And this is my second political philosophy paper. Not nearly as good as the first. And I didn't finish it becuase class started and it was due. But I find it interesting.


The Grand Inquisitor expresses the view that what people really want in life is happiness, achieved through material means. People don't want freedom, honor, choice, or responsibility. They want food. They want peace. They want substance. People would prefer being a well fed, secure slave than a free person, with all the responsibility that comes with choice. The Grand Inquisitor goes so far to claim that if you love mankind, you won't make men be free. You will save them from their responsibility, provide everything they think they need to be happy, and control them completely. To the Grand Inquisitor, this is how to provide the masses with happiness.

This essay raises interesting questions about what people really want. Do people want happiness, or do they want freedom? Is happiness possible without freedom? And what is freedom worth, if it doesn't provide a path towards happiness? While it's easy in any discussion to race about the wonders of freedom, the general view of freedoms place in society may not be a realistic one. Throughout history, politicians and philosophers have claim that freedom is a necessity of life, and that people want freedom. But is that really what people want? Just look at some recent events in American politics. The war on terror has made people scared, they don't feel secure, and so they are giving the government more and more power so they can be protected. Look at the American economy. We've got a mixed economy, where we give the government control over our economic freedoms, so that we can be ensured a basic standard of living. We give up our freedoms for bread. And our economy is one of the freest economies in the world. It's in my own life as well. One of the reasons I came to Webb is because I didn't have to deal with the responsibility of choosing a major, and choosing classes. I gave up freedom in my academic career in order to avoid choice. This is something that occurs over and over again in society. But is it what people want? Who can really make this judgment? People scream and yell over their right to freedom, but when it comes down to action, people choose peace, and possessions, over freedom on a regular basis. And who’s to say whether this is a right choice or not?

It sounds noble to say you fight for freedom, and I know the ideals of freedom appeal to me immensely. But what is freedom worth? What's the point of being free? This is not an easy question to answer, yet it seems that freedom is necessary to make life meaningful. Because what's the point of living a life, however happy, if you aren't free? If you aren't making any choices, can you consider your life your own? I believe that in order for life to have any meaning, any value, it must be a free life. Because a slave, a true slave, isn't really a human in any important way. They are a machine that does what they are told to do, is happy when they are told to be happy, and is sad when they are told to be sad. Freedom is what lets a person be a person, makes them unique, because each person will make their own, personal choices. It's our freedom to choose that gives us our humanity. So while the Inquisitor might be correct that people don't always want freedom, but that doesn't mean that if we love them we should save them from their own freedom. For saving someone from their freedom is the same as denying them their humanity, their value.

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This is why I love Harry Potter. It makes you think about things that you never would otherwise, yet once you do you realise how important they are in history, and in today's society. The though that's in my mind: voluntary slavery.

It's easy to say slavery is absolutely wrong, it today's society. From a purely theoretical issues, it's the most obvious thing in the world. Slavery is an absolute moral and ethical wrong, and anything any everything should be done to stop it. These are easy things to say. It's easy to condemn slave holders as well. Who doesn't, now a days? I know I've thought about how they're all really just evil people, and that society has progressed past that point, that we've changed, and are inherently good people now, completely different than 150 years ago. But I shouldn't judge them like that. Because I can't understand them. I don't know what it was like. And you cannot judge without understanding. It's comfortable to say slavery is wrong. You know that no one will disagree with you. It's what we've all been taught from day one of our lives. To me, slavery is unnatural and evil. It has always been that way and will always be that way. It's natural for me to condemn it, and to condemn anyone who allowed it to exist, especially those who fostered it's existance. That's natural for me.

But what if it wasn't? What if I grew up in an era where slavery was natural? Where it went against my instincts to say slavery is wrong? Where if I made such a claim, not only would I feel ostracized from everyone around me, and be completely excluded from and shunned by society, but it would feel wrong to me? What if it was going against everything I knew, and everything I was taught, to condemn slavery? That's a thing I could never imagine. I could never imagine slavery being comfortable. That is, I could never imagine. Thanks to J.K. Rowling, now I can and do imagine it. And it scares the shit out of me. Because I don't know what I would do.

Think I'm being crazy? Think I'm exposing the bigot inside of myself, that's been hiding there all along? Think this is a reflection of my southern raising? Ask yourself, when you were reading Goblet, did you think Hermione was being annoying. Did you think, well, maybe she's right, but why make such a big deal of it? Didn't Harry's responses to S.P.E.W. seemed reasonable? I'd be lying if I say I didn't. I completely sympathize with Harry. The house elves don't want to be free. You shouldn't force freedom on them. And it's such a pain. It's not hurting anyone to enslave house elves. It's in their nature to serve wizards. I get what Harry is saying completely. I understand it. It's probably what I would think. And that scares the crap out of me. Absolutely scares the crap out of me. Because I'm saying a form of slavery is OK. Maybe not preferable, maybe it would be better if they weren't enslaved, but there enslavement isn't all that bad.

