I own myself
This Facebook meme got me thinking again on a topic that I’ve written/spoken about before.
I don't blame others for my feelings. My position is that I own myself. I own myself completely. I own my body with its organs and blood. Plus, I own my ideas, thoughts, beliefs and feelings. So, I am responsible for myself. All of me. If I feel happy, that is MY happiness. If I feel sad, offended, angered, threatened, insulted et. al. I claim them as my own because I know that I am responsible for how I feel, not others. Furthermore, my claim to self-ownership and sovereignty cultivates my individual authenticity. But in today's world people habitually blame others for how they feel - especially the negative feelings - and seek government legislation to protect them from their own feelings while penalizing and even prosecuting others. People are steered towards making excuses and seeking scapegoats such that it compromises human authenticity. I think it’s outrageous that we are taught and encouraged to do so. That philosophy diminishes our humanity, and it is what I call a weak spirit. Too many people are weak-spirited. And stupid. If I'm happy or sad, in love or despair, insulted or offended, that's all my business and I don't blame anyone. I might be wrong in that - living my life with an inaccurate model of human dynamics - but at least I don't go around habitually blaming others for myself.
The moral problem with this philosophy might be the complaint that pretending to be my own master might lend itself to the suggestion that I think anything at all is permitted to me. But I don’t think that, and in any event, no one has complained so far.