Poem: An Existential Quest

[antihero3000]

I come up with this poem back in 2001:

An Existential Quest

I am a boat sailing in the ocean of void;

With my soul searching for the one true voice;

Even though facing my own fate alone is the only choice;

I will sail to my destination with the deepest joy.

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

[Brant Gaede]

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

That's a religious quest. There are people who have tried to find religion in Objectivism. They have embarrassed and are embarrassing themselves. A dedication to reason is not properly a dedication to what someone else says reason results in.

--Brant

[BaalChatzaf]

I come up with this poem back in 2001:

An Existential Quest

I am a boat sailing in the ocean of void;

With my soul searching for the one true voice;

Even though facing my own fate alone is the only choice;

I will sail to my destination with the deepest joy.

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

The One True Voice is your own. Don't look to a guru or a thought-master for the truth. That is the quickest road to bondage.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[antihero3000]

I come up with this poem back in 2001:

An Existential Quest

I am a boat sailing in the ocean of void;

With my soul searching for the one true voice;

Even though facing my own fate alone is the only choice;

I will sail to my destination with the deepest joy.

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

The One True Voice is your own. Don't look to a guru or a thought-master for the truth. That is the quickest road to bondage.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Ba'al,

Thanks for your unique insight. If I am correct, Objectivism is a framework (or philosophy) antithesis to Extentialism or Subjectivism. And I think back then I was more into the ideas of Existentialism and influenced by it. I more and more find that Existentialism is a system of thoughts that will ultimately lead to despair and frustration.

Personally, I will be more interested in knowing more about the philosophical differences between Objectivism and Existentialism. Any suggestion on where I can read articles on comparison in between the two?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

[antihero3000]

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

That's a religious quest. There are people who have tried to find religion in Objectivism. They have embarrassed and are embarrassing themselves. A dedication to reason is not properly a dedication to what someone else says reason results in.

--Brant

Brant,

Thanks for the comment and I appreciate for your valuable input.

I wholeheartedly believe my current quest does not have anything to do with religion or mysticism (not anymore I am sure). I think they are both irrational and dangerous to me from my prior experiences with religion and mysticism.

However, from what I read about Objectivism so far, it mentions that men's soul is the consciousness in him/her as he or she perceives the reality. Wouldn't it also make sense to also say my soul (consciousness) is searching (looking) for the one true voice (objective truth)?

And it also mentions that one of the premises from Objectivism is that existence exists. Wouldn't it be correct to say that Objectivism is also a form of Existentialism that is based on reason and perception of reality in this world instead of subjectivism or pure emotions and wishing thinking that relates to another reality beyond the current one?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

[BaalChatzaf]

And it also mentions that one of the premises from Objectivism is that existence exists. Wouldn't it be correct to say that Objectivism is also a form of Existentialism that is based on reason and perception of reality in this world instead of subjectivism or pure emotions and wishing thinking that relates to another reality beyond the current one?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

Existentialism is not about what exists in the world. It is about Dread, Angst and the Absurdity of human existence. Do you find Dread and Angst interesting?

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Alfonso Jones]

(snip)

And it also mentions that one of the premises from Objectivism is that existence exists. Wouldn't it be correct to say that Objectivism is also a form of Existentialism that is based on reason and perception of reality in this world instead of subjectivism or pure emotions and wishing thinking that relates to another reality beyond the current one?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

No. Read some Rand on the subject of Objectivism. I suggest:

The Objectivist Ethics (in the paperback Virtue of Selfishness)

Galt's speech (in Atlas Shrugged, and also in For The New Intellectual)

for starters. These two sources will give you a good grounding. The other essays in Virtue of Selfishness are particularly good, also.

Bill P (Alfonso)

[Brant Gaede]

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

That's a religious quest. There are people who have tried to find religion in Objectivism. They have embarrassed and are embarrassing themselves. A dedication to reason is not properly a dedication to what someone else says reason results in.

--Brant

However, from what I read about Objectivism so far, it mentions that men's soul is the consciousness in him/her as he or she perceives the reality. Wouldn't it also make sense to also say my soul (consciousness) is searching (looking) for the one true voice (objective truth)?

I don't know what your consciousness is doing. You need to start providing some quotations for this type of discussion. Reality doesn't have a voice; it just is. The one "true voice" is scientific truth, but it can be extremely hard to pin down.

--Brant

[antihero3000]

(snip)

And it also mentions that one of the premises from Objectivism is that existence exists. Wouldn't it be correct to say that Objectivism is also a form of Existentialism that is based on reason and perception of reality in this world instead of subjectivism or pure emotions and wishing thinking that relates to another reality beyond the current one?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

No. Read some Rand on the subject of Objectivism. I suggest:

The Objectivist Ethics (in the paperback Virtue of Selfishness)

Galt's speech (in Atlas Shrugged, and also in For The New Intellectual)

for starters. These two sources will give you a good grounding. The other essays in Virtue of Selfishness are particularly good, also.

Bill P (Alfonso)

I actually have bought The Virtual of Selfishness and The New Intellectual.

Since I am on vacation until early next year, I guess I will try to read them both.

Thanks!

- Antihero3000

[antihero3000]

And it also mentions that one of the premises from Objectivism is that existence exists. Wouldn't it be correct to say that Objectivism is also a form of Existentialism that is based on reason and perception of reality in this world instead of subjectivism or pure emotions and wishing thinking that relates to another reality beyond the current one?

Regards,

- Antihero3000

Existentialism is not about what exists in the world. It is about Dread, Angst and the Absurdity of human existence. Do you find Dread and Angst interesting?

Ba'al Chatzaf

You're absolutely right. I stay corrected

No, I absolutely don't find Dread and Angst interesting. After I read the novel "Stranger" by Albert Camus (a French novelist who wrote novels in the theme of existentialistm), I was more depressed than ever!

P.S. Though I still love some of his sayings or quotes.

P.S.S. Now I find Ayn Rand's quotes are even more cool and intelligent and practical B)

- Antihero3000

Edited December 15, 2008 by antihero3000

[antihero3000]

I sincerely hope Objectivism is the one true voice that I have been searching for.

- Antihero3000

That's a religious quest. There are people who have tried to find religion in Objectivism. They have embarrassed and are embarrassing themselves. A dedication to reason is not properly a dedication to what someone else says reason results in.

--Brant

However, from what I read about Objectivism so far, it mentions that men's soul is the consciousness in him/her as he or she perceives the reality. Wouldn't it also make sense to also say my soul (consciousness) is searching (looking) for the one true voice (objective truth)?

I don't know what your consciousness is doing. You need to start providing some quotations for this type of discussion. Reality doesn't have a voice; it just is. The one "true voice" is scientific truth, but it can be extremely hard to pin down.

--Brant

I agree that reality doesn't have a voice, but my mind or consciousness seem to have one. Otherwise, it will be like god talking to me, which I think is very very unlikely.

- Antihero3000

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Antihero3000,

I finally read this poem. I admit that with a name like "An Existential Quest," I was gritting my teeth beforehand and expecting some pompous and poor imitation of Rand + Robert Frost (or worse).

I was very happy to see an authentic emotion presented. I could quibble about this or that word, and you certainly did not explore the moment very deeply, but you did present an authentic moment of when a person fully faces the knowledge of his future death and his choice to provide his own meaning to his life.

That's a moment worth writing about. You chose your moment wisely and expressed it clearly (albeit too simply to be a really good poem).

I think you should expand this and do more poetry stuff with it. Don't be lazy and don't be afraid of getting it right or wrong. Just let it out and see where it goes. If my first impression is correct, you have a spark that can become a blaze if you pursue it.

Michael