The Global Liberty Community
Decent People Matter
Only decent people matter.
Although there are more decent people than any other kind, they are seldom recognized and one seldom hears about them. It is because decent people are not featured in main stream media news. They do not cause trouble, do not commit crimes, and seldom do anything that would call attention to themselves.
It’s not because they are shy (although some are) or ashamed of what they do, it’s just that they are not very concerned with what others think about them. They are busy working to support themselves and their families, and when they are not working, they are taking care of their property, or busy with family activities or simply enjoying what they have earned, building things, hunting, fishing, dancing, reading, studying, or visiting friends.
Decency comes in every imaginable color, shape, size, and look. There are some looks it does not have, however. It is never slovenly, never slathered with tattoos and bits of metal hanging from every imaginable part of the body, and the clothes fit and do not look as though they are ready to fall around the ankles, and do not reveal parts of the anatomy no one else wants to see.
Sometimes decent people make mistakes when they are young and must bear some of the consequences of their youthful indiscretions for the remainder of their life, even though they are some of the most decent people. Decent people learn from their mistakes. Decent people do not judge others for their mistakes, they made their own.
There are some surly decent people. Perhaps they don’t feel well. Most decent people, however, are not only courteous, but friendly and enjoy being helpful when they can. Nevertheless they are private people, jealously guarding the intimate details of their lives which they only share with those they love. They are equally mindful of other’s privacy and would never think of interfering in anyone else’s life or business.
One reason you do not hear much about decent people is because they do not participate in demonstrations, protests or other public displays of crudeness, ignorance, and belligerent arrogance. The decent regard all such political activism as nothing more then trouble-making, which is what it is.
Though decent people are the most important people in the world, there will never be a, “Decent People Matter,” (DPM) movement, because decent people do not participate in movements. Decent people know they must earn whatever they have, and actually produce something of value if they are to be recognized as individuals whose lives matter. They are the only ones whose lives do matter.
Do you think that means I’m saying no one else’s life matters? Well, nothing gets by you, does it?
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Ross Brown - Living The Pursuit July 28, 2016 , 9:55 pm Vote0
Decent according to whom? Who decides what is “decent”?
And, by the way, I personally know tons of decent people who have participated in a movement. I previously led a volunteer 501(c)4 grassroots organization, and we decent people met no fewer than twice each month for 4+ years and organized numerous projects to impact our local and state communities.
Randall Chester Saunders July 29, 2016 , 8:50 am
@livingthepursuit
“Decent according to whom? Who decides what is ‘decent’?”
According to me, Ross. I decide, because it’s my article and the whole article describes what I consider decent. I only consider those who earn their own way and enjoy their life as well as they can because they have earned it decent. I only consider those who keep their noses out other people’s business and do not cause trouble decent. I only consider those who take full responsibility for their lives and choices decent. I only conside those who provide for their own, raising their children as well as they can, if they have any, decent. I only consider those who never seek what they have not earned or merited decent.
I do not consider community organizers, like Barry Obama, who has never produced a thing of value in his life decent. The decent people I know (which I do not measure by weight) are too busy producing and achieving things of real value to attend meetings for some “non-profit” organization.
From the Autonomist’s Notebook:
“Non-profit means producing nothing of value, at least not any value anyone would willingly pay for. There is hardly a more obscene name any human action could be labeled with.”
Randy
RidgeRunner July 29, 2016 , 9:16 am Vote1
re: race
The Illusion of Categorical Identity
http://multiracial.com/site/index.php/2001/04/01/the-illusion-of-categorical-identity/
More here:
Mind and Matters: The World in a Mirror by Delmar England
https://commonsensical.liberty.me/mind-and-matters-the-world-in-a-mirror-by-delmar-england/
Kevin Victor July 29, 2016 , 10:48 am
@martinfisher
I’ve read that article before. Any more info on this dude’s work—Delmar? Very obscure but penetrating.
RidgeRunner July 29, 2016 , 11:22 am
@bitvictor Unfortunately, he’s long passed. There’s one more work of his that I’m familiar with: Insanity as the Social Norm http://www.anarchism.net/anarchism_insanityasthesocialnorm.htm
Ross Brown - Living The Pursuit July 29, 2016 , 8:45 pm
@saunders “The decent people I know (which I do not measure by weight) are too busy producing and achieving things of real value to attend meetings for some ‘non-profit’ organization.” What about people who go to church? What about people who participate in political parties? What about people who attend fundraisers for private charities?
