Am I missing Something?

[NJCubScouter 1389]

OGE, your post made me think of something I had previously thought about Wheeler, but didn't write at first.

 

And that is this:

 

It's ok to think you're smarter than everyone else around you.

 

But if you let everybody KNOW you think that, you'd better be right.

 

And even then...

[mk9750 11]

Wheeler,

 

Producing men of the type you desire is not a purpose of the Scouting program.

 

HOWEVER, if you compare the men the Scouting program produces with that of the general population of men in the USA, I think you'd have to agree that men who were Scouts in their youth come closer to your ideal than do the others.

 

Could the BSA help make their youth members even more like your ideal man than they do now? I'm sure they could. But to do so means sacrificing other parts of the program, and other desired results of the program. I think I can speak for the majority of the posters here and say that we are not interested in such a trade off.

 

Mark

[scoutingagain 20]

"When a man has a serious outlook, he participates in serious things. When a man has an "I want to be amused outlook", then that is what he searches for. "

 

"My joy is in reading and learning and not making money, so I have to trade off. "

 

Wheeler, I'm curious as to how you reconcile your current condition of poverty with the above statements. You are obviously intelligent, yet choose to work odd jobs and are clearly capable of more intellectually challenging work that would pay more.

 

You complain that some young men avoid serious work and you scold them for their laziness. Yet you avoid serious work yourself. It is easy to avoid a responsible job with deadlines, responsiblities, accountability etc. and hide from real life in a series of low level positions. Yes life is tough. One of the things scouting teaches us though is to live up to responsibilities and one's potential. You can sit in libraries, read, quote numerous philosophers, but how do you contribute to society? How do you improve it? I suspect you work enough so you do not collect government assistance, but you strike me as someone who could contribute much more than just not being a burden to society and having us read through your intellectual musings. It is not about seeking monetary wealth, but contributing to society as effectively as you can. I've read through much of what you posted and find little that appears coherent or is of much value to me. I have learned a thing or two, but it has not been worth the effort to wade through your lengthy posts.

 

All are welcome here in these forums as long as you respect the rules. I will continue to read your posts. I would like to hear how you, as a healthy adult man, can contribute to society and help make it better. Your service as a Marine is certainly a big contribution. I don't wish to sound rude, but I think you have it in you to do more than take up cyberspace.

 

 

SA

 

[WHEELER 10]

A definition of Effeminacy, I did the research and presented it. You have all learned. How valuable is that? This education you will never learn at any of the universities or colleges.

 

The philosophy department at Berea College would not let me into the department. Even with my transcripts from Rome, NO go.

 

Conservative websites are now noticing a trend in many colleges and universities that discriminate against them by giving lower grades than their peers and other things. Is there discrimination out there yes.

 

Is obscurantism wide spread? Sure is.

 

Did you not learn what virtue was? how valuable was that? Free information. Now you can give a correct and rewarding definition to the boys?

 

Just like Socrates before me, sent to sting awake.

 

Didn't I say we needed a more scientific approach with more knowledge of a science of manhood?

 

"On my honor I will do my Best" What Best? To stay ignorant? Is the attitude here on this website the same attitude that the U.S. Military has? One doesn't win on the battlefield with mediocrity.

 

The Marines win because they are the Best. Is that the attitude of the BSA? Do we want to be the best or slime like the rest?

[Laurie 10]

Well, Wheeler, what I have learned is most likely NOT what you set out to teach.

 

"Is obscurantism wide spread? Sure is." Hmmm...like when you are asked direct questions in response to a rambling post that is unclear, and you respond with more quotes that still don't make your point clear?

 

If you were to come into my home, proceed to tell me how to run it and tell me how valuable you are in doing so for free, I would kick you out promptly and without apology. However, these forums are not mine; I too am a guest. You might think the difference between us is that you are a learned man with valuable information to pass on while I am slime (since I don't agree with you, and it's your way or be slime like the rest). From where I sit, the difference is that I am willing to learn while actually working in the program, but you are not willing to learn about or take part in the program you proclaim to know how to improve.

 

Your own words actually make you out to sound like the very things you abhor: lazy, uneducated, and weak. It takes hard work and determination to raise children and to be part of the BSA, education and ongoing training to learn about the growth of boys and the best ways to serve them, and strength and courage to meet the challenges along the way as we get involved in the lives of boys and young men faced with incredible challenges (and there are many).

 

Oh, one thought: perhaps you weren't qualified and that is why you were not allowed in despite having your transcripts. The beauty of the forum is that there are no requirements; that doesn't mean your "teachings" are a welcome or valuable addition. Just as my being able to post these thoughts does not mean my own post has value.(This message has been edited by Laurie)

[evmori 11]

OGE, No problem!

Do you desire opinion or knowledge? Do you want to remain ignorant? I can pull up the same things from Socrates.

 

From you I actually desire neither. You are entitled to you opinion, however. But your opinion seems to be someone elses! As far as remaining ignorant I could never be as ignorant as you.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[WHEELER 10]

There is a misconception that cheerful is "to be fun" and that one can not be cheerful when doing serious work.

 

The people who held to be most gravitas of the Greeks were the Spartans.

 

Herodotus recounts an event at the beginning of the battle at Thermopylae.

 

"Before battle was joined, they say that someone from Trachis warned him how many Persians there were by saying that when they fired their bows, they hid the sun with the mass of arrows.

 

"Dianeces (a Spartiate), so the story goes, was so dismissive of the Persian numbers that he calmly replied, 'All to the good my friend from Trachis. If the Persians hide the sun, we shall fight in the shade."

 

300 Spartans and their allies stopped over 500,000 Persians at Thermopylae. And all the Spartans at the pass died to a man defending it in obedience to their orders.

 

Greatly outnumbered, against fantastic odds, Dianeces shows the cheerful composure exhibited by the Spartans whatever they were doing, even unto death.

[Marty_Doyle 10]

Spartans were as renowned for their dry wit as for their fighting.

But B-P probably did not have the Spartan model in mind when he started the Boy Scouts.

A Spartan king was once asked what the greatest gift Lycurgus (the father of Sparta) had left his countrymen. He replied "Contempt of pleasure."

B-P defined Scouting as "a game ....with a purpose". Tough to reconcile those two.