June 18, 2009 | Credo

This is a work in progress, ever-maturing and ever-evolving; in summation, a “living document.” It contains many of my beliefs, code of ethics, and what I am looking for (and into) in life.

Belief and Faith

Why, when I talk about faith, do you always assume I’m talking about God? — Shepherd Book, Serenity

I believe in myself and in the abilities of those that I surround myself with. I endeavor to surround myself with intelligent people of varied backgrounds, as this is the best way to develop myself as a human being. I focus on my strengths, but endeavor to know my weaknesses and develop means to deal with those. I believe in working as a team, where everyone’s strengths are leveraged for a common goal.

Oh, and I do not believe in deities, plural or singular; I place faith in that which has been proven. I place my faith in people and in science.

On People

We are all alike, on the inside. — Mark Twain

I endeavor to treat everyone fairly with humility, integrity and respect. Everyone has a story that I do not mind listening to; everyone has a lesson to teach you, you just need to be willing to learn something from it. Even if it seems small and insignificant, or merely reaffirms your belief system, or even makes you rethink your opinions.

I am a trusting person, until that trust is betrayed. This being stated, I’m not a blindly trusting person, certainly when I know of facts that run contrary to what I’ve been told.

Once I get to know you, I will then determine whether or not to continue a relationship with you. If you are a drama queen, user, liar, brigand, master manipulator, whore, or two-faced scumbag, then I do not care to have anything to do with you. That sounds quite mean-spirited, but I do not have time for these types of succubi.

On Work

What work I have done I have done because it has been play. If it had been work I shouldn’t have done it. Who was it who said, “Blessed is the man who has found his work”? Whoever it was he had the right idea in his mind. Mark you, he says his work–not somebody else’s work. The work that is really a man’s own work is play and not work at all. Cursed is the man who has found some other man’s work and cannot lose it. When we talk about the great workers of the world we really mean the great players of the world. The fellows who groan and sweat under the weary load of toil that they bear never can hope to do anything great. How can they when their souls are in a ferment of revolt against the employment of their hands and brains? The product of slavery, intellectual or physical, can never be great. — Mark Twain

If you do not enjoy what you are doing, then go after what you enjoy doing, with one exception: unless it brings harm unto, or interferes with the freedoms and responsibilities of, others. Do not let other people dictate your fate, or your place, unless you dismiss (to your inevitable peril) the aforementioned exception.

Whatever it is you are working on, do not strive for perfection, for it is a splendidly impossible concept to strive for (e.g. The Holy Grail). This does not give you lease to do a job poorly, or to be a flake, but do the job you take on, or are given, to the best of your ability.

Also, be honest with yourself… if there is something you cannot do, whether it be because of ethical constraints, the lack of tools, the lack of knowledge, or the lack of time, then say so. Remaining silent will only harm yourself.

On Responsibility and Behavior

We have an obligation to one another, responsibilities and trusts. That does not mean we must be pigeons, that we must be exploited. But it does mean that we should look out for one another when and as much as we can; and that we have a personal responsibility for our behavior; and that our behavior has consequences of a very real and profound nature. We are not powerless. We have tremendous potential for good or ill. How we choose to use that power is up to us; but first we must choose to use it. We’re told every day, “You can’t change the world.” But the world is changing every day. Only question is… who’s doing it? You or somebody else? — J. Michael Straczynski

I hold myself fully responsible for my actions. There is no one else who can do it but me. I understand that, regardless of what situation I am put into (or place myself into), I have a choice even if I was placed into a situation by chance. I may be unable to control the actions of others, but I have complete control of my actions.

Furthermore, I am fully responsible for my own outlook and behavior, regardless of how I am treated or what seemingly insurmountable challenges I may face.

On Friends and Relationships

As an atheist, I believe that all life is unspeakably precious, because it’s only here for a brief moment, a flare against the dark, and then it’s gone forever. No afterlives, no second chances, no backsies. So there can be nothing crueler than the abuse, destruction or wanton taking of a life. It is a crime no less than burning the Mona Lisa, for there is always just one of each. So I cannot forgive. — J. Michael Straczynski

Good people are hard to find. Period.

Everyone has an agenda, and I take that as a given as I have one myself. The difference between myself and others lies in these two aspects, how far and to what extent I shall go to achieve my goals. Some people find it worthwhile to trample other people’s hopes and dreams to achieve their agenda, but I do not—I cannot. It is simply not my nature to do this.

Be there for your friends, regardless of the distance. This doesn’t mean jumping on a plane when your friend trips and bruises their knee, but be there in whatever capacity you can when they need support, whether it be emotional, logistical or otherwise.

On the other hand, I’ve come to realize that you cannot save some people from their destructive habits. There are some who simply cannot be saved, as true salvation must first come from within—admitting that you need it and making that first step to obtain help.

On Learning

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn. — C.S. Lewis

Learning is not confined to a scholastic environment. To learn, to evolve, to mature, to grow into the person you are capable of being occurs every moment of every day.

Life is similar to school superficially: life’s pop quizzes are events that occur without warning, life’s lessons are taught through experience, life’s teachers are those people who you run into in life—regardless of the roles they play—and the final thesis is written by your biographer who is, more often than not, the person who writes your obiturary.

I learn best by putting myself in a situation outside my normal element, whereby I find out more about myself in the process. Most of the time, it’s pretty painful, but I endure.