Unrelented Despotism

     Have you ever just wanted to be alone? To vanish from the world and rest quietly, peacefully, and hidden?

     Conversely, have you ever been completely by yourself and had no greater desire than to join the masses of humanity in a joyous celebration of existence?

     Welcome to my world - where loneliness is detested for its absences and company is despised for its contents. Never content, always wishing that you were in the opposite of your current state.

     The more necessitates my state, either solitude or companionship, the more my spirit wishes to rebel from its confinements and constrictions. I have no answers to these questions. How to be satisfied in the moment without seeking pleasure merely to comfort? How to be content with my state and cease worrying, to forget the future, to stop criticizing but inspire the present. How does one avoid nostalgia and reminisce the glories of the faded, vanished, irretrievable past?

     Most people even moderately well acquainted with Biblical teaching will avow the common phrase by Paul, “with whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content.” The process is simple: follow God’s will, and you’ll be happy with where you are in life. You’ve “put aside childish things” and embraced the calling you were created for (Philippians 4:11).

     How uninspiringly unhelpful that quote is when one has neither faith in that god nor desire to do according with “His” wishes. That book also says that “He” was “scored and rejected by men.” Were not other men hated by their fellows?

     Am I to reach surrender to this teaching or embrace the multiplicity of others – current or ancient – and gamble away a suspected spirit, a supposed soul on eternity of the flesh, eternity as a spirit, reincarnation, or decomposition to nothingness?

     I seek only contentment “in whatsoever state I am.” If this inclines me to the Christian God, I may curse my culture, my parentage, my religious influences, but that is what I choose. If I surrender the controls of my life to a higher power, just as police in the high speed chase of life rely on their helicopter to report the movements of their goal which remains far out of their eyes’ sight, that empowered deity may yet steer me as necessary. I still retain the ability to redirect my course, take an early exit, switch lanes, back track, or simply use my brakes.

     However, I seek only contentment. If I relinquish control, may I find refuge?

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Influence of Books

     Sadly, many Westerners spend excessively copious amounts of time in front of screens. The type or function of the screen is unimportant since a philology of screens includes television, computers, phones, and projectors. The flashes of interactive, glowing rapidity daze our eyes and dull our senses. These are very recent adoptions of entertainment. Steadfast throughout history are stories shared vocally with a gathered audience captivated by worry for the protagonist of the tale. Writing allowed those tales to be more widely shared, and the coupling of the printing press and a widely educated public furthered the ability of the written word to spread.

     Books possess power. Power to alter the reader’s outlook on life, society, theology, or any of the myriad of concepts our minds are capable of processing. Reading itself strengthens the processing and reasoning ability of the mind. Reading a book indefinitely impacts the reader whether consciously pondered or not. The literate absorb written words as easily, if not more influentially, than oration.

     How has reading impacted you? It is a monologue conversation with the writer, a written orator. Inspiration, sorrow, courage, sympathy all come from sympathies with the author. The allure of series is this accumulated sympathy as the reader befriends the characters. Picture movies are a simplified, shortened forms of this interaction; extremes are used extensively to quicken viewer relation. A book easily reveals the uncovered length of tale by the amount of pages left unread.

     The Jungle, an early twentieth century novel, inspired innovation of American meat processing. The Wealth of Nations, founded on many of John Locke’s Enlightenment assumptions, encouraged the foundations of the free market capitalist system, overthrowing the outdated mercantilist philosophy. Religious texts are especially noted for their exceptional influence on all readers, more so to the regular and devoted followers. Amongst these works are those as well known as the Quran, Bible, and Sanskrit. No one alive will disagree the influence these book have had on humanity.

     Life lessons, the consequences of and warning against common mistakes, energy to encourage and inspire, and deep, eternal love are all accessible with only your hands and time. Why let life pass, regretting poor decisions, when those that have lived before can aid you through daily struggles, shattering tragedies, and uplifting hopes? With such a large selection presently available, what have you to lose? Take a chance.

     Read a book.

    __    
Agatha Tyche

Conviction

     To achieve greatness, best the odds, outdistance opponents, and stretch the bounds of impossible, motivation comes from within. The belief that something is right fortifies resolve and cements that value into one's being. Classically, medieval saints (or heretics, depending on the angle), hold amazing grips with motivational conviction. Burned at the stake yet remaining staunch professors of their faith. Only conviction can bring forth a willingness to suffer under expectant death.
     However, suffering is not the only circumstance that reveals conviction. Muslim expansion from 600-1000 A.D. could not have been accomplished without the fervored zeal exhibited and embraced by millions as Islam quickly spread through the Near East. No empire can grow without the convictions of its leader or the armies that follow him.
     In a larger sense though, conviction is expressed when one operates under distress but remains steadfast with the ideology that brought on the troubles. The inner belief provides a purpose of resistance since courage, not cowardice, is the valued character trait. Courage and conviction are valued outside of the world's religions though. The military prizes soldiers that have demonstrated loyalty and courage in the heat of battle to prove their conviction against the enemy. A convicted soldier will not easily turn aside from his nation’s mandate in the face of adversity and death.

