefathers interpreted it. And, no, I am not a Bible reader, am not a church member, do not attend church, and do not call myself a Christian - it's another label that very few people understand. But I respect the religion and the nation founded on Christian principles. This does not mean all Americans must believe in Christianity, but it does mean none should deny facts. And PLEASE, never refer to Westboro Church "Christians". To me, they are the exact opposite.
    (more)
    reply
  • gregory... Tasine 2012/08/07 18:08:24
    gregory.ditzler
    +1
    I said that animal instinct is why we are opposed to murder or rape universally speaking. As for laws against murder those go all the way back to Mesopotamia with the first civilization. Murder has always been something illegal in the law or at least have legal consequences even if it is under different definitions than what we have today. I believe the reasoning for this is because of a natural instinct in which we realize that it is detrimental to our species. This primitive instinct is the same one that drives parents to protect their children. As for america, our founding fathers were clear we were never meant to be a theocracy like the countries of feudal Europe. this is evident in the following quote "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by THEIR Creator with certain unalienable Rights." Notice the words their in the sentence instead of the. This is because even though the founding fathers were primarily Christian they believed that everyone has rights given to them by which ever creator if any the individual believed in. This is understood because the founding fathers were followers of John Locke and his tabula rasa or blank state in which Locke said that we are all born blank vessels without programming and thus equally free to be molded and shaped by their environment. The founding fathers were also known critics of organized religion in favor of having a private personal relationship with their creators.
    reply
  • Tasine gregory... 2012/08/07 19:09:16
    Tasine
    Be well, my friend. Enjoy life - it passes by entirely too quickly!
    reply
  • Gracie - Proud Conservative 2012/08/06 23:59:31
    I live by Biblical teaching.
    Gracie - Proud Conservative
    +2
    I try and live by Christian principles and I always try to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. I'm not a fan of the "open mind" concept because I've read and studied hard and am at peace that I know what I believe and why I believe it. I think that anyone who can be convinced they're wrong by the rant of another, isn't that secure with their own understanding. If someone were to prove something that I believed wrong, I'd be the first to admit it. I try and think with my brain, not my heart. The heart can't look into the unintended consequences of those good feel good ideas. The results are what matters, not the intentions.
    reply
  • Tasine Gracie ... 2012/08/07 13:59:35
    Tasine
    +1
    I think you have your head screwed on right, Gracie. Thank you, not just for this info, but for all your comments on SH.
    reply
  • Kevin Verdone 2012/08/06 23:51:51
    I live by the Golden Rule.
    Kevin Verdone
    +1
    Basically, take the Bible. Then, remove everything that isn't said by Jesus. Then, remove everything that isn't relevant to modern society. Then just kinda look at it and say, "I think I just won't be an a**hole" and start your day!
    reply
  • Tasine Kevin V... 2012/08/07 17:45:22
    Tasine
    But you turned out to be one anyway?
    reply
  • Mike 2012/08/06 23:42:53
    My philosophy is this:
    Mike
    +3
    Open minded Conservative.
    reply

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