I hope we’re cool — I’m just asking questions for sake of starting conversations!
Randall Chester Saunders July 29, 2016 , 9:41 pm Vote0
Hi Ross,
“What about people who go to church? What about people who participate in political parties? What about people who attend fundraisers for private charities?”
I do not judge others or their motives. I believe most people are terribly mistaken about where they spend their rescources and abilities, but everyone must live their life as they choose. I consider all the things you mentioned, church, political parties (especially), and fundraisers a waste of human resources, but so long as they are not my resources I have no complaints.
“I hope we’re cool — I’m just asking questions for sake of starting conversations!”
Not to worry, my friend. If we all agreed on everything, how dull that would be. I’ve lived a very long time, and almost no one agrees with me, which for the most part I only find entertaining, I never expect to change anyone else’s mind, nor do I really want to. I’m only interested in the truth, which everyone must come to on their own.
Randy
Ross Milburn July 29, 2016 , 11:49 pm Vote1
Randall, who would have guessed that, under that bloody-minded individuality, you have such a sentimental heart? I’ve got to go with the crowd on this one and give your piece 99% admiration. On the last 1%, “decent people don’t join movements,” I have to go with Ross Brown (not that all Ross’ think alike!). But the gorgeous, and probably decent, girls in your photo look a bit like they belong to the church choir to me. I hate to break the news, but we are a social animal, and we decent folk sometimes need to stick together and try to prevent the bad guys totally ripping us off.
Randall Chester Saunders July 30, 2016 , 9:54 am Vote2
“Randall, who would have guessed that, under that bloody-minded individuality, you have such a sentimental heart?”
You’ve almost found me out, Ross. It’s not sentimentality (which I despise) but romanticism. I am, and always have been, helplessly and radically romantic. I believe in heroes and heroines, especially heroines, not of the movie, television, and novel sort, but those individuals who love life and its adventure of possibility so much, nothing stands in the way of their enjoyment of it.
These lovely girls express exactly what I mean. The one on the left is the epitome of feminine grace and charm, poised and comfortable in the world that she belongs in and that belongs to her. The laughing girl in the middle expresses that innocent limitless happiness of one thoroughly enjoying her life. Above all I love the insolent impertinence of the girl on the right, defying anyone or anything that would attempt to stand in the way of her joy. I’d love to be there when you tried to tell her she’s a, “social animal,” and that she should join some insipid collective movement to save the world from bad guys. I’m afraid she’d regard you as one of them, though I certainly do not.
I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if those girls do “belong to some church choir.” If they did, I’d be delighted to hear them sing. It would at least be music and there is always something of a victoriously romantic sense in many hymns and spirituals I enjoy, and I would be able to understand every word, (which one cannot in most of the cacophony that goes by the name music today) even though I would probably disagree with every one of them.
When I said, “decent people don’t join movements,” it was of course rhetorical. I should have said, “ideally, decent people don’t join movements,” but we all do things imperfectly, decent people sincerely do the best they can. Almost everyone I know “belongs to something,” by their own choosing, and they all know I don’t join anything. It does not affect our personal relationship at all, and I do not mind at all that most of them write me off as a hopelessly stubborn curmudgeon, because we still love each other for all that.
So have you community movements or other collective efforts to defeat the bad guys and when you finally get to the front you’ll find I’ve been there all the time.
Rugged Individualist July 30, 2016 , 5:24 pm
@saunders
“These lovely girls express exactly what I mean. The one on the left is the epitome of feminine grace and charm, poised and comfortable in the world that she belongs in and that belongs to her. The laughing girl in the middle expresses that innocent limitless happiness of one thoroughly enjoying her life. Above all I love the insolent impertinence of the girl on the right, defying anyone or anything that would attempt to stand in the way of her joy.”
You’re joking — right?
On what FACTS do you base your assessment?
Randall Chester Saunders July 30, 2016 , 7:49 pm Vote0
Hey Rugged,
“You’re joking — right?”
No, I’m not joking.
” On what FACTS do you base your assessment?”
What “assessment?” I wasn’t assessing anything, I was making an illustration of what independent individualism and true romanticism are, and I used these three lovely girls as the visual for that illustration.
Perhaps you’re joking. I hope you are.
Randy
Ned Netterville August 2, 2016 , 11:11 am Vote0
@ “Decent people do not judge others for their mistakes, they made their own”
Good point, however I would shorten that statement in light of the wisdom of a carpenter from Nazareth to read, Do not judge! In this article you do a lot of judging. I think the wisdom in not judging at all is that it is impossible for anyone to know what is in the heart and soul of another.
