Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: The Fifth of November

Remember, remember the fifth of November...   I can't even act like I completely understand what V is saying in this amazing monologue of ambitious alliteration. The acutely accurate words aim at abolishing a despotic English government. All credits attributed to the astute authors of this awesome film. 

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valourous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

- V 

Jersey Campbell's passage of the day: give me liberty, or give me holidays!

Greetings all, we've got another edition of "passage of the day" for y'all. (Why do I insist on referring to myself as "we", as if some force were beside me, guiding my fingers through the perilous terrain of a MacBook keypad as "we" write this?)
Today's edition comes to us from deceased former slave and forever fighter of freedom- or as the common folk say, "freedom fighter"- Fredrick Douglass.
Most of us had the privilege of learning to read and write via school. Mr. Douglass had some help early on, but customs of the Antebellum South quickly turned his teacher into an inhibitor. True G's learn to read in silence like Brother Fredrick.

I've often been criticized due to my focus on studying history. Why am I living in the past, wasting time reading about ancient wars and brooding over slavery? History teaches us lessons about human nature, and what we are capable of. History is about reflection, which is necessary for anyone who considers perspective a virtue. So when I am studying history, there is always one eye on the present, trying to figure out how the lessons of yesterday apply to the conditions of today. 
With that in mind, upon completion of the selected passage, I urge you to identify the parallels from his time to our time . (Obligatorily, I also urge you to publish your personal discoveries below in the comments section. You don't have to if you don't want to, but it would be nice if you did, nah mean?)

History is useless if not used as a tool for cognitive growth. Read, and expand your understanding...

Take it home my dear fellow:

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: join me in the land of chimeras

Ladies and not-so-gentlemen, we've got another edition of Quote of the Day for ya. This entry comes to us from a familiar source, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's educational treatise Emile.

This quote was chosen because when I find myself enjoying conversation, people tell me that my views are crazy, incoherent, and just plain impossible. Well my dear friends, I may be insane, but do not think I have no understanding of the world and how it works, for I do. I just choose to ignore them, or dream of a different elemental structure purer and more benevolent in its organization. Rousseau's quote adequately sums up this predicament.

“Long ago they have made up their minds that I am wandering in the land of chimeras, while for my part I think they are dwelling in the country of prejudice. When I wander so far from popular beliefs I do not cease to bear them in mind; I examine them, I consider them, not that I may follow them or shun them, but that I may weigh them in the balance of reason.”

-       Jean-Jacques Rousseau in “Emile”

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: Happy Independence Day

Just wanted to take some time out to wish all the Anglo-Saxon White Men Who Own Property a very very happy Independence Day. We wouldn't be free without you! God bless the Minute Men! Death to the Redcoats!

Today's very special Quote of the Day comes to us from a document familiar to me and my fellow American lovin' patriots- the Declaration of Independence. You never know, I might write one of these soon. Probably not though, that was a joke. Please don't arrest me.  

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men* are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

- Taken from my boy Thomas Jefferson (used to call him 'TJ' back in the day) in The Declaration of Independence. 


*'Men', not women. Women weren't ready yet.

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: ordah in dah court!

'Sup y'all. There's another edition of Quote of the Day ready to be mentally digested and pooped out. Actually, don't poop it out, keep it in your mind. Thoughts and ideas can never be fully digested, you'll hurt yourself if you try to poop it out.

Today's QotD comes to us from The Republic by ancient Greek philosopher Plato*. Let's disregard the fact that these men had sexual relations with little boys and recognize their maxims for what they represent and what they reveal about the world.

So digest this snippet of a wholly thought-provoking text. Think about what it means, and see the prominent truth.
 
"For is it not a strikingly disgraceful sign of a bad education if one has to seek justice at the hands of others as one's masters and judges because one lacks it in oneself?"

*While Plato wrote The Republic, it is written in a dialectic format between various characters, the main one being Socrates, who Plato studied from. Whether you love political philosophy or not, this book is a must read.

Jersey Campbell's Passage of the Day: Rousseau's Inception

Hello brothers and sisters. Today's Passage of the Day is a quote inside a quote, inside a quote- inside a quote (inside a quote)- inside a quote. My boy Rousseau never fails to come through. I remember back in the day when we use to sit in our over-sized armchairs, spliff one up, and talk about the denigration of society... good times. You'll always be one of my best friends Jean-Jacques.

