Jason A. Merchey's Blog, page 3

A Poem About Wistfulness: “The Still Small Voice”

This is a poem about wistfulness. Wistful is clarified by Vocabulary.com: "People who appear wistful often show a longing for something or a look of serious reflection. One way to describe the adjective wistful is as the sad appearance of someone looking back and thinking if only... A thoughtful or pensive mood centered on something good in the past that is missed or something not so good in the present that could have been better if only something had gone differently — these things make for a wistful outlook."
This solid piece was written by the long-dead writer, John Rollin Ridge, reputed as the first American Indian novelist. It speaks of wistfulness, regret, selfhood, memories, pain, remembrance, meaning, and peace. It's amazing not just for its stylistic excellence, but for how well it has lasted, considering it was written by a Cherokee Indian almost 75 years ago. Enjoy.

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Perseverance Quotes: Never Giving Up

I was looking at this picture I took in downtown Charleston, SC. it's an amazing crepe myrtle tree. As you can tell, it only had about a square foot in which to plant its base, and to get rain. What did it do over the last, probably, 50 years? It hung in there, kept on keepin' on, and stuck with it. It persevered. It coped. It was strong and dedicated. We are much like trees; can we withstand the rigors of life? Deal with the hurricanes and pollution and cars that life entails? Check out these perseverance quotes for a little inspiration and insight. 

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Why Politics is Depressing and Dispiriting

Politics is depressing to me in a big way nowadays. The highest I felt in recent memory was probably when Bernie Sanders was doing well against Hillary Clinton, and I suppose this year-end, watching Meet the Press today, made me feel very dispirited. It's all so painful to watch, and I would imagine, to participate in. What are the ten most prominent reasons why politics is depressing as hell nowadays? Read on to see what I think.

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Siddhartha Gautama, Founder of Buddhism

Siddhartha in the ancient language of Magadhi means “one who has accomplished a goal.” This is a very fitting name for a very influential historical figure that is still shrouded in myth and legend — Siddhartha Gautama, also known as The Buddha. While we do know he existed, there is still a lot that we don’t know about him (and will never know). It has been over 2,500 years since The Buddha’s death, and to this day his insightful and inspirational message influences and motivates hundreds of millions of people every day. This is what living a life of value is all about: pursuing a path for oneself that is functional and fulfilling, while at the same time helping, loving, and guiding others the be the best possible versions of themselves. Let me share a bit more about Siddhartha Gautama, and then I will present some very interesting quotes by the man who literally invented Buddhism.

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What is the Point and the Value of Education?

I was reading a piece about the value of education; in other words, what its point is. As the story goes, "As a child, Freddie Sherrill had difficulty learning to read and write, and he began skipping school. As a teen, he became addicted to drugs and alcohol and started breaking into homes. After several stints in prison and rehab, Sherrill became sober in 1988, and rebuilt his life, repairing his relationships with his wife and children, learning how to read and write, and eventually, earning an associate's degree." It's a wonderful story, one that goes a bit deeper. Read on to find out more about Mr. Sherrill and his wonderful story exemplifying the value of education, and why one should ideally engage in the process.

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Is Capitalism a Sustainable Economic System?

Is capitalism a sustainable economic system? There are many facts, opinions, and even biases held by countless people. Everyone has heard "Socialism is _______" or "The problem with capitalism is ___________." This is certainly a question that interests me. I tend to come down on the side of capitalism where it meets democratic socialism. That is, the government (comprised of responsible and accountable citizens) owns some public resources, and individuals and to some degree corporations own the remainder. The amount of money that one can make from profit-seeking ventures is limited by a very progressive taxation scheme. One of the sharpest minds is the liberal author, professor, and former Secretary of Labor, Robert S. Reich, and he wrote a book, Saving Capitalism, that helps to answer the critical and timely questions, Is capitalism a sustainable economic system? Is capitalism just and fair? What can socialism and other approaches offer capitalism to help preserve the planet, care for people, and yet allow profit-making? This blog features Robert Reich quotes from his very readable book, Saving Capitalism.

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Quotes by Freethinkers, Rationalists, and Reformers

Every day features more outrages from the political-religious Right, so this blog features 50 quotes by freethinkers, secular-humanists, atheists, and agnostics who have birthdays in the month of February.

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Old-School Honor and Integrity

I have incredible respect for "old-school" honor and integrity. I fear that it is either American decadence or simply a low point we are experiencing since 2000 that accounts for why people feel that their word doesn't mean much, that they needn't put in the effort required to be a person of high character and live a life that is totally in integrity. This is my lamentation lately! I am really let down today, emotionally. Am I being too hard on everyone I have ever met, or are honor and integrity too much to expect from people? 

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Bezos Exemplifies Outsize Power and Influence

As Jake Johnson, the very capable staff writer for the brilliant site www.CommonDreams.org points out, Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com is off-the-charts wealthy. But he doesn't just want to vacation and buy booze; he bought The Washington Post. He also is down there with Walmart as far as employee pay and level of satisfaction. Here is a brief look at the man, the myth, the shapeshifter, Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the known universe. We are talking about uber-capitalism: outsize power and influence, self-concern and elitism. In the 19th century, political commentators and cartoonists would have depicted Bezos as a capitalistic "fat cat" and railed against his motives and apparent greed.

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Master of Maxims: Michel de Montaigne Quotes

Some Montaigne quotes, such as the following, are abstruse and unwieldy: “Difficulty is a coin which the learned conjure with so as not to reveal the vanity of their studies and which human stupidity is keen to accept in payment." Other Montaigne quotes are as accessible, substantive, and as beautiful as a ripe peach: "It is only a fool who never suspects he could be foolishly mistaken." His study of "the ancients" as well as his own works place quotations in their proper place: upon high.  This blog is a compilation of some of the pithiest and profoundest Montaigne quotes humanity is in possession of. Thank God. Or Apollo. Or our lucky stars.

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