Cheaters DO prosper

A similar idea with an ironic twist can be traced back to the early 17th century in John Harington’s Epigrams: "Treason doth never prosper, what’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason"

A common phrase in American during the early 1800s was "cheating never thrives".

In the 1900s the catch phrase changed to "cheaters never prosper".

It is not the case that only hard work prospers. Often as not, hard work leads to blisters and the poor house. Only in a liberal, but law and rules based, order do we seem to be able to prosper by our own hard work.

Stability is as fragile as the silence it enforces

 
People in positions of authority over other people will use force to silence their critics. From my experience, revolution against the powerful occurs when silence is no longer sufficiently enforced.

Ignoring doubt is invitation

Doubt ignored, a seed unseen,
Grows in shadows, dark and mean.
Roots of trouble, deep they wind,
In the silence, chaos finds.

Doubt dismissed, a chance ignored,
Paths untraveled, dreams implored.
In the quiet, whispers fade,
Lost potential, choices made.

Doubt denied, a mask of pride,
Blindly walking, risks beside.
Confidence, a fragile guise,
Leads to falls and harsh surprise.

Doubt unspoken, shadows loom,
In the mind, they carve a room.
Silent worries, restless night,
Peace elusive, out of sight.

The master believes he has more freedom

 The master thinks he's free at last, 

With chains on others, he holds fast. 

The strong do what they will, they say, 

While weak must suffer, day by day.

But power's grip is cold and tight, 

And binds the master to the fight.

For in a land where none are plain, 

The strong would find no strength to gain.

Their might depends on others' pain, 

Without the weak, their strength is vain.

The master, bound by his own chains, 

In seeking power, only gains 

A hollow throne, a fleeting reign, 

For true control is never plain.

In every heart, a truth does lie, 

That power's just a fleeting high. 

The strong need weak to feel their might, 

But in the end, they lose the right.

Cambrian explosion of tools

 

In the fossil record, we find what has been called the Cambrian Explosion. It is marked by a dramatic burst of animal and plant forms, indicating a rapid diversification of life, with many new species emerging and competing for survival.

It seems we live in a similar period of rapid and diverse innovation. Our tool landscape is emerging and morphing at a fast pace. Many new tools seem to last only one or a few generations before being cast into the dustbin of has-beens.

What forms of tools will still be around in a hundred or a thousand years from now? The geological record will maintain the echo of our tools long after all our bones are no longer detectable.

Consider just one example: the Voyager spacecrafts, now well past the edge of the solar system. These two tools will probably not encounter another object for billions of years and may not degrade into unrecognizable dust for many billions after that. Meanwhile, our bones may last only a couple of billion years before plate tectonics buries them in entropic chaos.

Wisdom comes before the question mark?

 

Wisdom is often required to even formulate meaningful questions. Understanding and insight are necessary to ask the right questions, which can lead to deeper knowledge and further wisdom.

Teachers use their wisdom to craft questions that guide students toward deeper understanding and critical thinking. This method not only imparts knowledge but also encourages students to develop their own minds.

Also, my name is Mark.  So when i read this one, it has a comma in my head as in: "Wisdom comes before the question, Mark?"

The tool makes the man

 

They handed me a rifle, cold and steel, 

Taught me to aim, to fight, to kneel. 

In the eyes of the world, a soldier I stand, 

Defined by the tool placed in my hand.

A hammer to a builder, a brush to an artist, 

Each tool shapes the soul, from the start to the hardest. 

We become what we wield, in work and in strife, 

The tool makes the man, in his journey of life.

Cut the pie thin

 In the bakery of the cosmos, where bytes fly by, 

Planck’s quanta bakes a quantum Pi.

Pi’s endless digits, a recipe so sweet, 

In the pixelated universe, we all take a seat.

Own less, live more

The less I own, the more I live, 

No chains of things, just time to give. 

With every purchase, time was spent, 

On storing, mending, paying rent.

Possessions filled my space and mind, 

And left no room for time to find. 

No longer stuck with what I own, 

In hugs and games, my joy has grown.

For life is not in things we keep, 

But in the moments, rich and deep. 

The less I own, the more I see, 

The beauty of simplicity.

