Being a man who is always railing against Congress, it would come as no surprise if people decided to judge me based on my own standards. The trouble is, I doubt anyone really has any inkling of the standards I set forth, despite being a self-proclaimed Christian. My Christianity is merely the start of my personal standards of excellence, since it is actually very broad when it comes to defining moral choices (Love God, Love Thy Neighbor). So, for the benefit of anyone who wants to judge me since I will judge others, here they are:
- Always use a turn signal while driving, no matter how obvious the actual turn is. This is probably the cornerstone of defensive driving and it enables those around you to know exactly what your intentions are. It’s like skiing where the one time I did it, the instructor said that we’re responsible for the skiers behind us. While an automobile is a little easier to control, you still need to ensure that those around you are given enough warning. Also, it’s just polite. I regard people who don’t use turn signals as morons. And there are a lot of them out there.
- I never go someplace I am not invited to. This actually is a big time saver, but it is also respectful of my fellow human being as a sovereign person. I never sit next to someone who doesn’t want me there and I never go to someone’s place unless I’m invited there. This one may just be a justification for my introverted and shy nature, but I do regard it as respectful of other people.
- Never resort to low ball tactics unless someone else initiates them. For example, when I am debating on a conservative forum, I try to remain respectful of the other person. The moment they resort to insults or general rude behavior, then all bets are off. And I can be just as vicious, if not more so, as you can be. My main reason for doing so is because for people who resort to insults or name-calling, they generally can’t communicate on a respectful level. Plus, the old Proverb says that if you flog a mocker, the simple will gain wisdom.
- I absolutely refuse to go into debt over anything. This always puts you in the pocket of someone else and often times, you never get out, no matter what you do. This doesn’t necessarily apply to monetary debt, although that is a huge part of it. True freedom in this world comes first from Jesus’ redemptive love and second from not owing anyone anything. This standard is probably the most difficult to follow since it requires a high degree of responsibility and very careful planning.
- Never, ever accept welfare of any kind from the government. The only purpose any government should serve is at most defense against foreign invasion and administering justice for when one individual takes away another individual’s life, liberty, or property. Anything else is essentially stealing from the productive class, as the productive class suffers the most under any parasitic regime.
- In any business transactions, be aware that no matter how nice the other person is or how open they are, they are looking to benefit at your expense. So look at everything you buy as an investment and question whether it is truly worth it. Also keep in mind that most people will lie to you in order to profit. Economic interaction can still work to your advantage in this situation and if you’ve got a shrewd mind, you can usually tell when people are lying. So keep an eye of suspicion on the people you do business with.
- Unless you are self-employed or own your own business, your job does not belong to you. What this means is that while your labor is valuable to your employer, the terms of your employment are the choice of the employer. So if you are fired for something incredibly stupid, don’t sue, just simply shake the dust off your feet and move on. You don’t want to work for someone like that anyway.
- Don’t ever sue anyone for more than what their actions have cost you. However, if you are ever liable for any hint of the problem (like keeping hot coffee between your legs while driving), you don’t get to sue because you don’t deserve anything. We all pay stupid tax for our actions from time to time and sometimes you have to accept things and move on.
- Other people’s property is their property. All material things, short of the oceans and the air, are owned by someone. So-called ‘public’ property is really just owned by whatever government manages it. When you rent a place from another person, always bear in mind that it is their property, not yours. Treat it better than you would your own place because nobody likes a bad tenant. Bear in mind also that all things are actually ‘owned’ by God and that what we own is merely what He allows to maintain stewardship over.
- Always remember that no matter how bad things get in your life, God’s Will will be done. And His Will may not be gumdrop smiles and a perpetual state of bliss. The prosperity gospel is a load of crap and the sooner you accept that God is Lord of All, the sooner you will be able to manage all of life’s frustrations.
Well, that’s the short list that I strive to live by. I know some of it may seem a bit odd, but I really believe that I have to live this way because I would hate myself otherwise. While I don’t expect other people to live by this standard, I would recommend it. Since most of these standards revolve around assuming that other people are selfish jerkwads looking to screw you over every chance you get, I doubt anyone really will follow them.
It’s OK though, I’m just the odd man out I guess. But I thoroughly enjoy it.