On a serious note, today's Passage of the Day is about the inherent inhumanity in eating our fellow creatures of this planet. I need not say more, Plutarch does this is argument more justice then I do. Plus, I use these gimmicks when I'm not in the mood to publish my nonsense to the world, or Vicarious World's five fans.

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: Two quotes for the price of one!

Good day boys and girls. We have another edition of Quote of the Day for you, and this time we bring you not one, but two (TWO!!) quotes from my boy Jean Jacques Rousseau's treatise on education titled Emile. For those who are unfamiliar, Emile is a book centered around the personal development of a young child. In the book, Rousseau explains to the reader how to effectively raise a baby to become to self-sufficient man and functioning member of society. With the proper education and rearing, Emile will grow into a man who is confident in himself and his abilities while understanding the way of the world. Through childhood Emile will only be raised by and through simple (while delicate and intricate) and natural means. Further details will be spared for now (give yourself a pat on the back if you haven't passed out), but hopefully these snippets of knowledge from the book will incite further interest. 

*Best believe these won't be the last Quote of the Day taken from Emile or Rousseau.*

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: Be like water my friend

Hello boys and girls, we have another edition of Quote of the Day for you. Today's QotD comes to us from Bruce Lee, philospher/professional ass-kicker.

 Before reading up on Lee, I was unaware of his philosophic tendencies. Like most people, my only memories of Lee were in kung-fu movies like Enter the Dragon and The Chinese Connection/Fist of Fury. Come to find out, this was as deep and thoughtful of a brother as you will find in any era. I suggest researching his quotes and philosophies, looking up some of his interviews, and picking up an autobiography. I guarantee you will be more enlightened if you do so.

That's enough of me talking. Here is the quote of the day:

"All thought is partial, it can never be total. Thought is the response of memory, and memory is always partial, because memory is the result of experience; so thought is the reaction of a mind which is conditioned by experience."

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: some nonsense about acorns

It's been too long for the one and a half people who read this blog hasn't it? Well it is time to rejoice. The wait is finally over. Everybody's favorite confused and delusional wannabe writer, moi, returns with a half-ass post because he's lazy and high on drugs (over-the-counter drugs of course, I'd never do anything illegal).

Today's quote of the day comes to us from author/ journalist Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers". Take it away Malcolm...

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: the Don Draper edition

For a character that asks, "What do you want me to say?" for what seems like every Mad Men episode, Don Draper sure knows how to string some words together to create insightful statements and can't-miss advertising proposals. 

As you can see, today's quote of the day comes to us from Mad Men's Don Draper, a man who always has something to say. Unless he literally asks what he should say.

“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him. He has a million reasons for being anywhere, just ask him. If you listen, he’ll tell you how he got there. How he forgot where he was going, and that he woke up. If you listen, he’ll tell you about the time he thought he was an angel or dreamt of being perfect. And then he’ll smile with wisdom, content that he realized the world isn’t perfect. We’re flawed, because we want so much more. We’re ruined, because we get these things, and wish for what we had.”

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: the Sufi edition

Hello boys and girls. Today's quote of the day comes to us from Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, more commonly known as Rumi.

He was a 13th century poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic from the Persian province of Balkh (present day Afghanistan).

While I may not be a believer myself, I will always respect individuals who genuinely search for truth and the divine. Without further ado, here is the quote of the day: 

"I tried to find Him on the Christian cross, but He was not there; I went to the temple of the Hindus and to the old pagodas, but I could not find a trace of Him anywhere. I searched on the mountains and in the valleys, but neither in the heights nor in the depths was I able to find Him. I went to the Kaaba in Mecca, but He was not there either. I questioned the scholars and philosophers, but He was beyond their understanding. I then looked into my heart, and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him; He was nowhere else to be found."

Jersey Campbell's Quote of the Day: Jiddu Krishnamurti

I'd like to introduce you to the quote of the day.

Our first entry comes from Jiddu Krishnamurti, who was a writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual issues. A brother of mine introduced me a few months back (not literally, Krishnamurti passed about 25 years ago) and I've decided to pass it along. 

I'm all for enlightenment and the expansion of our understanding. I trust you'll meditate on these wise words. 

"When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence. So a man who is seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of mankind."
- Jiddu Krishnamurti

Bonus material: "The Real Revolution," 1966 speech from Jiddu Krishnamurti. Everything that was said in this speech then can be applied to the human condition today.