Wisdom from Fletcher Finnegan: Ten years of observation read ten years later

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Wisdom from Fletcher Finnegan: Ten years of observation read ten years later

I wrote the below quoted passage while fleshing out the protagonist in my novel The Symposium of Justice. It was written ten years ago and is fun for me to revisit. Since I wrote that passage I have engaged myself in the reality of those accusations to prove that my thoughts were not just theory. Unlike other writers, I am not happy making observations of reality, then simply writing about them in some creative context. For me, I have to prove them—which then leads me to experiments validating the observed reality.

I am proud to report that the observations I had made about the human condition in the ten years leading up to the below passage have since been proven in the subsequent ten years leading to the present time. When I write a novel I often write hundreds if not thousands of pages of back up material for the characters, which was the case during The Symposium of Justice. I had to understand the character, and one of the ways in doing so was to provide background material that may not directly find its way into the text of the story. The below passage is one of these types of works.

I can report in June of 2013 that re-reading the ten-year old material brought a smile to my face, and I now understand the why behind the action, instead of just observing the action. In many cases, the observation by creative types is enough. But for me, I require that next step. Now reading over the old material I have to say, the passage was extremely prophetic, and exceptionally socially relevant.

Wisdom from Fletcher Finnegan

I say to you who work with those small-minded fools, and aspire to greatness through the open doors of your superior officers, that greatness or financial gain will never be obtained through those simple trickles in the oceans of life. Those men that pride themselves on their position and tenure are dangerous. More dangerous to themselves, for ill-health and neurosis, and will gladly pull down anyone about them.

I can say for myself that I fear no human being or living entity on this planet or elsewhere. To fear the mediocre tendencies of the feeble ones is a crime against yourself. They will seek to use fear to place you about in invisible shackles of bondage. The villanies upon you by these beings are a crime. It is an assault against the nature of life which desires freedom and the impulse to live.

This notion that one should not strive to be superior is preposterous. What gain is there in pretending to be a fool so those in power don’t feel the threat? I tell you this, that this mythology was invented to suppress the strong, and prevent challenges to phantom thrones that make up the mind of a tyrant’s thoughts. Pretending to be a fop with thoughts about the weather, foreign and domestic policy, and sports so to stay under the radar–to what avail?

I have been told many times to maintain such a low profile. I’ve been told to not be so good. I have seen men applaud other men for showing weakness with women. I have seen much back slapping to the drunk that collapses unconscious on a Friday night, as opposed to the hard worker that stays behind a book all night to gain an advantage over their opponents. I have heard many preachers of peace proclaim honor in such a mundane embrace of values.

Think how preposterous it sounds to hear tales of a night with friends where everyone became “trashed” and so much so that they cannot remember the evening. Compare this to the heroic figure that donates their evening to helping people, or improving themselves. I say that it is the times formation around control that endorses idiotic behavior and encourages us all to pursue that course. The trick to all is that there is profit in failure, which you will succeed if you stay under the radar and not become a threat to the current administrations by being the well-behaved lamb. Look at the established religions, where the behavior of Jesus is shown to be the way to everlasting glory. Jesus is even referred to as a lamb. Does no one question these motives? With the fine mind provided to humans, why are humans so susceptible to bondage? Does it not seem strange that so-called Christians, Hindus, Muslims, even Buddhists seem so preoccupied with enduring the pain of this current life in order to reach some evasive light at the end of the tunnel. That we should joyfully endure our masters in this life for trade of everlasting glory in the next.

So you ask me what an Overman is. I say to you that it is embracing the concept of being more than just human. It is in accepting your fate that life is meant to be lived now as well as later. At all times, as an individual, you are in control of your vessel as you navigate through a jagged life. At times, when you meet with another independent soul, that you may come into conflict with them by the will of nature and that this conflict is needed and healthy. When you come to these times of war, you should fight with all your vigor and enjoy the spilling of blood, especially if it is your opponents. You should enjoy it because if their goal was to stop your ability to exercise free will then you have used your free will to destroy their devices that could hinder you.