Sometimes I like to take the long path, sometimes I like to take the short path. Most times, I have no idea which path I was on and I’m just happy if I arrive at my destination, no longer how long it takes.
I never really understood government and in my back of my mind, I thought it was because I missed out on the opportunity to take the class in High School and it was not required for my GED. Maybe because of that lacking and its importance, my ears have always perked when it came to government. Like many things, I enjoy learning and lacking formal education I choose to learn from my surroundings with keen observation and change analysis.
Open conversation and engaging dialogues have educated me and once properly sorted, have perhaps given me a glimmer of wisdom on the topic. I hope one day I can go to college, maybe take some political science classes or economics. Maybe it would be interesting to see what a ‘formal’ education to do to refine and clarify my views, or at least give me a better vocabulary with which to express them.
Good conversations can be enlightening. Years ago, I had to opportunity to engage with the then manager I think of the Catholic Radio station in town while I was out knocking doors. He had made a few strong points (a lifelong libertarian,) and I smiled and nodded. Another comment or two, and maybe he thought he saw my eyes glaze over and he pivoted to ask “are you just following along or do you agree to?”
It’s all about personal property rights. I really enjoyed the conversation as he was most intentionally determined to rationally and logically explain his point of view in as many different analogies as necessary. He was able- once I did engage- to answer every tangential question I had, follow my logic and defend his points, each time following the conversation to it’s natural end: either my logical folly or acceptance of his point. It’s all about personal property rights.
My soul is my own, I have exclusive rights among humans to the control and direction of my soul- it is inside the boundary of my personal property in regard to souls. I cannot make this claim over any other soul, this one alone is mine (and His!)
My body is my own, I have exclusive rights among humans to the control and direction of my body- it is inside the boundary of my personal property in regard to bodies. I cannot make this claim over any other body (even if it was inside of me, it would be a different body and soul,) this one alone is mine.
My home is my own, I have exclusive rights among humans to the control and direction of my home- it is inside the boundary of my personal property in regard to homes.
My rights are my own, I have exclusive rights among humans to the control and direction of my rights- it is inside the boundary of my personal property in regard to rights.
My personal property is my own, I have exclusive rights among humans to the control and direction of my personal property. With my property and my rights, I have the exclusive right among humans to protect and preserve them or to give, barter, and trade them away for other property and rights, from others or the general public.
Having been born into a civilized world, I have the duty to accept the trades of my forefathers in regard our government, whereas we have voluntarily surrendered some of our personal property rights exchange for the public protection of our remaining personal property rights.
Having come to see and learn the value of the existing system, it is the duty of us all to seek to improve it: how may we best protect all of our personal property rights for all people with no trade off for that protection from the general public? What is the most efficient rights protection scheme?
At no point in our conversation did we argue. Except for the entire conversation. Every single word, arguments he learned and arguments he taught, delivered with care for my soul and body while in the confines of his home, and a smile. (Actually, we were at the radio office, yet of the purpose of his discussion it was more equivalent to his ‘home’ than mine.) We may have spoken for several hours on the first visit and had several more follow ups. Logic and love, given time will unveil truth. Eventually, you just have to hope you’re on a short path rather than a long one.
Lacking such a conversationalist in my life at the moment, it’s often necessary to try to duplicate it myself. The only problem with self debate on any topic? You’ll always lose. Accurately portraying both sides of an argument within your mind to a natural end will produce at least one incorrect hypothesis. One that your mind was just pushing. That’s okay though. “losing” an argument- or an election- is not a problem. In arguments, one wins one loses. Then have an argument on a different topic. In an argument, the goal is neither to win or lose, rather to learn from them no matter the side you represented in the argument.
Hence, why in our world we all recognize the supreme wisdom of our leaders, right? All the learning from their lifetime of arguments? Well, there are other ways to ‘argue’ to. Ways that suppress open conversation, ways that intimidate people or try to, ways that will stop the conversation before they lose or learn anything. Almost anyone in this world can tell you with right answer to a question about their point of view, yet how many are willing to discuss that point of view with the openness to change it if your logic was to prevail? Most will tell you their position, yet so few will teach it. Which do you respect? Someone that knows their position well enough to teach it or someone that tries to frighten you away from believing anything else?
Today had been pain and tired. I haven’t been sleeping well the last few days and although that trike ride last night felt AMAZING, my hips and sacrum had a different opinion today. I’d venture to say, they’ve gone on strike. At first, being that I am the soul and obviously the landlord of this body, I lashed them and demanded they rise and work today. Afraid of their master, they complied and moved me around for several hours this morning.
The muscles up the back of my legs connect into the bundles of muscles and nerves in my abdominal floor, and as soon as pain starts in one area, it seems to spread as my body compensates and tries to work around the failing members. By noon, my stomach was in knots, my abs and back muscles pulsating and contracting with every step, pulling and torquing on my innards.
I think my ankle started the rally, calling for support against his tyrant, the bloody soul who demanded continued work. I do love my ankle, yet it doesn’t seem to understand his part in the team, we need it to be quiet and do the job, whether we have the time to give it appreciation or not. However, the ankle has a good connection with my knee, and with the two of them making phone calls, it was mutiny.
“All of you, quiet. Exercise is growth, our soul knows what makes us strong.” my brain said. I paced the floor doing side steps for every hour, I know how to teach my body. By two pm a union had been formed, and a powerful one too, once they got my asshole to sign on to their agenda. That dude knows how to disrupt shit. Think shit hitting the fan is bad? Wait til you can’t shit. Assholes are notoriously stubborn and really, more akin to mob enforcement when it comes to communicating their point of view. From can shit to can’t shit to can’t stop shitting, you never know what you’re gonna get until they’re happy.
The next hour was on the toilet, the union had put the landlord in check- no more walking now. I tried to leave, then came back hurrying back. The union was determined, their membership was almost complete and each part ached. My sacrum hurt. I never felt my sacrum before a year or two ago, now I know the sound of its voice as if it was my child crying for a bottle in the night. A loud and bold voice, with a Samuel Jackson drinking a sprite look, “Maybe we should take a nap now, you think?”
My soul sent tremors down my spine: Do I not control you all? Are you not mine? May I not direct us in the way that is best for us all?
My asshole responded for the bunch, “Shut the fuck up and go to bed.” Did I mention that part of the union is an asshole? My brain and my heart never abandoned me, yet by the end they just did the best they could to sooth my soul, “It’s okay, we’ll work out harder tomorrow.” My soul then led the body to take a nap. The landlord is the whole of its parts, the union of my body; and the union of my body needs the leadership of my soul.
I slept from three pm until eight thirty pm, just in time to come down and watch the spelling bee finals – we ALMOST had a winner from Michigan in Rochester Hills, congrats Aryan for representing us so well! Then well, this. I suppose this has been my predominate thought for the day, unions and landlords and how to tell a story about them.
Time to rest.
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