Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

erner still romantically donning the confederate flag on the back of his pickup truck, who has no clue about his own convictions.However, I believe this judgment is coming from people who don’t understand the human condition beyond their own surface-level fears, are rather black-and-white thinkers, and the flip-side of that same “southerner’s coin”. It simply means that it’s unconstitutional to take and follow orders without due process and a general consensus. So here is what I mean by saying “freedom of choice”:1. Because I trust myself — I’ve gotten to where I am in life because of my ability to assess and take risks. I’m an entrepreneur, leader, trendsetter, discoverer, innovator, pioneer, and explorer: I do not like rules, limits, or requirements placed on me. It goes against every fiber of my being to follow rules and take orders without personal conviction. It is a sin. It’s going against myself. I will decide what’s best for me once I feel I have enough information or it’s coming from an already trusted source.“There are no rules here, we’re trying to accomplish something”2. Because I don’t trust others — The US government, major institutions, and corporations have proven time and time again to not have our best interest in mind. They are all appearing to be corrupt. Let me also go on to add my Mother, Father, Teacher, Wife, and every other human being I’ve ever met has lied to me at some point for their own self-interest. I don’t know how you just believe what people say. The powers that be do not give two-shits about you or any of us. They’ve fed us poison, cigarettes, viruses, and will lie, cheat, and steal from us every chance they get.“Trust but verify”3. Because without a choice we have nothing — It’s not about being selfish or insensitive to the needs of the greater good. It’s also not about putting on a silly mask. My not wearing one is simply saying,”Until I have more information I’m not going to comply with your requests”. Once you blindly take an order from a perceived authority, it gets to be a slippery slope. I mean think about what goes on in other parts of the world. How else do people eventually accept only being allowed a single child, the genocide of a race, or having their internet taken away? It starts small.“Give me liberty or give me death”<h1 id="ce18">Here is my list of still unanswered questions:</h1>1. Where did it come from? — Is this man-made, a Chinese weapon, a US conspiracy, a natural cause, etc.2. How is it contracted? — Is it airborne or not, does it die once exposed to sun, are we all going to get it?3. What are the effects of it? — Sick for a few days, a runny nose, or death?4. Who’s at risk here? — Are we talking old people, sick people, fat people, black people, white people?5. How big is the threat? — Are 5M or 50M people going to die, who exactly, and over what period?6. Who has an interest in this? — Who’s getting paid for this, what powers are at work here, where’s the conflict up top?— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —I’m sorry but without knowing the size of the threat, how can one properly prepare a defense? You can’t just adopt an attitude that says, “You can’t be too cautious”. Precaution is costly and yes you can be. Just look at the impact on our economy and the families and lives that are being negatively affected? There are costs to everything we do, and responding appropriately is important, responsible, sensible… it’s critical to our survival!It’s well understood that when people are scared they will give up just about anything. That includes going against one’s own better judgment, all just to be safe. It’s been the weapon of choice for all past, and powerful forces that have since failed. I understand there was a sense of urgency back in February and the enemy was relatively unknown. It still is to a large degree. But, with that being said I can only operate off the information I’ve since gained.<p i