But what do you do when people want to be enslaved? Hagrid's got a point when he says that it would be doing them a disservice to free them. It is an insult to their character. They don't want to be free, except for the rogue weirdo like Dobby. It's ignored a lot that a significant amount of American slaves wanted to be slaves. They felt it was their position in life, and it was wrong to put themselves in any other position. Yet, we like to say, looking back all high-and-mighty-like, that they were brainwashed. But what if someone truly enjoyed slavery? Who are we to say that that happiness is articifical and meaningless just because they don't have freedom? Ya know, maybe they've got things figured out. Maybe it is the most pleasing, most fulfilling life. To be taking care of others, making sure they have what they need. And to be taken care of yourselves. Never forget, when thinking on slavery, that the slaves are taken care of. The house elves are given food, given shelter, and anything else they needed to survive. It is much the same with American slaves as well. They were provided for in many ways that they could never of done on their own. Granted, it is the slaves that brought in the profit that allowed the slaveover to take care of them. But certain things would never of been accomplished without the symbiotic relationship between the slave and slaveowner. The house elves need wizards. And wizards need the house elves. And we call this unnatural? Why am I comfortable with slavery when it is presented in a fictional context and completely appalled with it when it is presented as history? And don't say it's because I know one is fiction. Because fictional characters mean so much more to me than historical ones. Dobby's plight touched my heart more than any story of an American slave has. Yet I find it alright to have a character that I care so much about, that touches me so much, to be enslaved. Why? Because they want it. But does that make it right?

Can you force freedom on someone? Is freedom the right thing for everyone? In American society, it's just an unquestionable thing that freedom is good (at least when people use those terms). It's the founding principle of this nation, and it's embedded in the souls of all Americans. At least, it's embedded in my soul, and that's naturally how I judge all Americans. But what is the point of freedom? I've always thought freedom was a necessity of happiness. You couldn't be really happy without freedom. But what if you could? What if freedom is just one path to happiness? Isn't it possible that serving others is another way? The house elves don't view themselves as enslaved. They think they are serving others. Who are we to call that enslavement, with all the negative connotations that comes with it? Yet, who are we to control the lives of other living beings, absolutely and completely. Do people have the freedom to choose not to be free? Is it not tyranny to force freedom onto people? Or is it just forcing people to take responsibility for their actions?

I don't have any answers for these questions. They are simply in my head, seemingly impossible to resolve. And while thinking about them, I'm forcing myself to think about the house elves. Because I'm comfortable with their enslavement. It seems alright, okay. And I know that that is the situation in which you need to most ask these questions. Because then they are easy, theoretical questions. They are real questions, with real implications (cause house elves are real!!!). And they are hard questions to ask.

You may be wondering why these questions matter. That our society has already solved these questions, one way or another. But these are extremely relevant questions in todays society. Just look at the trend to give up our liberties for greater security. It's everywhere these days. And it's the same essential debate. People giving up their freedoms, because they want to. It allows them to have more security, feel safer in their lives. Should people be allowed to do this? Should people be allowed to give away their freedom? (Their freedom, not everyones freedom). That's such an odd question, in so many ways. I wish I knew the answer.

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It's weird that I'm so happy. I've never really been like this. I mean I've been happy before, don't get me wrong. But I've never been really really happy. Like deep down type happy. I mean even at the happiest times in my life, I've always been insecure. I've always been afraid of something, been upset by something. Because that's the natural course of life. Rarely is someone happy about everything. Yet recently, it's as though nothing can bother me. My self-confidence has been boosted like crazy. I've boosted by own self-respect. I've stopped putting myself down so much (at least to myself, in a serious manner). I've worked through a lot of things that have really been bothering me this past year. I've figured it all out, found my answer.

So I'm going to stop. Stop being destructive to myself. It's become a habit for me recently. To hurt myself in one way or another. Always for "good" reasons. To help someone else. To make myself better. But really, I shouldn't of been doing such things. Like, since this year started, I've been trying to loose weight, and prolly in not the healthiest way. I'm going to stop doing that. It's not worth it. I'm going to be healthy again, to stop being so destructive to myself.

Because I am happy. I don't need to change myself, for myself or for those around me. I like me as I am, I like my situation as it is. That's something I've never really said before. So from now on, hopefully, you'll see a happier me. At least in all the important ways. Deep inside, I'm happy.

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I've become obsessed with fantasy art. Especially Linda Bergkvist and Jessica Galbreth. I don't know what it is about this type of art, but I can't stop just staring at it. It's absolutely fascinating.

It takes you to another world. That sounds so cliche, yet it's so true. It's like seeing my emotions put down on paper. In art. It's the same feeling you get when you hear a really good song, a Billy Joel, Bob Dylan type song. Those songs that just move you. That's what fantasy art has become to me. It moves me to a world of emotion, pure, unlimited emotion. Where it's okay to be afriad, it's okay to be mysterious, it's okay to be a little dark sometimes.

I'm looking at the print of Dark Enchantment that I got. I've seen this picture so much, yet even now, it's hard to keep my eyes away from it, to look at the screen and type this. The mystery. The beauty. She's totally calm, completely sure of herself. And the eyes call out to you, a pool of possibility hidden behind two white eyes. They call out to you to take you to another place, another world. Away from the mudane world of ours to a world of fantasy. A world of wonder, of enchantment.