     A prime example of this is the desertion rates of WWI with the death-trap trenches. Men charged machine guns and faced death but rarely turned aside and revealed cowardice. French desertion in 1917 was kept hidden from Germans, and once Germans began to desert, the Allied forces had already breached the heavily fortified first lines of defense. This may be the easiest type of conviction to picture since it is so readily upheld in Western society to date. Photographs, early videos, and extensive literature transport the reader into the conviction that their nation's ancestors experienced.
     General MacArthur summed up the conviction each soldier must hold individually to uphold the the army's defense of the nation as a whole.

"I could see those staggering columns of the First World War, bending under soggy packs, on many a weary march from dripping dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging ankle-deep through the mire of shell-shocked roads, to form grimly for the attack, blue-lipped, covered with sludge and mud, chilled by the wind and rain, driving home to their objective, and for many, to the judgement seat of God.
I do not know the dignity of their birth, but I do know the glory of their death. They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always, for them: Duty, Honor, Country; always their blood and sweat and tears, as we sought the way, the light, and the truth."

     These harrowing words perfectly emphasize the sacrifice of conviction, demanding the respect of those who hold true despite all efforts of resistance. An admirable trait for men to possess and a formidable one in ones foes.

 __    
Agatha Tyche

Strategy

     Plans are useful. They allow the formation of organized efforts to constructively achieve goals. Without them life would just drift aimlessly by since nothing beneficial could exist with purposeful order. As such, strategy has coincided with man's interactions and exploits.
     The first illustration of advantages of strategy comes from Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great's father) who took Theban military techniques learned from his time captive there, modified those weapons, and obliterated opposition. His techniques so improved the design of warfare that those styles remained triumphant for two centuries until the Roman legion engineered a better formation. However, Macedon's strategizing didn't stop with military innovation, plans to invade Persia existed nearly ten years before Alexander the Great accomplished it. Conquering the neighboring Greek states gave the Macedonian's battle experience, a secure home base, and a larger allied force to meet the foe. Everything was planned.
     The Chinese are well known for the construction of the Great Wall to keep out the invading Mongolian Huns. While the sheer size of the wall establishes an effective border, the construction time was several centuries, with improvements gradually added on. The planning is there, but the strategy could have been better oriented even given the resources and available manpower.
     The best examples of purposeful, organized, implemented strategy must come from the Romans that lived lives so organized that they fascinated the Greeks. Polybius became so convinced of Roman superiority, he wrote several books explaining the Roman system to convince the Greeks of their oppressors' righteous control over all men.

     The Hadrian wall was constructed a the narrowest point north that the Romans controlled on the Isle of Great Britain. Seventy miles long and representing the northern border of the Roman empire for almost 300 years, the stone wall physically changed the landscape of the terrain it covered.
     The Romans shored up the inside of the wall with a slope of dirt, further reinforced with stone structures. The outside of the wall that the attacks would face had a sheer slope that would need to be climbed under artillery barrage. If the hill was scaled, a fifteen to thirty foot wall defended by trained soldiers remained to be overcome. And if all that was accomplished, the nearest garrison sent cavalry reinforcements along with up to a thousand men. Garrisons and granaries for supplies were located in forts spread between every two to five miles along the wall. Remember, this is the farthest reach of the Roman empire, 1800 km (1100 miles) from Rome.
     Thus in essence, offensive attacks needed to climb a 45-60 degree hill, scale a 15-30 foot wall, fight off several hundred soldiers in the immediate vicinity, hold off cavalry, and dig in to resist inevitable reinforcements from the nearest garrisons. All this would only accomplish the satisfaction of the first line of defense in Roman-controlled England. The vallum, rocky hills that restricted trade to garrisoned gates in the wall, reduced the possible routes a southerly invading army could attack the countryside. The army would be channeled to the forts and barracks scattered throughout the country side with provisions ready for mobile warfare or siege.
     The Romans were military prepared for any possible attack their barbarous enemies could attempt. This is a summary of the major joints of strategy involved in the construction and defense of Hadrian's wall. Portions of this defensive system still stand today, neglected nearly sixteen hundred years.
     The Romans understood their own strengths and limitations. Taking advantage of travel roads, previous battles, and local geography, a defensive perimeter hindered attackers while aiding defenders. A regular rotation of troops kept soldiers fresh and morale high. Trade flourished behind the security of the wall, giving popular support to its upkeep. Extra security features were established behind the wall to account for any flaws or successful breaches that would either check the enemy shortly or provide sufficient time to allow reserves to enter the area.
     When strategizing in life, determine your strengths. Take advantage of your resources and circumstances. Account for your flaws and have secondary procedures prepared to alleviate possible failures. Most importantly stay vigilant as those that grow lazy in the watch suffer the hardest defeats.

