Embracing Spinoza

I just finished reading Betraying Spinoza by Rebecca Goldstein. It is a wonderful book that focuses on Baruch Spinoza's philosophy and Baruch Spinoza the man. In describing Spinoza's philosophy, Ms. Goldstein writes:

It is the self-deceptive fabrications that emanate out of these two weaknesses in our human nature - self aggrandizement and death terror, both of them aspects of our own frightening and incurable finitude - that account for the fearsome force of the superstitious forms of religion "It is fear, then, that engenders, preserves and fosters superstition," observes Spinoza in the preface of his Tractatus Theologico-Politicus. Spinoza distinguishes between religion, which he endorses, and superstitions, which he condemns. Superstitions, as opposed to religion, offer us false cures for our finitude. They make us believe that we are more cosmically important than we are, that we have bestowed on us - whether Jew, or Christian, or Moslem - a privileged position in the narrative of the world's unfolding. And they make us believe that we can, if we have jumped through the right hoops, live on after our bodily deaths.

Spinoza also wrote:

Superstitious persons, who know better how to rail at vice than how to teach virtue, and who strive not to guide men by reason, but so to restrain them that they would rather escape evil than love virtue, have no other aim but to make others as wretched as themselves. Wherefore it is nothing wonderful, if they be generally troublesome and odious to their fellow-man.

Spinoza’s ideas still resonate today and it is unfortunate that mankind has not progressed very far in its thinking in the 350 years since Spinoza lived. Perhaps the world would be in a better state today if it had embraced Spinoza’s form of rationalism.

God and Field Hockey

My wife and I had a wonderful weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia thanks to my in-laws who watched our daughter for the weekend. We stayed at a great inn outside of Charlottesville in a picturesque setting, walked around the Downtown Mall, and had some great meals. One of the dinners was at a restaurant on Main Street in Charlottesville. It was in an old townhouse and our table was on the second floor with two other tables. Needless to say this is designed to be a quiet and intimate setting where one's voice volume should be moderated. Unfortunately, we were sitting next to some fundamentalist Christian Bush voters who felt compelled to talk about their religion at high volume for nearly two hours. Except for a slight diversion when it was declared that the New York Times was run by communists, all my wife and I heard was talk about the Scriptures, the Resurrection, the love of money is the root of evil, you cannot serve two masters, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseam. The topper for me was when one of the women was talking about a tense e-mail exchange and then phone conversation with her daughter's field hockey coach at the University of Virginia. The conflict was resolved and the woman declared that it was "God's provision." Lady, I have a news flash for you, even if there is a God, and I have some big questions about that issue, I certainly do not think that he is getting involved in women's collegiate field hockey. And by the way, God is also not getting involved in NFL football, who wins the lottery and Presidential elections. If, as some people think, God put George W. Bush in the White House, then God needs to be fired because he has some really piss poor hiring skills.

No Fear

On this 5th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we all should take a moment to remember those who perished. We also should hope for the best for the families of the victims; the firefighters, police officers and other emergency responders who lost their comrades; and the thousands of others who still feel the effects of the attacks today both physically and emotionally. More importantly, all Americans should honor our fallen countrymen by not giving into fear. When we live in fear the terrorists win. When we give up our rights for the sake of security the terrorists win. When honest and open debate is quashed the terrorists win. On that fateful day five years ago, while lives were lost and buildings were reduced to rubble, the American spirit survived. The terrorists will never win as long as we do not let fear destroy that American spirit that still lives within each one of us today.

Still Made in the U.S.A.

Globalization and outsourcing are an unfortunate part of economic life in the United States. It saddens me to hear stories of factories closing, jobs being moved abroad, and dedicated American workers left with few viable job options after devoting many years of their lives to the companies that employed them. However, the story is not all doom and gloom because there are still American companies that are successful because they treat their workers well and build quality products in the good old U.S.A. A very informative and entertaining show that features such American companies is John Ratzenberger’s (Yes, Cliff Clavin from Cheers) Made in America on the Travel Channel. John Ratzenberger travels around the country in his customized motor home visiting factories and shops making American products. Each episode usually features three companies. Last night, my wife and I were watching the episode that featured Caterpillar. It was truly amazing to watch how those monstrous bulldozers and other heavy equipment are manufactured. It was even more impressive to hear the President of the company talk about how employees come out of high school or college and then work for Caterpillar their entire careers. Caterpillar’s dedication to its employees was evidenced by the granite wall with 150,000 names inscribed on it, representing everyone who has ever worked for the company. Wal-Mart may be helping its bottom line by having things made in China but Caterpillar and the dozens of other companies featured on the show are wonderful examples of American pride and that a Made in the U.S.A. label is not a relic of the past.