What Monty Python forgot to teach us about the Meaning of Life

We were recently watching the captivating 1946 film The Razor's Edge when I came to an interesting realization. It came during an early scene in the movie.

Picture this......

It is right after World War I and the characters are all gathered at some "blue blood" country club. A few older and established people are surrounded by a group of gregarious young adults fresh from the excitement of war and college. The conversation centers on plans, positions, and who is going to arrange for so and so to get the nice position with the firm down town. Most of characters anxiously talk about the status, money, and sense of accomplishment that their new positions will offer. But there is one holdout, Larry Darrell, who seems to swim against the current. He is more concerned with deeper meanings and answers to life's questions, primarily why he his life was saved during the war and why his friend's life was taken. It is discovered that he turned down a perfectly good position in order to go to France and seek out his answers. Everyone else, particularly the older establishment, is shocked at his supposed irresponsibility and brashness in turning down such a lifestyle.

The movie spans several years and follows several characters. In the end Larry experiences the greatest calm and satisfaction while the others experience several ups and downs due to their lifestyles and materialism. At the end of the day position, money, and status did little to quench the human yearnings that all of us face.

Back to the present....

This is a scene that has probably played out in our very lives. Sometimes we fail to determine what things really do lead to the most fulfillment. Do we equate the safe job in the accepted community as the ultimate end to our quest or is there more? Where does the family fit into the entire quest for personal satisfaction? Do we short change ourselves by falling in line with societies expectations for our lives? What happens whenthe expectations of our community and own own personal ambitions don't align? Meaty questions indeed.

That scene stuck with me through most of the weekend. As I continued to mull over my satisfaction with my own life I recalled a book that I had recently read. It is titled the "Eight Pillars of Greek Wisdom" and I think I picked it up off the super, heavily discounted rack at the local bookstore. The author attempts to summarize the collective wisdom of ancient Greek thought into eight simple principles or truths.

I will share these principles. You can decide what role that they should play in your life. You can decide how important they are to you.

1. Humanism- The whole notion that humans have divine qualities. The fact that in Greek mythology the humans and Gods are so interdependent demonstrates their prevalent belief that human kind has incredible potential. Carpe diem man.
   
2. Pursuit of Excellence- A no brainer coming from the guys that gave us the Olympics. This principle goes hand in hand with #1. We have incredible capacity therefore everyday should be spent pushing ourselves to new heights.
   
3. Moderation- The fact that the phrase "Nothing in excess" was inscribed on the sacred sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi tells us of the importance that Ancient Greece placed upon this principle. We can see the wisdom of this idea today by simply looking around. Alcoholism, Addiction, Greed, Jingoism, Fanaticism, and Vanity are just a few of the dirty by-products of somewhat normal and noble things taken to the far extreme.
   
4. Self-Knowledge- Have you ever watched an episode of "American Idol" and seen one of those delusional kids trying to sing a pop song four keys and a pitch away from where it should be only to get blindsided by Mr. Simon Cowell's brutal honesty? While self-confidence is important it is downright unhelpful if it isn't tempered with a little self awareness. I do myself no favors by thinking that I have a realistic shot at becoming a cornerback for the Cowboys. Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses and focus on those things that you are good at.
   
5. Rationalism- You got to hand it to the Greeks, they gave us both passion and reason. Let us all learn from Athena's example and govern our decisions with sound reason and fact.
   
6. Restless Curiosity- Remember when you were a kid and anything was possible? I remember drafting a blueprint of my dream house, build a tunnel village in the backyard, writing a Congressman, and dredging for Gold all before the age of eight. Unfortunately age usually dulls that zeal by convincing us that it's just to difficult or impractical. To that the Greeks say get off your stupid couch and take notice of the world around you. Read a book on a new subject or try something new. They would definitely be strong proponents of our "Yes" list.
   
7. Love of Freedom- We need to be free to think and act for ourselves. None of the preceding virtues would really be possible if were not free to pursue them in our own ways. Freedom is one of the core values of the "American" way of life and many would argue the reason for why became great.
8. Individualism- The Greeks were the first to teach that the individual had power and worth, that the individual wasn't a subservient pawn in the hands of the state. To that end you should pursue your passions and interests, be true to thyself my friend.

