Comments on: My Politics & My Philosophy http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/ part of the problem since 1976 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:02:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jon http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2618 Jon Mon, 23 Apr 2007 07:24:36 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2618 May I suggest some reading from <a href="http://www.akpress.org/" rel="nofollow">here</a>... May I suggest some reading from here…

]]> By: Joy Renee http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2615 Joy Renee Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:12:12 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2615 I've been interested in this same line of thought since age nine when a classmate who was the son of one of my Dad's bosses, harrassed me on the playground with some version of: "Be nice to me or my Dad will fire your Dad." Thoughout those same years our family dinner table was monopolized by my Dad's fretting about work, I began to notice how tired he was when he got home and how unhappy he seemed to be every morning at breakfast. About that same time I began to understand that my Dad's job was what put the roof over my head and that dinner on the table and the clothes on my back. It was distressing to say the least. The same theme has permeated my marriage. My husband has hated most of his jobs. And I am currently nearly as dependent as that nine year old because of visual impairment and other health issues that make me less than desirable as an employee in the more traditional venues. Which makes me feel as much a burden to my husband as I once felt to my father. Again, quite distressing to say the least. I have been reading in economics, sociology, philosophy and spiritual traditions with an eye for explanations or solutions to this for the last seven years. A project now impinged on by the recent closure of our local library system. Another economic and social problem that is quite distressing!! To say the least. Meanwhile, I continue to struggle to not feel apologetic for asserting a right to exist and live joyfully in the face of a social and economic system that seems to see me as having negative value. A burden which could be, according to the underlying philosopy of the work ethic as it is currently manifested, be sluffed off without moral qualms. Distressing, yes? I’ve been interested in this same line of thought since age nine when a classmate who was the son of one of my Dad’s bosses, harrassed me on the playground with some version of: “Be nice to me or my Dad will fire your Dad.”

Thoughout those same years our family dinner table was monopolized by my Dad’s fretting about work, I began to notice how tired he was when he got home and how unhappy he seemed to be every morning at breakfast.

About that same time I began to understand that my Dad’s job was what put the roof over my head and that dinner on the table and the clothes on my back. It was distressing to say the least.

The same theme has permeated my marriage. My husband has hated most of his jobs. And I am currently nearly as dependent as that nine year old because of visual impairment and other health issues that make me less than desirable as an employee in the more traditional venues. Which makes me feel as much a burden to my husband as I once felt to my father. Again, quite distressing to say the least.

I have been reading in economics, sociology, philosophy and spiritual traditions with an eye for explanations or solutions to this for the last seven years. A project now impinged on by the recent closure of our local library system. Another economic and social problem that is quite distressing!! To say the least.

Meanwhile, I continue to struggle to not feel apologetic for asserting a right to exist and live joyfully in the face of a social and economic system that seems to see me as having negative value. A burden which could be, according to the underlying philosopy of the work ethic as it is currently manifested, be sluffed off without moral qualms. Distressing, yes?

]]> By: Jon http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2479 Jon Wed, 11 Apr 2007 08:18:27 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2479 Thanks! I am surprised I was chosen, actually, but happy nonetheless. Thanks! I am surprised I was chosen, actually, but happy nonetheless.

]]> By: Nancy http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2297 Nancy Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:15:24 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2297 I am down w. your philosophy. Too bad more people are not. Here from T13 Carnivel. I am down w. your philosophy. Too bad more people are not. Here from T13 Carnivel.

]]> By: Nancy http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2296 Nancy Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:14:37 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2296 I am down w. your philosphy. Too bad more people are not. Here from T13. I am down w. your philosphy. Too bad more people are not. Here from T13.

]]> By: Marcia http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2287 Marcia Tue, 03 Apr 2007 17:31:47 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2287 "My politics is not comprised of -ists who adhere to -isms. My philosophy is concerned with the contents of my daily life; with improving said contents according to the the measures of joy, beauty and un-symbolism and un-mediation. So there!" Well put, Jon. Glad you were chosen for Thursday Thirteen's first carnival, I had missed this post. “My politics is not comprised of -ists who adhere to -isms. My philosophy is concerned with the contents of my daily life; with improving said contents according to the the measures of joy, beauty and un-symbolism and un-mediation. So there!”

Well put, Jon. Glad you were chosen for Thursday Thirteen’s first carnival, I had missed this post.

]]> By: Jon http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2281 Jon Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:53:18 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2281 Thanks for stopping by! Thanks for stopping by!

]]> By: Jon http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2280 Jon Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:52:45 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2280 Yes, that seems to be a universal hope and want, but as I explore throughout this little website, a growing number of people are not achieving those goals, and I try to explore why that is, and what changes we can make to our daily lives, social structures and political systems to do so. Yes, that seems to be a universal hope and want, but as I explore throughout this little website, a growing number of people are not achieving those goals, and I try to explore why that is, and what changes we can make to our daily lives, social structures and political systems to do so.

]]> By: Coffee 2 go http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2278 Coffee 2 go Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:38:32 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2278 I´m here via the 1st T13-Carnival. Congrats on being featured in this edition and thanks for sharing your interesting thoughts. Please keep up the good work! I´m here via the 1st T13-Carnival. Congrats on being featured in this edition and thanks for sharing your interesting thoughts. Please keep up the good work!

]]> By: Carol http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2262 Carol Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:10:14 +0000 http://jontillman.com/2007/03/27/my-politics-my-philosophy/#comment-2262 Interesting post. I hope we all get meaning and fulfillment from both our work and our daily interactions with others - although I know that many don't. Interesting post. I hope we all get meaning and fulfillment from both our work and our daily interactions with others - although I know that many don’t.

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