In my last post, Let’s Talk Our Walk, we were examining the institution of government. How about in the spirit of the revolutionary Americans of 1776, declaring our independence from it? I think this is how it must unfold. Each of us, independently seceding from the current governmental paradigm, declaring to ourself and to the world that we no longer have someone entitled to boss us around. One by one we will withdraw our sanctions. Yes, the universe will ignore us at first, but as our numbers build and we become more present change will happen. How this change will look I cannot say, but it will be good change, change that leaves no one out, change that doesn’t call for more blood to be shed.
I’m calling for a paradigm shift in how we are governed. The only appropriate government that I say befits a species of reason is one of self-government. We inherited the current can of worms that rules us, and one by one must take back our birthright: to govern oneself. In a previous post I offered an oath one might take to illustrate the shift. Something similar is needed for the declaration that I’m talking about.
Here’s one I’ve put together to examine. It may not be the final expression of what I want to say nor the best, but it captures the spirit of what I believe is needed. Have a read. Amend it, make it better.
Here goes.
Declaration of Personal Independence
In taking on the challenge of living a life befitting a rational being, I declare the following statement as my own, to live out of each day and to remind myself of my intentions to live a flourishing and responsible life.
I declare that:
- I am free. I hold that my life is my own to be lived for whatever purpose I choose. I claim every second of my life as mine and that no one may have even a second of it without my consent.
- I am free to act. I hold that all actions are possible to me excepting those which do harm to another. I hold that I may participate singly or with all persons who choose to participate with me in all matters of human endeavour, including but not limited to those of business, religion, science, medicine, education, philosophy, and politics.
- I am free not to act. I hold that I may decline to partake in any endeavour. This includes but is not limited to refraining from participating in religion, education, business, science, medicine, philosophy, politics, and war.
- I am entitled to keep the fruits of my action. I hold that my property is my own. I hold that every penny that I honestly acquire is my own and that no one may have even a speck of my property without my consent.
- I am responsible. I take on the responsibility for all the consequences of all my actions and inactions. I will not pass on my responsibility to anyone who chooses not to accept it. I promise that should I purposefully or otherwise commit action against another or another’s property that is harmful, I will bring correction to it. I also promise that should some person or persons aggress against me or my property, that I will defend myself to the best of my ability within the framework of my personal ethics.
Being that these are the principles by which I live, I now sign this oath of my own free will, I now promise that I will support these ideas and principles for as long as I live.
Signed by ________________________
this ____ day of _____________________.
In the presence of _______________________________
If you have printed off your declaration and signed it, then much is possible that wasn’t a moment before. You are now free. You always were, but now it’s public. If nothing else, you and your witness know. I took this action before posting this blog, so at least Heather and I know that I am free. I’m sure that Biden and Putin and the rest will never know and will never care but that’s not my concern.
My concern is how to best live a life that has me come alive. Telling others about what I think and why I think it is my concern, what makes me come alive. This makes me come alive, taking action that promotes the ideas that I’m most passionate about.
Yes I want others to read my blog and become captivated by it, to take action and join me in this adventure without any guarantees of where it might lead. I would love for better minds to pick up on my ideas and take them further and faster than I could ever hope for. Whether this happens is not my concern either. That’s for others to choose.
Your life matters and no one has the right to interfere with it. This simple truth has been stated many times before in many ways. And then we lie about it, we rationalize, we come up with an endless stream of “Yes, but” where what follows the “but” is a lie.
Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!
Sir Walter Scott
Consider that COVID lockdowns and the Ukraine are predictable consequences of the tangled web of lies that govern our politics. Our paradigm shift begins with telling the truth.
A World of Honour 