These are incredible ideas. You've probably heard them in some form or another at a seminar or "self help" book. But they hold true. And when properly applied they help make our decisions more meaningful. Because it's one thing to become a doctor because of the status and income but it's something fully different to become one because it represents your passions and desire to help others. Because at the end of the day fulfillment comes not from a bank account or social standing but from a life lived with meaning.

Performing Live

Jodi and I have declared this the year of "Yes". Each week we seek out to do something new, challenging, and out of our comfort zone. It has gone well and provided a new and more colorful texture to the daily grind.

I've had something I've wanted to do for a long while....perform some of my music to a live audience, or at least one that wasn't a reflection of myself in the mirror. I've written several songs and even made an attempt to record some of the simpler ones. But I have never really performed them in front of a group of living and breathing people. This past Thursday I mustered up the guts to do just that at the Fiddlers Dream.

A few things about the selection of the Fiddlers Dream for the performance:

• It is affiliated with the Quakers so I figured that this would be a very tolerant and accepting place.
• It's main patrons are ex-Hippies in their middle ages. Once again a very open, accepting, and "mellow" group.
• It is basically a big wooden shack behind the Quaker compound....making it a far cooler venue then some random Coffee House or Book Store.

It's a pretty straight forward affair. Every Thursday night they have an open mic type of thing. The first 20 people put their names in a hat and the order is randomly selected. You have 8 minutes or two songs and the whole thing lasts a couple of hours. As expected I was one of the very last people in the rotation. That gave me ample time to second guess myself and for my nerves to turn soft and gooey.

Most performing and in attendance were veterans of the scene. This is their little club and they all had their following and routine down. About half of the performers also do this semi-professionally by doing festivals or concerts throughout the valley and region. There was one dude, think Caucasian Tommy Chong, who broke up the performances with a bit of stand up.

Eventually my time came. The crowd, knowing that I was a 'first-timer' was especially supportive. I took my place on the stage, introduced myself, and tried to focus on the songs and not the crowd. Strangely enough it worked. I sang "Peace Comes in the Morning" and "What I'd Say". My biggest concern was my voice and the high notes of the song. Fortunately I was able to get that down without killing the key. The only thing I wish I could have changed was the tempo. My nerves were still gangly and the pace of the songs sped up to match the thunderous beat of my heart.

I got the two songs done in the allotted amount of time and received a great response. I'm sure most of it was a courtesy response but I'd like to think that a couple of people enjoyed what I had to play. I left the stage satisfied that I finally did something that I had wanted to do for a long time.

I'm realistic and realize that my music will probably never be played by anyone other then myself. But that's not really the point. This music means something to me and I have felt a sort of obligation to write it and record it. It would just suck to have all of those songs sit there on the tip of my tongue without trying to record and bring them to life. The performance was an icing on the cake to prove to myself that I have the fortitude to do it.

I don't know if I will try many more live performances but I'm glad I said "yes" to the challenge and stepped on to the stage. If anything I learned that the greatest stuff in life comes by stepping beyond your normal self.

Randomizer Volume V Series I

Because life just continues to get more and more random.

• I just finished the Malcom Gladwell best seller "Outliers". The book seeks to uncover the complete circumstances surrounding outstanding events or people. It is a great and quick read in the same vein as Freakonomics. Anyways, at the essence of the book is the fact that most succcesful people, or outliers, had a series of fortunate events or circumstances that made their path to greatness that much easier. Whether it was Bill Gates happening to grow up at a time in which the computer was just begining to take shape and in a town that happened to have one of the finest and most accessible super computers or the fact that most of the top Canadian hockey players happen to be born at the beginning of the year in order to make team cut offs; success is as much surendipity as it is effort and talent. Upon reading it you will want to take account of your own life and see if you perhaps missed out on an opportunity or relationship that could have drastically taken your life in a different course.
• There's an old man named John that I run into at the gym whenever I work out in the morning. He's a stocky old marine with a bright, white flat top. He wears a pair of sturdy support stockings that make him stick out from the traditional crowd. He has left an indelible mark on me. In the past month of observing him I've noticed that he has the most consistent and cheerful demeanor. I've seen him struggle with a few things but those challenges never dull his smile. On my way out today he saw me and motioned me over to his car. He had a trunk full of lemons from his tree. He offered me a few as well as a great recipe for lemonade. I could learn a lot from him and hope to ask him out for lunch next time our paths cross.
• I've been told that Ulysses by James Joyce is one of the classics of the 20th century. I remember trying to read it in high school after I heard Bono mention his name once in an interview. It was impossible to read and I soon gave up. Every few years I make a feeble attempt to it up and every time I quickly close it back up. I'm going to try once again. Maybe this time I can make it past Chapter 3.
  