Options

d="d6cc">At some point, all human decisions come down to one thing: The measure of pain vs pleasure one perceives from competing ideas. The pain of this virus was tremendous at first. It was going to kill half the population and in short order. Plus, the pleasure of sitting at home getting paid (more than while employed) was tremendous. However, after 4-months people are now running out of money and the virus is appearing to only be a fraction of the threat originally thought. With the death toll decreasing, and the losses mounting for those of us still living, I think we’re ready to swing the pendulum back in the other direction.What I can tell you is people around me are not dying, and it doesn’t appear I’m personally in harm’s way. I’m sorry to those who’ve lost loved ones. It is a sad reality that unnatural death is a part of life. I’ve personally known a dozen people or more with the virus, and they’re all just fine. That’s all I’m able to go off of.I wish we could trust the news, scientists, and our government, to provide truthful and accurate information, but we can’t. At the end of the day, it does come down to one thing for me: The pain of having to wear a mask outweighs the pain I associate with contracting the virus. This comes after assessing and determining the likelihood that I might get it, and the consequences that will come from having it. Public shaming included!Here’s where I’ll leave it: If you live in a major city, are transient, and/or often in close proximity with others, I suggest you wear a mask while in public (if for no other reason than to avoid the shaming), if you live in the suburbs and are entering a Home Depot on a Sunday morning with 5,000 square feet per person, it’s your call buddy. If you live in the country and people rarely travel outside of your town, don’t bother (I know, you aren’t). I’m no expert, just a common man trying to make his way in the world today. So take it for what it is. However, no matter where-the-fuck you live, if you are in your car driving, alone, with a mask ON, please make sure you find yourself a good and trusted leader for the duration of your lifetime. Preferably not CNN or the American President.As for me and my kind, we will keep a mask on-hand just-in-case we decide to catch a flight, things really do decide to take a turn for the worse, and/or the public shaming gets to be too much. On a side note, I thought we already learned the limitations of shaming people into compliance after the failure of Catholicism? Apparently not. I mean, didn’t they exaggerate the threat of our sins and get everyone to comply with twisted rules that only proved to serve their own sick agendas? Anyways… that’s a different topic I’ll save for another day.In the end, the “Mask Hill” isn’t one I’m willing to die on. I’m just asking the black-and-white thinkers out there to consider deeper questions and accept differences of opinion, as a way to deepen their conviction no-matter how they see it. This obviously isn’t about wearing a silly mask. It’s touching on a core principle that is the heart of America’s foundation. In the end, we don’t want everyone to agree, we just want respect, due process, and the individual freedom to choose how to live our lives.In 5-years from now, I suspect the world will be a better place and the lasting impact of COVID will be that people are more grounded, respectful, and self-aware. We’ll be more courteous when coughing, sneezing, and managing our bodily fluids. We’ll all be much better hand washers to go-along with having a brand-new anti-body. Remote work will become the norm and people will travel less often for business meetings. We’ll create memorials and shrines for those who were lost (in place of confederates) and never forget. Hopefully, we’ll also be a bit more sensible, humble, able to manage our emotions (fear), and be less reactive in times of threat. And less judgmental too! China will be held accountable and the US economy will be back to leading the world with a new President at the helm. And we’ll all live happily ever after, Amen!</article></body>

4 Reasons Why I Do NOT Wear A Mask

And then the real reason

1.Because I’m a selfish asshole.

2. Because I’m a sadistic son of a bitch.

3. Because I don’t value my life or the lives of others.

4. Because I’m an uneducated, narcissistic, sociopathic, ego-maniac.

Well, I wasn’t thinking of any of those things when I naturally found myself not wanting to wear a mask. However, seeing the outrage challenged me to dig deeper and attempt to understand why I didn’t personally feel the need to wear one. I tried to be open to the idea that parts of me possibly needed to mature and reconsider my ways. I mean after all, how hard is it to put on a “fucking mask”? While going through the exercise I also tried to not justify my actions. I just genuinely sought to know why I was choosing to not wear a mask, and here were my original, and natural responses:

1. They’re uncomfortable — Simple as that. I don’t want something on my face covering my mouth and trapping my breath. It looks hot and sticky, dare I say moist? Oh, and its 90-degrees and humid-as-fuck outside! Also, it appears you’re creating a cesspool on your face and mouth. Plus, I see people constantly using their dirty-ass hands to move them on and off their mouths and necks, and spreading germs about anyways. It’s gross!

2. I doubt the effectiveness — It might work for people in close proximity to one another who are coughing, sneezing, spitting while they talk, or whatever else they do, but aren’t we supposed to be covering all that shit-up anyway?

3. I don’t live in a “big city” — We are naturally “socially distanced”. I live in a city that is 40-square miles with a population of 60,000. This allows for 18,000 square feet per person. I rarely find myself “elbows to assholes” with other people and when I am in public places, I just give people a bit more space. I estimate a safe distance to be 2x the “personal bubble” we’re all used to (in America!). I’m sure that’s pretty close to the recommended 6-feet.