Come little children, I'll take thee away
Into a land of enchantment
Come little children, the time's come to play
Here in my garden of magic

Gotta love Hocus Pocus. But seriously, how much more awesome would it be if we lived in a world of fairies and dragons and nymphs and elves. Witches and Wizards. Aes Sedai. All the cool things you read about. I love dreaming about such things. My mind lives in a world of fantasy, even if I do not. That's something at least. You may think I'm being crazy. You may thing I'm losing touch with reality. I call it enjoying myself. I know whats real, and I know what's not. And I know there are things between, that you can't prove don't exist. And it's fun sometimes, to imagine. To dream. To pretend. We lose a lot when we grow up. We lose the innocence of childhood. But much more important, we loose the imagination of a child. I think we should all try to gain that back. To fight for our imagination. Because it can make everyday a good day. May everyday a wonder.

To see Beauty in everything around you. And if you can't see it, to make it. And if you can't make it, to imagine, to believe in it. That is my goal. Beauty. Wonder. Mystery.

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Everything is meaningless. And for me, that's a comforting thought.

There is no ultimate plan. There is no set purpose, set goal. This makes me happy. Most people, through all the ages, have always searched for meaning. It's why so many people turn to religion, for meaning. That's why people study philosophy. It's all a search for meaning in life. So many people seem to want life to mean something, to have a purpose. Yet I'm so glad to realize that it doesn't.

Having a meaningless life means that I can do whatever I want with it. No one is going to judge me when I die, and say no, you failed. I'm not forced into a life that I don't necessarily want just because it seems 'right'. I am living my life just for my own pleasure, and nothing else. I'm not living it for notoriety, I'm not living it for a cause. I'm not living it for some eternal blessing. I'm living just for me. That and nothing else. And it feels so great. I can do what I want with my life. If I want to have fun I can have fun. If I want to work I can work. If I want to curse, and yell and scream, I can curse and yell and scream. Granted, I have to deal with all the earthly consequences of my actions. But there are only earthly consequences. No eternal being is going to damn me for living an enjoyable life. I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. I'm going to enjoy life.

I also love that this is all that there is. The idea that there is no afterlife is incredibly comforting to me. The reason? It makes this life important. I mean think about it, if after this life you go on to some eternal, infinite life, how does this one even compare. This one is incredibly insignificant in comparison. And if we keep living mortal lives over and over again, what does one really count? Not much. But if this is all we have. If this is it, and then we go back to the periodic table, well damn, this is IT! It's important. It's all we got. So LIVE IT WELL. If this life is all I have, I sure as hell aint gonna waste it. I'm going to make every moment could count. Because any could be the last. And I mean the LAST. Not just the last before something else, but the real last, absolute end of everything. So make this worth it. Love what you have now, because it's all you'll ever have. Make this life everything you could ever want.

Yes, I think my views are comforting. They make this life important, but without a directed goal, a set path you must follow. Make this life wonderful, in whatever way you want. That's my view on things. And I like it. For once, I like my views. They make me happy.

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I'm trying to be less spiteful towards the world.

It amazes me that even in communities that are "anti-oppression", with all those free-thinkers, there is still so much discrimination. But it's a new form, at least new to me. It's discrimination against the majority. It's one thing to not be in the majority, by choice or my fact, but it's another entirely to hate the majority solely because it is the majority. That's just as spiteful, just as harmful, as hating the minority just because they are different. And this isn't some rare occurance. It happens everyday.

How many times have you heard someone say all Christians are bigots? That all Christians hate everyone who isn't Christian? I hear it all the time. In fact, much more than I ever see Christians going off on other people, I see other people victimize themselves and so put all Christians in the role of victimizer. Yet that's so not the case. You want an example? The one person who has been most open about my spirituality, a devot Roman Catholic. The one person who has been most closed-minded about it, a fellow Atheist. I've never once heard an atheist say anything less than derogatory towards a Christian. Not once. Yet, being an atheist, I never once had a Christian ever say anything derogatory to me. Not once. And that's not for lack of chance. God knows, I get in enough religious conversations to get them plenty of chance.

Yet even I'm guilty of being angry at someone because they are in the majority. But I've finally realized it's because I'm jealous of them. Sometimes I wish I was in the majority. It would be nice if people assumed you were atheist, unless otherwise noted. Instead of assuming you were Christian unless otherwise noted. And I'm not talking just religion, that's simply the easiest example because it's got nice labels (yes I just said that). It IS nice to have most of society on your side for once. I miss that greatly. I'm jealous of those who have that. It's tiring to always be different.

But I can't let jealousy rule me. So I'm trying to stop being so spiteful to the majority. I'm trying to stop being so judgemental. I can't know someone by the name they call themselves, by the book(s) they read, even by what they say of themselves. So I'm trying to stop. Because I've been way to judgemental lately, and it's caused me to be bitter towards the world. And I don't like being bitter. I like loving everyone and being happy-go-lucky. So, I'm working on it.

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