Randall Chester Saunders August 2, 2016 , 1:19 pm
@nednetterville
Hi Ned,
“Good point, however I would shorten that statement in light of the wisdom of a carpenter from Nazareth to read, Do not judge! In this article you do a lot of judging. I think the wisdom in not judging at all is that it is impossible for anyone to know what is in the heart and soul of another.”
You contradict yourself. You say, ‘do not judge,” then immediately make the judgment about me, “in this article you do a lot of judging.”
In fact, I did not judge anyone. I only describe the difference between those who are decent and those who are not. I did not ascribe those characteristics to any actual people, as you did me.
I think you have also misunderstood your Carpenter. The verses in Mat. 7:1-5 and Luke 6:37-42 do not say one should never judge. It says, “judge not that ye be not judged,” and the context is clearly about hypocrisy, judging others by a standard higher than one’s won practices.
I reject all superstitions and accept no authority except reality, nevertheless, I do not mind if others use what believe as authority to make their points. However, one ought at least to know what the Bible teaches before using it as a basis for an argument. Do you think Paul contradicted Jesus?
Paul wrote, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” [I Tim. 5:20] Wouldn’t one have to judge someone a sinner before rebuking them? How about, “And if the house be worthy, let you peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” [Mat. 10:13] Doesn’t that require a judgment, not only about individuals, but whole households and cities? How about, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work neither should he eat. for we hear that there are some who walk among you disorderly, working not at all but are are busybodies.” [II Thess. 3:10-11] Is that judgemental?
If it’s not. Neither was I.
As for what’s in one’s heart. It doesn’t matter at all. One may have the loveliest heart in the world, but if the pick up a rock and break a store-front window and carry away the display goods, they are a thief. I’d gladly make that judgment.
Ned Netterville August 2, 2016 , 6:14 pm Vote0
Hi Randall. Thanks for thoughtfully responding to my comment.
You say, “In fact, I did not judge anyone.”
Then you say, “I only describe the difference between those who are decent and those who are not.”
You contradict yourself. The difference is a matter of your judgment. Who or what is decent or not requires judgment. You make a judgment, as I confess I did. Seems making judgments is almost impossible to avoid. But I think even without the full context, Jesus’ admonition to “judge not,” is good advice. It would have saved both of us from contradicting ourselves.
@”I think you have also misunderstood your Carpenter. ”
That thought sounds awful close to another judgment, and it is clearly based on so little evidence as to virtually ensure it being wrong. I was aware of the entire quotes and the full context in both gospels when I used it. I do not think my use of it in abbreviated form distorted nor misrepresent it as it stands in the entire passages.
I do think our hypothetical example is too contrived to prove your point. One with decency in their heart does not steal another person’s property. And in the example you use you may be wrong in your judgment that the window breaker is a thief. What if the display goods were stolen by the store owner from the person breaking the window? A bit rash in methodology, but perhaps fully “justified” by circumstances.
@”Do you think Paul contradicted Jesus?”
Yes, I do. So your comments on Paul’s epistles demonstrates what? I presume you are aware that among first-century scholars there is a strong consensus that 1 Tim. is pseudepigraphic and a weak but nevertheless a consensus that II Thess. is too–according to John Dominic Crossan in IN SEARCH OF PAUL.
Randall Chester Saunders August 2, 2016 , 9:04 pm
@nednetterville
“That thought sounds awful close to another judgment …”
Of course it’s a judgment. Do you really not know the difference between making a judgment and judging people?
If you think it is wrong to believe people who are a real value to themselves and others matter and that people who are nothing but a threat to others do not matter, then you do. We’ll just have to differ on that. I wish you well.
Ned Netterville August 2, 2016 , 11:42 pm Vote0
Randall, it was a judgment of my understanding of Jesus and/or of the Bible. I’m people. You were judging me. People who sport tattoos include some decent people. God bless you.
Randall Chester Saunders August 3, 2016 , 3:33 pm
@nednetterville
“You were judging me.” Well, I wasn’t but I don’t care if you want to think so.
“People who sport tattoos include some decent people.”
My father had a tatoo. He was young, went to a strip show with some buddies, got drunk, and got a tatoo. Then he grew up, got decent, and married my mother.
“God bless you.”
There is little danger of that.