4. I’m young and healthy — I’m 39-years old, I run and work-out a few days a week, eat rather healthy, have never smoked (cigarettes), have low body-fat, and no major health issues. It doesn’t sound like I’m in the demographic that needs to be overly concerned with dying over the shit. Plain and simple.

5. I’m lazy and forgetful — I can’t go a day without losing or misplacing something. A mask is just another thing to keep track of, and I’m terrible at that. My wife spends an hour a week helping me to find my keys, phone, earbuds, and general way in life. I don’t need another item to keep track of.

6. I don’t hang around old people — I don’t find myself in close proximity with sick and/or elderly who are expressing concern with my being in their presence. They’re from a different time and they know that by coming out in public they accept personal responsibility. They wouldn’t ever think to play the victim or demand the world to change on their behalf. It’s almost as if they appear to be saying, “So what I’m 80, what’s the worse that can happen?”. It's rebellious. A brazen display of contempt for God, that they deserve for having survived so long. They’ve seen much worse than COVID!

7. I don’t live in fear— Whether it’s a virus, a car accident, cancer, or whatever else threatens our lives day in and day out, “when it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go”. Just a nice sounding laissez-faire attitude to live-life by, I guess.

“HEY, I thought you said you weren’t going to justify your actions?”

Okay, you’re right. So then, what is the real reason why I don’t wear a mask: FREEDOM OF CHOICE!

I know, I know. That phrase gets people riled up, and on the surface, can seem like regurgitated, patriotic bullshit. Or worse, like the cry from an ignorant southerner still romantically donning the confederate flag on the back of his pickup truck, who has no clue about his own convictions.

However, I believe this judgment is coming from people who don’t understand the human condition beyond their own surface-level fears, are rather black-and-white thinkers, and the flip-side of that same “southerner’s coin”. It simply means that it’s unconstitutional to take and follow orders without due process and a general consensus. So here is what I mean by saying “freedom of choice”:

1. Because I trust myself — I’ve gotten to where I am in life because of my ability to assess and take risks. I’m an entrepreneur, leader, trendsetter, discoverer, innovator, pioneer, and explorer: I do not like rules, limits, or requirements placed on me. It goes against every fiber of my being to follow rules and take orders without personal conviction. It is a sin. It’s going against myself. I will decide what’s best for me once I feel I have enough information or it’s coming from an already trusted source.

“There are no rules here, we’re trying to accomplish something”

2. Because I don’t trust others — The US government, major institutions, and corporations have proven time and time again to not have our best interest in mind. They are all appearing to be corrupt. Let me also go on to add my Mother, Father, Teacher, Wife, and every other human being I’ve ever met has lied to me at some point for their own self-interest. I don’t know how you just believe what people say. The powers that be do not give two-shits about you or any of us. They’ve fed us poison, cigarettes, viruses, and will lie, cheat, and steal from us every chance they get.

“Trust but verify”

3. Because without a choice we have nothing — It’s not about being selfish or insensitive to the needs of the greater good. It’s also not about putting on a silly mask. My not wearing one is simply saying,”Until I have more information I’m not going to comply with your requests”. Once you blindly take an order from a perceived authority, it gets to be a slippery slope. I mean think about what goes on in other parts of the world. How else do people eventually accept only being allowed a single child, the genocide of a race, or having their internet taken away? It starts small.

“Give me liberty or give me death”

Here is my list of still unanswered questions:

1. Where did it come from? — Is this man-made, a Chinese weapon, a US conspiracy, a natural cause, etc.

2. How is it contracted? — Is it airborne or not, does it die once exposed to sun, are we all going to get it?

3. What are the effects of it? — Sick for a few days, a runny nose, or death?

4. Who’s at risk here? — Are we talking old people, sick people, fat people, black people, white people?

5. How big is the threat? — Are 5M or 50M people going to die, who exactly, and over what period?

6. Who has an interest in this? — Who’s getting paid for this, what powers are at work here, where’s the conflict up top?

