I Think, Therefore I Write.

I am an ardent proponent of the belief that educating yourself means empowering yourself.  I have basically spent the past year of my life living by this concept and plan to until the day I leave this world.  I’ve pored over endless tomes and works, many of which are overlooked today due to the misconceptions that they are “outdated” or “irrelevant”.  I’ve read the likes of Adam Smith, John Locke, Sir Thomas More, Karl Marx, Ayn Rand, Thomas Hobbes, and John Stuart Mill to name a few, not to mention multiple books on the history of America and its governmental institutions, such as the Federal Reserve.  I’ve begun to explore every possible corner of economics, political philosophy, general philosophy, and history.

Some may ask why I’ve spent so much time and effort on these particular subjects, or at least on nearly ancient writings regarding these subjects.  My answer to those people: I contend that one cannot truly know where they are going or where they are currently if they do not fully understand where we, as the human race, have been.  It is the foundation upon which we build our future.  Just as a captain would not set sail without a detailed sea chart, we would not, should not, leap into the waters of Tomorrow without a map of our own, one our ancestors had a direct hand in creating.

I also believe that the only way to truly know where you stand on a particular issue is to know every argument, every side.  How else will you defend your position?  How will you suppose to even know your position to be True if you have not examined all facets of contemplation?

These are the reasons I have embarked upon this philosophical journey; to broaden my mind, to better understand our world and how it works, to empower myself.  I know that for the path I seek to travel down as I embark on establishing a career, I will achieve no feat, large or small, if I do not ground myself in Truth, Reason, & Knowledge.  I hesitate to deem myself a “philosopher” lest I sound pretentious or lofty in my musings, but I do indeed seek the Truth via study of various philosophies and histories.  I don’t presume to know everything, and I do not intend to pick up an “all-knowing” facade.  I’m merely living and learning, utilizing this blog to chronicle my journey.  I’ll review books I read, discuss various philosophies and viewpoints (including my own at times), and document my travels that correlate to these topics (I’ll soon be moving to D.C. this September for a few months).  

I don’t expect many people to read this, and that is perfectly okay.  I am mainly doing this as a reflective tool, but if people start reading along the way, that is all the better.  

Knowledge is one of the best tools we can possess.  It is subtly carried and easy to conceal, none too much of a burden, but most deadly in the slaying of outright lies and mockeries of human existence when wielded in tandem with Truth & Courage. The best part about Knowledge is that it is gained at no cost to us if we choose to seek it out for ourselves. It is absolutely free.  Time spent harvesting knowledge is not a cost, for each second utilized in gathering information is compounding the amount of information in one’s brain.  One is constantly bettering themselves and their futures.  

That being said, what I have essentially been trying to communicate through this introductory post is: welcome to this blog.

More personally, welcome to my journey.


-Brad