On the Day I Die

Wolfe's Lodge ^ | Deborah Marie Pulaski

[Sir Gawain]

While many of his contemporaries agreed with his view, few practiced it in their own lives as consistently as Thoreau.

And even fewer today. Thoreau laid out a perfectly achievable road map for anyone wishing to follow it. It's a great testament to him that not many can.

[Sir Gawain]

The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their thoughts on what they should have done, or what they don't do.
-- Denis Waitley

I agree.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Yes, Thoreau exercised his right to dissent from the prevailing views in many ways, large and small.

[dcwusmc]

Hey, good find, but PLEASE add me to your ping list!

David Wright

[William Wallace]

Let's dig into your history of discussion tactics, shall we, Willie? I seem to remember that you actually pulled a stunt with open tags which would have gotten you banned had you been ratted out for it.

As I recall, I was provoked by some scoundrel's uncouth remarks toward a lady.

[ladyinred]

Goodness, has the UN truly already got regulations about people leaving the earth for other planets? If so, that is just amazing!

Although I can't totally agree with everything this Deb woman said, this was really a touching article. I do wish (and hope) that she also counted her blessings before she died to have lived in this country.
Faults and all, it is still the best in the world.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I seem to remember that you actually pulled a stunt with open tags which would have gotten you banned had you been ratted out for it."

You're such a statist!

:-)

P.S. My stunt BTW....

[AAABEST]

I agree that the author comes off as cynical, but she has a point.

My brother had to leave Florida (he wanted to join my family and I) because the regulations here made it impossible for him to conduct his business. He specializes in cleaning drains. Too bad you have to have a master plumbers license to plunge a f**king toilet here.

As for myself, I do home-technology. I’m prohibited from working in any new construction without having a full contractors license and very cost prohibitive insurance, even though the cable I install carries no more than 18 volts of electricity and only requires the drilling of a few holes.

My wife and I work from Monday until mid-Wednesday to pay all of the taxes fees and other charges we’re forced to pay so that strangers we don’t even know can suck what all they can from the community barrel.

We’re also in the process of buying a house, the cost of which has just gone up another 6 grand. Why? Because a group of a$$holes decided that every new house has to have hurricane shutters so that they can make my life safe for me.

These are just a few examples of how I have been personally affected by the "controllers". I could go on and on as I'm sure all of you could as well.

BTW William Wallace (just to head off your-one liners)my family is not a bunch of libertarians, WE’RE JUST TRYING TO LIVE OUR F**KING LIVES AND PURSUE HAPPINESS. Which is being constantly frustrated by the meddling controllers and those who condone their agenda by sitting back pretending there isn’t a problem.

Does all this mean we should stop and be defeatist and cynical? Of course not. I don't subscribe to that intellectually or in my actions, as most of us still work hard and do the best we can.

On the other hand to ignore the blatant fact that there are many amongst us who would either take your freedoms or sit back and watch them be taken is delusional and idiotic. It's happening at a furious pace as we speak, and very few of us are doing a damn thing about it.

[William Wallace]

P.S. My stunt BTW....

True, but adding the extra 98 open tags was my idea! ;-)

[Sabertooth]

It is obvious that you are the one who doesn't understand hat true freedom is

What exactly is "true freedom," in your opinion?

I'll tell you what struck me about this article: it is a hopeless, whining, rant. How sad to sum up a life with so desolate a testament as this.

I saw God mentioned only three times, and only as epithets. I also saw no gratitude for anything.

Two perfect ingredients in the recipe for misery: absence of God and ingratitude. This woman's got them both... that's some inspiring love of freedom.

Am I a statist? Hardly. But I am a realist, and the death-bed is no place to wallow in such self-pity.

[Sir Gawain]

But, and I may be playing devil's advocate here, in defense of the author:

It's possible that she wrote this at a bad time in her struggle. You must take it for what it is--a snapshot of a person's feelings--a person that found out she was going to die soon. I feel just a little uncomfortable attacking her. I disagree with her position, but it's possible she felt different the next day, or even the next minute. Who knows? I don't have a terminal illness and I can't see the end of my life, so I can't tell you.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I seem to remember that you actually pulled a stunt with open tags which would have gotten you banned had you been ratted out for it."

You're such a statist!

:-)

P.S. My stunt BTW....

(OK, posted to the right statist this time.)

[Cool Guy]

I disagree with her position, but it's possible she felt different the next day, or even the next minute.

If so, then she should have written a follow-up article to make sure her readers understand it.

Who knows? I don't have a terminal illness and I can't see the end of my life, so I can't tell you.

Very true. For all you know, I might start thinking like a socialist in her position :P

[Sabertooth]

It's possible that she wrote this at a bad time in her struggle. You must take it for what it is--a snapshot of a person's feelings--a person that found out she was going to die soon. I feel just a little uncomfortable attacking her.

I don't have any problem at all criticizing her or her article... Her rant was titled "On the Day I Die." I take it and the title at face value. She wanted my attention with the title, and she got it.

If it's a snapshot, fine. I'll criticize the snapshot.

I've heard preachers say that there's nothing worse than being at the death-bed of an atheist. I wouldn't know, because the few vigils I've been on weren't that way.

But this article gives me a hint.

[Sir Gawain]

The picture of the wolf is pretty though. :-D

[William Wallace]

No one liners for you, AAA. You make a compelling argument (much better than the article IMO) and I agree with everything you say. If anything, I think you understate the magnitude of the problem. Last time I checked, unnecessary and duplicative regulations were responsible for literally one-half the cost of a new home in New York (where I'm originally from).

Two differences between what you wrote and this article:

(1) You pointed out what's wrong with the system, but you didn't quit and give up when someone put obstacles in your path. The woman in the article actually admires her younger dreamer daughter because she'd rather accomplished nothing with her life than, God forbid, fill out forms in triplicate or collect payroll taxes. In her view, anyone who didn't give up or drop out or resist authority must not be as smart as her and her dreamer daughter. My question is, how is this attitude different from the negative defeatist attitude prevalent in inner city ghettos?

(2) The woman in the article went out of her way to insult her responsible daughter who simply wants to have a decent job and raise a family. Meanwhile she lavishes praise on her other daughter whose higher ambition and deep thoughts consist of wanting to live on Mars. Imagine how any of us would react if we read something like this from a dying parent. This article was a selfish, thoughtless and shabby testament to leave to one's child. That's just my opinion of course.

[William Wallace]

I saw God mentioned only three times, and only as epithets. I also saw no gratitude for anything.

Two perfect ingredients in the recipe for misery: absence of God and ingratitude. This woman's got them both... that's some inspiring love of freedom.

Outstanding post Saber, you nailed it.

[Sabertooth]

This article was a selfish, thoughtless and shabby testament to leave to one's child. That's just my opinion of course.

You're right, no doubt, since I agree with you.

Thanks for your post at #117.

[William Wallace]

It's possible that she wrote this at a bad time in her struggle. You must take it for what it is--a snapshot of a person's feelings--a person that found out she was going to die soon. I feel just a little uncomfortable attacking her. I disagree with her position, but it's possible she felt different the next day, or even the next minute. Who knows? I don't have a terminal illness and I can't see the end of my life, so I can't tell you.

This is true. The concept of slack is something all of us need at some point or another.

[Sir Gawain]

There seems to be an unbridgable gap between certain ideologies on here. I see common ground, but I don't think anyone else does.