 __    
Agatha Tyche

Consistency

Stability. Reliability. Assurance. Regularity. Loyalty. Reputability. Steadfastness. Responsibility. Faithfulness.
     The thing you can always count on to be the same. If you ever leave home for several months or a couple of years and return, people change, streets look slightly different, and trees get taller. However, there's that gem of a person, flawed or not, that you know will be exactly like when you left. Whether or not this person is a friend is irrelevant. Sometimes just having something stay the same makes the passage of time easier to bear since sameness grounds people. Change is constant, omnipresent, and unpredictable, but by having mountainous landmarks, a timeless sense pervades life that calms and eases reflection.
     Ignoring the accuracy of its stance on any issue, the Roman Catholic Church has been the most stable social institution in Western history. Established by the Roman emperors themselves, the church provided the unifying factor to Europe throughout its history. Kings and empires have risen and fallen while the church remains continuous despite several Schismic earthquakes in its past.
     With the pressure from humanitarians in the West today, the Catholic Church is criticized for being backward, out-of-touch, inflexible, and intolerant. While few would deny the Church has problems, the consistency which it faces opposition is safely reliable. Since Catholicism includes people from nearly every country in the world, a relatively small change in stance or doctrine to pacify one group may ostracize another. While the Church is no stranger to politics, the divisiveness its members have brought against one another presents an old threat. Spain, France, and Italy have rarely interacted agreeably (Spain has been a reliable ally of Britain against France), the Church has kept them united.

     In the age of hyphenated-nationalism, a unifying force should be welcome. One as inherited and popular as the Catholic church should be honored for its consistency. Many reforms have occurred both in the 1960s and 1990s which shows its understanding of cultural shifts. However, while Aristotle only needed a lever long enough to move the earth, the Church requires time, prayer, and tradition to effect change.
     Again, regardless of religious views, the Catholic Church has solidly held its beliefs with earnestness. When you hold down your own bunker of beliefs, don't be discouraged by a few bad raps or scattered criticism. Keep at it, press on.
     Need more examples of consistency? The most identifying part of countries: geography. Greece is characterized by steep coasts and scattered islands. Germany is known for the plains of central Europe. Egypt's Nile has remained steady for thousands of years in stark contrast to the desert. When travelling to other regions of the world, the thing first noticed once your eyes shift away from the odd clothing is the landscape. The exceptions to this are monuments of the past, the great buildings that demonstrate the wealth and power of local ancestors. Churches, stone defenses, and tombs hold the character of a people while standing unchanged for centuries.
     As Herodotus said, "Man fears time, time fears the pyramids."

 __    
Agatha Tyche

Pine & Repine

     A cyclic nature pervades many aspects of history and personal experience. While no technical history evinces the psychological process of pining, revolutions demonstrate this point markedly well. Pining usually refers to broken hearts in the matter of personal love. However, the term is defined merely as "to suffer a mental and physical decline." This broader definition, applied to political thought, reveals angst in the heart of the people. It is nigh impossible for human society to stagnate levelly; growth or destruction occurs in varying degrees. Economic charts, particularly, have sharp peaks with slopes going up or down, never level. This is true with international and personal relations as well. The more time spent with something, the inclination towards it will increase its desirability or decrease into apathy, possibly hatred if conditioned.
     Humans pine for causes. Whether the overarching cause of justice, democracy, freedom, revenge, or imperial superiority, some desire fuels the ambitions. Eventually this cause loses its passion, and people pine for the fervor that once easily possessed the masses. The cause remains, the purposed hearts fade, the effects diminish, and the conclusion holds wasted, unfruitful efforts. Likewise in the world of love, the initial interest peaks, involvement elaborates, and over time, discontent upsets the balance creating an emotional state reminiscent on past passion.
     As vehemence dies with many goals unfulfilled, new steps are taken to ensure the fire's brightness, usually at a cost to its heat. As the virgin passions fade farther into the past, nostalgia for that first driving force kick-starts another bout of energy as the participants remain pining for better times. Unfortunately, passion-driven societies are usually filled with turmoil and violence.