Leaders AND Managers

 She pointed, “Let’s go up the hill,” 

He mapped out each step with a skill. 

Her dreams were so bright, 

His plans just right, 

Together, they followed their will.

Nothing is lost in eternity

 In cosmic threads, where stars are bound, 

In ancient lore, where myths are crowned, 

In fleeting dreams, where hopes are wound, 

In endless time, all truths are found.

In the smothering gloom

 

Forms are metaphors

 

Math is a language, clear and bright, 

Describing forms in black and white. 

It's not the rule, but just a way, 

To see how bits and pieces play.

In every shape, in every line, 

Math shows the patterns, so combined. 

It's not magic, it's not odd, 

Just the cosmos, in a nod.

With numbers, we can see the ties, 

In every form, in every size. 

Math's one tool, one guiding light, 

To understand the whole delight.

What of constitutional responsibilities?

 

Is even a valid idea to put Maslow's Hierarchy next to our Constitution and compare them?

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25) states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, which includes food, clothing, housing, and medical care.  It also emphasizes the right to necessary social services and security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other circumstances beyond one’s control.

Our constitution is long on rights, but short on responsibilities.  And thus we will eventually fail it. 

In a good marriage you fall...

 

Live in the moment as if...

 

As the sun dipped below the sea's crest, 

We toasted to living our best. 

"Live in the moment," we swore, 

"For there's no other, for sure

Unless having some more is your quest.

The Public Good

In lands where public good is strong, 

A thriving society gets along. 

With shared resources, all can rise, 

Beneath the same, unclouded skies.

But when "me first" takes the lead, 

It plants the seeds of selfish greed. 

The heart of tyranny beats loud, 

In shadows where the weak are cowed.

Inequality spreads its blight, 

As selfishness obscures the light. 

Exploitation takes its toll, 

On bodies, minds, and fragile souls.

Trust erodes, and bonds decay, 

As selfish acts lead hearts astray. 

Communities, once strong and tight, 

Fragment in the selfish night.

Moral values start to wane, 

As selfishness inflicts its pain. 

The earth itself begins to cry, 

As resources dwindle, dry.

Rights are claimed with loud demand, 

"I got mine," they proudly stand. 

But with rights come duties too, 

To care for others, me and you.

Yet, in our hearts, we know the truth, 

That interdependence is the proof. 

No one alone can truly stand, 

We're stewards of this shared land.

So let us strive for common good, 

In every field, in every wood. 

For public good's the lifeblood true, 

Of a society that thrives anew.

The future demands more from us

 

Young Icarus, with wings so dope,

Escaped the past, cut free the rope.

He soared to skies where dreams elope,

To chase a future, vast in scope.

Though fate unknown, he dared to cope,

For in his heart, the sky was hope.

Brave Icarus, with wings to fly,

He knew the risk, the chance to die.

With hope as guide, he pondered why,

The future's call, the stakes so high.

A leap of faith, to touch the sky,

And fall to earth, a final sigh.

We are all storytellers

 

So you think you are the storm?

 

Call me Starbuck, the chief mate of this ship,

In search of the white whale, we sail on this trip.

With Ahab at the helm, his heart wild and free,

He claims to be stronger than each perilous sea.

Through tempests and whirlpools, he charts his mad course,

Ignoring the warnings, with unyielding force.

We follow our captain, not for glory or fame,

But out of sheer terror, we play his mad game.

Each danger he faces, he boasts with a roar,

“Behold, I am stronger, I am the storm’s core!”

Yet we, his poor crew, we shudder in fright,

“From Ahab’s wild storms, we must seek shelter tonight.

Awareness Here Now

 

In this fleeting moment, pure and clear,
No past to haunt, no future near.
Just the pulse of now,
and life’s soft plow,
I know of no awareness but here now.

Memories fade, dreams take flight,
Now the present's song is my delight.
Yesterday’s echo, future’s prow,
I know of no awareness but here now.

Present tides, let them flow,
In the stillness, truth we’ll know.
Time stands still, as we endow,
I know of no awareness but here now.

Just the heart’s beat, a sacred vow,
Being's essence is right here, right now.