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

I’m sorry but without knowing the size of the threat, how can one properly prepare a defense? You can’t just adopt an attitude that says, “You can’t be too cautious”. Precaution is costly and yes you can be. Just look at the impact on our economy and the families and lives that are being negatively affected? There are costs to everything we do, and responding appropriately is important, responsible, sensible… it’s critical to our survival!

It’s well understood that when people are scared they will give up just about anything. That includes going against one’s own better judgment, all just to be safe. It’s been the weapon of choice for all past, and powerful forces that have since failed. I understand there was a sense of urgency back in February and the enemy was relatively unknown. It still is to a large degree. But, with that being said I can only operate off the information I’ve since gained.

At some point, all human decisions come down to one thing: The measure of pain vs pleasure one perceives from competing ideas. The pain of this virus was tremendous at first. It was going to kill half the population and in short order. Plus, the pleasure of sitting at home getting paid (more than while employed) was tremendous. However, after 4-months people are now running out of money and the virus is appearing to only be a fraction of the threat originally thought. With the death toll decreasing, and the losses mounting for those of us still living, I think we’re ready to swing the pendulum back in the other direction.

What I can tell you is people around me are not dying, and it doesn’t appear I’m personally in harm’s way. I’m sorry to those who’ve lost loved ones. It is a sad reality that unnatural death is a part of life. I’ve personally known a dozen people or more with the virus, and they’re all just fine. That’s all I’m able to go off of.

I wish we could trust the news, scientists, and our government, to provide truthful and accurate information, but we can’t. At the end of the day, it does come down to one thing for me: The pain of having to wear a mask outweighs the pain I associate with contracting the virus. This comes after assessing and determining the likelihood that I might get it, and the consequences that will come from having it. Public shaming included!

Here’s where I’ll leave it: If you live in a major city, are transient, and/or often in close proximity with others, I suggest you wear a mask while in public (if for no other reason than to avoid the shaming), if you live in the suburbs and are entering a Home Depot on a Sunday morning with 5,000 square feet per person, it’s your call buddy. If you live in the country and people rarely travel outside of your town, don’t bother (I know, you aren’t). I’m no expert, just a common man trying to make his way in the world today. So take it for what it is. However, no matter where-the-fuck you live, if you are in your car driving, alone, with a mask ON, please make sure you find yourself a good and trusted leader for the duration of your lifetime. Preferably not CNN or the American President.

As for me and my kind, we will keep a mask on-hand just-in-case we decide to catch a flight, things really do decide to take a turn for the worse, and/or the public shaming gets to be too much. On a side note, I thought we already learned the limitations of shaming people into compliance after the failure of Catholicism? Apparently not. I mean, didn’t they exaggerate the threat of our sins and get everyone to comply with twisted rules that only proved to serve their own sick agendas? Anyways… that’s a different topic I’ll save for another day.

In the end, the “Mask Hill” isn’t one I’m willing to die on. I’m just asking the black-and-white thinkers out there to consider deeper questions and accept differences of opinion, as a way to deepen their conviction no-matter how they see it. This obviously isn’t about wearing a silly mask. It’s touching on a core principle that is the heart of America’s foundation. In the end, we don’t want everyone to agree, we just want respect, due process, and the individual freedom to choose how to live our lives.

In 5-years from now, I suspect the world will be a better place and the lasting impact of COVID will be that people are more grounded, respectful, and self-aware. We’ll be more courteous when coughing, sneezing, and managing our bodily fluids. We’ll all be much better hand washers to go-along with having a brand-new anti-body. Remote work will become the norm and people will travel less often for business meetings. We’ll create memorials and shrines for those who were lost (in place of confederates) and never forget. Hopefully, we’ll also be a bit more sensible, humble, able to manage our emotions (fear), and be less reactive in times of threat. And less judgmental too! China will be held accountable and the US economy will be back to leading the world with a new President at the helm. And we’ll all live happily ever after, Amen!