     Polybius analyzed Rome's system of government as Carthage fell in 146 B.C. He determined that the republic system was the most capable manner of delaying the inevitable cycle of tyranny typical of Greek monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. People and power mix poorly. Inevitably, oppression ensues as time betrayed the Roman republic into an empire.
     The most recent example to attract wide-spread attention over several weeks are the revolutions in North Africa. The Egyptian revolution yanked power back from the political leaders in attempts to undermine the corruption that discontented its citizen-subjects. However, the coop failed on several counts, and the new system will likely totter into its predecessors tracks before too long.
     The most famous example of pining for better times where money for food was not snatched from the hand of the poor to feed the luxuries of the rich is the French Revolution. The focus of the entire bloodbath initiated with more equality for the middle class to socially escalate to the standing of nobles within the Second Estate. As the various groups of the middle class gained control, none successfully retained power for a long period. The famed Reign of Terror held France for over a year but succumbed to its own paranoia. Finally, arising from ten years of rubble on Parisian streets, Napoleon solidified the government by becoming a monarch in principle though the title remained incognito for several early years. Thus, France's desire to establish a democracy ended with the establishment of a new monarchy with many in the populace satisfied with new found glory.
     The question then becomes was anything achieved by the revolution - or any revolution - if the end result is a near-mirror image of the instigating circumstances? People's contributions give a sense of personal touch, influence, and hope attached to the new regime of whatever system is established. Thus, satisfaction is achieved by and large. However, as time passes and the original founders fall from power or pass away, those less involved in the revolution repine for the glory that their predecessors achieved. This cyclic discontent for the nostalgia of power engineers' interactions of all people in the modern world.
     Pining does apply equally to both love and politics, but the lessons learned by each application vary in accordance with time, culture, and involvement. The joys of accomplishment aid the present but will ultimately overthrow pleasures of the future as its brightness and potential seem to fade against the stark fires of revolution instigated by the hearts of those pining and repining for a better life.

 __    
Agatha Tyche

Sapid Alterations

     The origins of nearly everything can be a thrilling journey of investigation. If the knowledge has already been secured by another in the past, an interactive lecture on transitional philosophy and historic political motivation rapidly inspires the power of time over the culture of humanity. However, if the path remains untrodden, the exploration may be undertaken by any that wish to link current circumstance with the fluctuating uncertainty of the mists of time.

     The origin of words fascinates a great many people. English began its descent from the Germanic tribes that gradually mixed Celtic and some Welsh words into a comprehensive linguistic exchange. Several centuries later, the French exerted their influence especially on the highest end of sophistication with trade and food. A thousand years hence, modern speakers combine elements of all these events and converse with merely the bones of its pure, initial form.

     The origin of nations and political alliances may also be an interesting study. For a thousand years the British hated, opposed, and attacked the French. With the advent of aggressive Germanic policies preceding World War I, these two peoples allied together and remain cooperative even a hundred years later. The complexity of circumstances that lead to this reversal has not entirely affected the peoples as a whole since even after the second world war, France resisted British membership in the newly formed European Community (predecessor to the EU of Europe today and which the English are, for now, a part).

     The origin of history itself interests some as well. Herodotus, credited with being the father, is the first recognized man to record events assimilated from sources outside of mythology. While opinionated and poorly researched from differently biased perspectives, the processes of gathering and sharing knowledge has powerful precedents. When Alexander the Great conquered the Persians less than a hundred years later, he made sure to keep a historic recorder in his company to ensure the victorious tale’s continuance. Napoleon, inspired himself by Alexander, kept a historian within the camp of his army, and the French are credited with the establishment of the modern form of historic research and recording. Humans as a species seem fascinated with records. The Egyptians and Sumerians meticulously recorded business transactions and religious ceremonies. Their supposed predecessors even recorded their daily viewing of animals on cave walls.

     No one can escape the past – whether it is forgotten or not. Influences all around us began as miniscule ideas, no matter how long ago, and succeeded in embedding and affecting generations through their establishment. The present is here to influence the future just as the past has done for the present. To understand the scope and progression (or regression) of any matter in life, one has but to look to the past. The answers may not always be evident, but a close corollary can almost always be found.

     Subtly in daily life and the gradualization of most changes dulls our notice. Just as you hardly take note of the length of your hair until it is past your eyes, the hum drum processes of life easily accumulate, twisted away from their original form, but easily recognized by the steady watcher.

     Part of the joy of life is in comparison – with others, with our past, with the pasts of others. Take notice, record the distinctions, and strive to inspire and influence the future generations that look back at what was, long ago, the present.

    __    
Agatha Tyche