Maintaining values is an important part of my life. I have developed most of my values through traveling the world and studying philosophy. My rural American West and Christian up bringing has significant impact on my worldview. I continue to develop my value system as I work through the complexities of the modern world through reasoned discourse and philosophical study. Below are some of the codes, commandments, people and books I turn to for wisdom.
Christ’s Commandments
“Love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
John Locke’s Natural Rights
“The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions and when his own preservation comes not in competition, ought he, as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and may not, unless it be to do justice on an offender, take away, or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, health, limb, or goods of another.”The Two Treatises of Civil Government
Code of the West
Live Each Day with Courage
Take Pride in Your Work
Always Finish What You Start
Do What Has To Be Done
Be Tough, But Fair
When You Make a Promise, Keep It
Ride for the Brand
Talk Less and Say More
Remember That Some Things Aren’t For Sale
Know Where to Draw the Line
Stoicism Principles (N.S. Gill)
Nature – Nature is rational.
Law of Reason – The universe is governed by the law of reason. Man can’t actually escape its inexorable force, but he can, uniquely, follow the law deliberately.
Virtue – A life led according to rational nature is virtuous.
Wisdom – Wisdom is the root of virtue. From it spring the cardinal of virtues: insight, bravery, self-control, and justice.
Apathea – Since passion is irrational, life should be waged as a battle against it. Intense feelings should be avoided.
Pleasure – Pleasure is not good. Nor is it bad. It is only acceptable if it doesn’t interfere with our quest for virtue.
Duty – Virtue should be sought, not for sake of pleasure, but for duty.
Influential Literature
Bible
For A New Liberty
Wild at Heart
Mans Search for Meaning
Atlas Shrugged
Road to Serfdom
Human Action
The Obstacle is the Way
Meditations
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
Idols For Destruction
Cowboy Ethics
The Problem with Pain
Mere Christianity
Euthyphro
No Treason
Influential People
Jesus Christ
My Parents & Grandparents
Thomas Jefferson
Ludwig Von Mises
Murray Rothbard
Socrates
Dr. Viktor Frankl
King Solomon
Ayn Rand
Blaise Pascal
William Wallace
C.S. Lewis
King David
Marcus Aurelius
Lysander Spooner
John Locke