Distinguishing between Greed and Capitalism

It hasn't been a good several months for proponents of free markets, minimal government intervention, and deregulation. According to the pundits the current economic malaise that we are mired in is a direct result of a system that was unchecked and corrupt. Take a look around you and you are literally awash in examples of individual greed, corporate irresponsibility, and short sightedness. Here are just a few:

• Mr. Bernie Madoff creates an elaborate hedge fund that is nothing more then a Ponzi Scheme. He manages to to destroy $50 billion dollars and the financial security of thousands of lives before anyone is able investigate.
  
• The tarnished titans on Wall-Street who led the way in rampant risk taking accept government money and then continue to their lavish ways (bonuses, retreats, etc...) as if they were still living in 1999.
• Government officials and lobbyists beholden to the siren song of Saudi dollars. (Read "Sleeping with the Devil" for details)The very people on Capital Hill who condemn the acts of greed that take place on Wall Street are themselves getting kick backs from the special interests who pay for their votes.
  

We could literally fill up pages of stories like this. Tales of Enron only make it that much easier for the jaded public to accept possibilities of increased government intervention and populism. As someone who heeds the capitalist way I have to admit that these astonishing tales of corruption make me openly wonder if I should replace the pin stripes of those Brothers Brooks for the working man's trousers of the people.

I think that it is important that we all take a deep breath and not over react. I think we need to determine whether or not it is possible to separate the pillars of capitalism from its deranged brother-in-law, greed. Adam Smith taught us that it is the thousands of independent self interested people working to better their station that forms the invisible hand.

Is it wrong to want to take care of your family and get ahead?
Are there acceptable limits to greed?
Should we be compelled to share our abundancy with others?
What role should the government play in managing wealth distribution?

I don't know what to think. I know that I don't want half of my pay check going to a government that might use my money on programs that I don't agree with. I also think that corporate greed needs to be reigned in. It can safely be assumed that corporate ethics are a thing of the past. Short sighted self interest is a trait that is here to stay and firmly entrenched in our psyche. It's all about getting in getting rich and getting out. I even saw this tendency at BYU as hundreds of grads would line up to worship before the Gods of Goldman, Lehman, and Bain. The invisible hand of Mr. Smith has grown some serious nails that have become rather sharp and need to be trimmed.

So I humbly ask what needs to change in order for capitalism to be fixed? Can it be fixed or should we rely on government to reign in greed? But then again who is to say that the government doesn't become too greedy with its power?

I'm a fan of history and there's one thing that has remained constant. You truly can buy anything in this world with money. Everyone has a price. Best intentions can always be justified for the right pay off. Greed isn't just the American way, it's human nature.But greed has an especially firm grip on our nation right now. Right now it appears that individual Americans and entities are in the stranglehold. Since we can't trust government to loosen the grip are we capable of doing it ourselves?

These next few years will be very telling. It's a shame that I don't have a number for any good oracles because I'm anxious to see how this thing plays out. Thanks a lot Gordon Gekko. You suck. You've paved the way for another Wesley Mouch.

Phoenix from some new perspectives

According to my photography books the best pictures are taken in the early morning. Here are a couple of pictures taken at dawn just outside of Fountain Hills followed by a couple of panoramic pictures taken from Camelback Mountain.

Fountain Hills

Camelback