User:Stuckerj
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[edit] a.k.a. Gandalf2000
Welcome to my page.
One of my significant goals is preserving civility of interaction among the heated realms of politics, religion, science, spirituality, culture, and social issues. (Whew!)
I call my life philosophy essentialism. What in the world is that?
Well, you've heard of existentialism, the idea that existence precedes essence, that you create your own reality as you go through the process of existence? I take the oppostite stance. My thesis is that I come into life not to define my existence, but to discover my "essence". The process of learning who I am will naturally flow from knowing where I came from and what I'm made of. (If you're tracking with me, don't confuse family or culture of origin with ultimate origin. Also, there are a wide variety of philosophies called "essentialism", so I should clarify. Take a look at this page where I found a good description of what I mean by essentialism in an ethical sense.)
Truth is the reality that I interact with, not the imagination I create. By discovering the essential principles undergirding life and the universe, I discover a purpose far greater than anything I could invent.
My advice to those who want to invent their own reality: Get over it! (Now, isn't that civil?)
The fun, creative part comes in figuring out how to fulfill your essential purpose. Essence >> purpose >> fulfillment.
[edit] Taking a break
For the next few months, I will be taking a break from my Wikipedia involvement in order to focus on my day job and nonprofit work. I might stop by every now and then, but otherwise, it's off my daily list. Best wishes to all.--Gandalf2000 21:25, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
