Introspection has never hurt anyone

How honest are you with yourself?

How many things do you keep from others, and what do you have to do to convince yourself of certain things? How much honesty is too much, and what keeps it all in place?

For your sake, I hope you’ve pondered something like this before. If not, I hope this article is a wake-up call. I’d like to tear down some barriers.

I think it is due time.

How much of your political beliefs are based on hearsay?

Being a journalist, I fight with myself a lot over my own political beliefs. I believe truth is found in the middle, and I question much of what I hear or read.

For some reason, I tend to trust unusual people. Authors, teachers, misfits, I generally find that people who have it in their agenda to spread some sort of uncommon knowledge are the ones most easy to trust.

I don’t trust artists; you’re never supposed to. I question everything they do. The result is often profound.

I’m not sure this column has a real aim beyond me trying to express something abstract to you.

It never really had an aim to begin with, and it easily could have. I could talk about my religious beliefs, or politics, or something else that might boil the blood of an ill-tempered individual (which I never seem to do; no one seems to get mad at me because of my tightrope act).

Week after week, it is usually something different.

I use this space as more of a journal than a place to share my opinion. Why? I want you to learn something with me.

I’m not teaching you a lesson; I’m dredging some food for thought for the both of us from the depths of my hollow skull.

At the moment I’m wrestling with concepts found in the Tao Te Ching. If you haven’t heard of it, look into it.

Let this be the thread that helps you to broaden your perspective on the world.

I know Chart staffer Gabi Markovich has complained about the trend in youth to express themselves in a fake, plastic way.

The reason for this is simple: They don’t know how to express themselves differently.

The object of being alive is to grow. Being at a university is a big start. It offers you a splendid opportunity to do so.

I would encourage you to get out and actually participate. You’re likely not going to have an opportunity like this at any other point in your life.

This period is essential to your development. Learn to let go of your ego, your tan, your vested interests.

Don’t lose who you are as a person. Having a personality and having an ego are separate things.

There wouldn’t be a point to learning about others if people didn’t love themselves in the first place.

I know I’ve likely taken you far off the mark with this article, but that’s the point I’m trying to illustrate: There are many things for you to learn so long as you question things, question yourself, and accept change.

Don’t be afraid to learn something and fight with it. Stay up into the night, gather your friends and brawl with a concept. Smash windows. Break tables and chairs, beer bottles.

End the night with your ego bruised and your head aching. You’ll be glad you did.