1. An old Turkish proverb states: "Do not buy the house; instead, buy the neighbor." Of course, there is no question of purchasing humans here. The admonition suggests that good neighbors are more important than the model or construction of a piece of real estate. The peace of mind is the primary issue. 2. Similarly, the designation applied to the governance style is unimportant. What matters is how and on what bases the governance of an identity is managed; with hobnail boots or fleeting glass slippers.
3. Even in the twentieth century many polities styled themselves Republic (although modified by other appellations attached to the designation), while the application was much more draconian than the original intention or implication. Authoritarianism of those republics, contrasted with neighboring monarchies makes the point more clear.
4. The U.S. Declaration of Independence and the following Constitution legitimized the pursuit of happiness as the primary goal for identities; individual or group. The idea was, of course, articulated during a much earlier period.
5. Most belief systems were developed, ostensibly to serve a higher authority than homo sapiens. Those belief systems had been usurped, knowingly or otherwise, by the governance strata of all polities.
6. The shift from serving a higher authority to pursuit of happiness took time, pending further development of various kinds.
7. Even in the time of serving a higher authority, pursuit of happiness was not ignored or neglected by homo sapiens. It was a pursuit practiced rather clandestinely, given the penalties, usually falling under the rubric of vice.
8. This is one of the reasons why authoritarian governance systems (including theocracies) attacked vice viciously, because anything declared to come under that heading was (and is) seen to be a challenge to the established order.
9. The pursuit of happiness later began drifting into consumerism and ends up becoming narcissism.
10. In the formats of consumerism and narcissism, the pursuit of happiness became a vehicle for exploitation, especially through the media by consumer goods companies for purely pecuniary interest.
11. Anytime the commercial strata accumulates a critical mass of capital or disposable income, they will enter into politics; usually behind surrogate politicians.
12. The legislative and judicial systems follow the governance system in that regard. How they interpret their charges becomes critical to the success of the commercial strata.
13. Enforcement is the next step in the process determining whether a polity allows pursuit of happiness or leans toward authoritarianism.
14. The root cause of authoritarianism is a minority attempting to rule over a majority.
15. In this instance, the majority can be illiterate; or in the absolute grip of a given doctrine.
16. The authoritarian governance systems can contribute to both enlightenment and to the darkening of minds by its actions.
17. If the totalitarian governance strata is dedicated to perpetuating itself rather than pursuing enlightenment, it will fail sooner.
18. When a governance strata uses a belief system dogma as the basis of its authoritarianism, the ensuing repercussions are of the worst type.
19. When the authoritarian governance strata follows an original belief system to 'enforce,' it is always in a highly modified and adapted form, rather than the most popular version, that capture the imagination of the governance strata.
20. These modifications may or may not be understood by the faithful. As long as the modifications are not understood, the governance strata will benefit from the ignorance.
21. When modifications effected by the governance strata to the prevailing doctrine are understood by the masses, there will be a clamor to return to the 'origins.' This will cause instability.
22. Whenever a doctrine collides with reason at large, at first the reason loses.
23. The struggle of reason with dogma does not produce a workable hybrid. The result will not make sense unless the entire polity decides to turn deaf and dumb on the subject.
24. Balasagunlu Yusuf was one of the first to understand this struggle; so was Spinoza.
25. Erasmus was working his way out of dogma toward reason. He chose to do it within his profession and belief system. Whereas, Spinoza broke through.
26. Balasagunlu was attempting to bring together two different sets of value systems or to save the more ancient one under that guise despite the onslaught of the newcomer---depending on one's private preference.
27. Groups or individuals speak and insist on human rights. This assumes that homo sapiens have rights. What makes them think so?
28. The so called rights are only conventions, much like an armistice signed and reluctantly agreed to by the relevant parties.
29. There must be an agreement between the governing strata and the members of the polity that a certain list of actions are to be free from interference.
30. Civil and criminal codes list the types of behavior not acceptable to the polity, as defined by the 'rights' agreements, providing remedies and repercussions. 31. That there is a written human rights document is insufficient. The enforcement aspect has to be sorted through.
32. There has always been a contention between the governance strata and the members of the polity as to the boundaries of rights.
33. The outcome is always fought for.
34. If the membership of a polity neglect to participate in their own governance, the governance strata will very happily take over; and may impose greater reductions in human rights
35. The more the members of a polity know about the world of human affairs, more they will have a stake in their own governance.
36. It is very tempting to advocate a life of happiness for all, in accordance with the writings and arguments to this point.
37. Human motivations and composition of mind is such that, even if a constant state of happiness can be sustained throughout the world, once again unhappiness would descend on homo sapiens.
38. It appears that the chaos explanation of the forces of the universe is also burnt into the very being of its inhabitants. Homo sapiens need to experience the full spectrum of emotions or be aware of the negatives in close quarters before learning to appreciate the happiness.
39. What changes is not the human nature, but the means by which it is manifested. Technological innovations play a significant role, from killing face-to-face with a blade to killing from long distance with remotely guided weapons those masses never met by the one who directs such weapons.
40. Thereby, the explanations of cyclicalities cannot hold true. It is the continuation in a stand-still format of struggle of human nature with itself.
41. This will hold true in the future, even with, and despite, the future developments of technology.
42. The technological developments are nothing but an effort to break the impasse of stalemate in the competition between Identities.
43. The prefix 'post' not only implies that a certain era, fashion or fad is concluded (if indeed the assertion to the subject matter can demonstrably hold), but, by default, also the beginning of yet another. Therefore, the subject becomes a matter within the domain of 'pre' as well.
44. In the human affairs, especially pertaining to Identity, there is transformation; whether natural evolution or due to external pressures.
45. Identity is either present or not.
46. I was observing a group of early grade school pupils. In their play-time they were engaging in creating the rules of their activities. One suggested that he was the most senior. Another countered that he had been a pupil longest. A third began taking a threatening posture toward the first two. The point of contention was to determine who was going to order the rest of the children about. This formula will persist for the future.
47. A strong belief in the contents of a thoughtful question is better than a memorized answer. In such a case, the quest for the thought-out question will eventually lead to better insight.
48. The dogs are known to bark in anagrams.
49. Some individuals are found threading in recycled waters.
50. The clouds are threatening rain