by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Comprehensive Analysis, Defining Life
There remains in science and other segments of society (the legal & art critic communities) a conviction that objectivity is a worthwhile goal. We see this in our legal system where entire cases are thrown out because of a smidgen of faulty evidence. We see this in our art system where critics approve or reject artists based on self-aggrandized opinions. Judges and critics are expected to be objective and thus fair. The question then becomes, is it possible to be truly objective? One scientist says that objectivity is a myth. Richard D. Jarrard wrote a eBook called Scientific Methods which elegantly and convincingly argues that objectivity is a myth. Does this mean that we should no longer have judges, lawyers, and critics? No. Jarrard reminds us that we all need to become more aware of our own biases. By being aware and accepting our limited perceptions, we then focus on what is relevant and necessary. The goal is not objectivity so much as to fully disclose and accept that our perceptions of law, art, or life in general is based on uniquely skewed and reinforced experience. Once done, then we move onto making the best judgments and decisions we can, […]
by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Quotations
I have had disagreements with a few of my friends about parenting styles. It appears that amongst most North Americans there is a practice of friendship development with children. One friend told me that he does not believe in giving an allowance because his kids can come to him anytime for money. Also, he does not want them to work when they are in university because that is time of study and he have time to relax and have fun. He wants to be friends with his kids and wants their lives to be as easy as possible. Another friend I was speaking with has adult children living at home with her and they make her frustrated because of their poor work ethic, their laziness in keeping the house clean, etc. She was reluctant to say something because she was worried about upsetting them. I could not understand this. It appeared she confused respect with love. She could always love them as a parent, but she also should expect them to work to earn her respect. I explained to her that her children as they currently were behaving were not worthy of respect. They must instead learn to respect her, […]
by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Defining Life, Quotations
One of the things I remember from my deceased father was his advice to not worry if people do not like you. He emphasized that if somebody should not like you, that was their problem. There was little you could do to make somebody like you if they did not want to. I took this advice to heart. During my school years and even to today, I really don’t concern myself whether people like me or not. I know that it is impossible to control somebody else’s thoughts, so I don’t bother worrying about them. I don’t worry about my reputation and don’t worry about my social standing. It is very liberating. But that does not mean I don’t care about other people. In my job as a Social Worker and in my spiritual life, I believe very strongly that it is important to care about others. The question is what is it we are to care for in others. I would say that we need to care about how they feel, not what they think. I value feeling over thinking, because feeling is much more primal and is better remembered. I have experienced this in both business and in […]
by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Defining Life, Human Condition, Meaning of Life, Quotations
I am convinced that personal responsibility is the single most important decision facing humanity. I see evidence of this in humanity’s relationship with the great spiritual masters such as Buddha and Jesus. Assuming that we accept the premise that these masters were also great teachers, we must ask if it is the teacher’s fault if the student does not practice what is taught. Buddha taught for about fifty years and was highly revered as a teacher. Yet despite all his efforts there has been, and will continue to be, people who cannot or will not take his teachings to heart. This proves to me that students have the birthright of personal responsibility. Taking personal responsibility is the basis of every sound business, every helpful psychological system, and the every mystical tradition that the world has ever seen. It is simply the crux of everything.
by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Comprehensive Analysis, Institutional Learning
After twelve years of schooling, plus two university degrees and a four-year business certificate, I have lots of experience with the Education System. I am not alone as there are lots of people who have lots of letters behind their names to reflect educational attainments. The Education System is vibrant and always expanding. It is now possible to get certificates in everything from being a beautician to being a health care attendant. We have so many options, it can be overwhelming. Variety and choice is a wonderful thing, but do we actually get what we pay for when it comes to Education? My biggest problem with our Educational System, from grade school all the way to doctoral studies and the ever-expanding range of certificate programs and vocational diplomas, is that because it run by institutions who dictate what needs to be learned, but the actual usefulness of the information is questionable. Based on my own experience and the reports from my spouse and all of the professionals I have worked with, the university education we received was not helpful in their ability to do their job. We all came out with an institutional framework that was completely inadequate to working […]
by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations2 commentstags: Change of Mind, Human Condition, Political Opinion
I used to be a socialist. My parents were once members of the New Democratic Party and I was indoctrinated in its principles when I attended University. My professors in Political Studies, Labour Studies, and Social Work routinely criticized our privately-owned capitalist market system talking about how exploitation was at its root. As a student I believed that to fix the world we needed to change the system and that Socialism was the solution. Yet, in my exposure to Rudolf Bahro, I realized that Socialism was fundamentally a materialistic philosophy. It did not recognize our relationship with the planet or between each other. According to Socialism, the purpose of life was for each of us to share as equally as possible the material wealth of the planet. I rejected Socialism by helping establish the Green Party in Manitoba since I was attracted to the Green philosophy that all things are interconnected. Despite the rise of green thinking Socialism remains a constant force in Canadian society. Canadians and Manitobans are proud of their publicly funded health care system, which demonstrates that the majority believes in Socialism to a limited extent since health care is easily our most socialistic program. I have […]
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