Review: On Existential Liberty and Living

Review of: Campagna, Richard V. To Play Along the Path: The Multifarious Ps of Existential Philosophy and Practice. 1st World Publishing, 2008.
By Tim Krenz

(The author, Mr. Campagna, will appear in Polk County September 26-28, 2008. He will have a book signing at the community Autumn Fest on the scenic overlook in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, Saturday, September 27th. Call The Cepia Club at 715-646-9933 for more info).

To be released this fall, this nifty little collection of essays put together by Richard Campagna and friends is notable for one very striking impression: It takes a complex thing like living life and establishes in an easy to read 150 pages a simple approach to succeed in a “life for the living.”
Campagna, a former US Vice Presidential candidate, international corporate lawyer, and college adjunct professor of Mass Media Law and Legal Philosophy, contributed the forward and three essays to the work. Most compelling is his list of 50 things “Dos and Don’ts” of existential living. But the entire book, compiled by some pretty deep thinkers of “existing,” approaches the application from many disciplines like education, family, medicine, law, sports, and psychology. The theme of the book stems from how simplicity can be found in life just by reason in practical common sense and faith in the final result. The conclusion is iron-clad: Do what is right for you, be a positive example in what you do, and help others for no other reward.
What is existentialism? In short, existentialism is a way of thinking that builds a person’s own values with the ultimate aim of making sense of ourselves, our reality, and why we are here; and we obtain those values from our interpretation of our own experiences. According to such “common sense” philosophy, there is no need for anyone or anything else, even the doctrine of religious scripture as interpreted by clergy, to define or limit what we believe about why we live, or what we should do to find a successful way toward spiritual serenity. The goal is not to steal rewards or cheat into heaven, but to create a pleasant haven for ourselves (in our minds?) here in reality, and let the fate fall on our example and belief when it is all over. The goal of this particular existential exercise is to see what purpose each and everyone one of us lives to do; embrace it; glory in it; live it by example; but not lord it over others with the imposition of our self-will. It is free-will, not self-serving fear of force or fact of fraud, that should determine our choices. It is fate, spirit, space, or time that decides the right or wrong in the end.
What is the purpose of living? Who really knows. We know one thing for sure, however: Even if caught up in a sub-real daydream, or kicked into a surreal orbit of insanity, what we see–or what we think we see–really is what we get. But. . .somewhere out there is a super-reality, and we cannot know that in this world. As individuals, whether Created by a Providence, empowered by Camus or Nietzsche, or “evolved” by a Darwin, each and every person owns only one thing by grace of any Nature. We own only our thoughts, emotions, spirits, and bodies. This construction of the absolute and supreme Right in Nature is the primary foundation upon which the United States was founded, that of “Individual Self-Ownership.” This ultimate property we can always claim. And we must struggle for this right to own ourselves every single day. In the beginning, primitive rights extended from religion and politics only to those strong enough to grant themselves the power over others–those self-chosen to rule over others: priests, prophets, politicians, and pundits. Humanity has evolved greater values thus far. WE THE PEOPLE value the Natural Laws of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit (not attainment) of happiness. The most encouraging gifts of self-ownership, as implied in the book are reason, optimism, fellowship and plain common sense.
In American history, at the founding of our independence and the collective will as We The People with a destiny, recognizing African Americans as humans only came with the bludgeon and horror of violence, i.e. the Civil War and Reconstruction (still happening). It was withholding simple dignity and respect from “others” that led to all of our problems, then and now. Today, concerning all non-whites and non-Christians, the lack or absence of respect and dignity of other diverse peoples based on race, color, class, wealth, language, gender and custom as equal brothers in the fellowship of humanity still causes the blood, terror and even homicidal-genocidal destruction around the globe. Humanity still has far too travel along the Path set out so brilliantly by Campagna and friends to allow others the same rights we would grant our selfish selves–to live, let live, in dignity, and to have the same choice and chance to do so.
Do we create our own standards of by which we live as individuals? Surely we can. Surely we must. Even in religion. Yet, something exists which grounds us in the normal-real, despite the sub-real wants we dream about or the surreal poisons by which we are fed spoonfuls by decay of values, like the atomic half-life in which the entire universe breaks down matter molecule by molecule. Like all matter, the decay of our thoughts, feelings, faith, and bodies, with pain and aging, replaces the old with new. It is not quite a historical dialectic which spins us away from the stable orbits in which we find everyday happy living possible. It is the loss of optimism.
Sometimes stressed, sometimes sick, as owners of ourselves, tearing down prejudices, and the ebb and flow of any faith itself, things end in new, even better forms–into life, death, rebirth, or nothingness. Hence anyone has cause for “Candide”-like optimism, if they only see the inside reality clear enough in ourselves and others We hope that reasonable logic, gives us a reason to be here. If not, we are all screwed. Searching for purpose, even in the simple things, is the ultimate goal of the existentialist. Treating all others and other things kindly, with unconditional love and respect, even if we do not like to do so, might be the only way to keep the universe in its orbits. It might keep us from accidentally or intentionally hurting one another. Finding such purpose is not the end in itself for individuals or the world. Sharing it, not dictating it, is only the beginning for all of us.

The "Paine" We Must Heed

Are these the “times that try” the souls of men and women? In December 1776, at “the Crisis” of the American Revolution, a matter of days before the Battle of Trenton, writer Thomas Paine penned similar words in an essay of the same title. During the down days of the Revolution, his army outnumbered 20-1, cold, hungry, in rags with blooded, bare feet, General Washington had all of his thinning regiments lined up to listen to listen to “the Crisis.”
In 1776, Paine declared five months after Independence that the catastrophe in the New York/New Jersey campaign put the American rebellion against the Crown of England in dire jeopardy. Paine declared that saving the July 4th Declaration required the utmost courage, determination, and effort of all who wished to live free of the British Parliament’s tyranny. But it was not time for “sunshine Patriots;” they readily swayed with the wind of opinion and favored whatever army close enough to hurt them or protect their property. Paine more than anything in “the Crisis” demanded what he asked those very same wind-shifting, temperate weather loud mouths the previous spring when he wrote “Common Sense,” that particular clarion and convincing call for complete separation from Great Britain and its King George III.
In both “Common Sense” and “the Crisis,” Paine asked that people clearly see the evil to Creation’s order of “the abuses and ursurpations” (a quote from Jefferson’s Declaration) committed by England in stripping the American colonies of their rights, their safety and their power; to make the decision to act, decisively, irrevocably, and with oaken-like conviction. In the spring, he asked his compatriots to be brave and act on words. In the winter, he asked for hope and faith, but even more he demanded that those who had done the most talking, griping, and moaning to SUPPORT THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
With the Continental “army” of 1500 fired in their spirit, the story is well-known. Victory at Trenton and survival. Men and women did not lose heart. And they put “their lives, fortunes and sacred honors” (I’m borrowing again liberally from Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration) into an all but lost effort of saving the country, of saving liberty at its birth.
People gripe, complain, and bellyache about politics. But, really, most of it has a superficial grasp of the “real issues.” And how many people lead by action–decisively as individuals within their own communities–to make the only difference where land meets people.
If Americans had their head in the clouds, they wouldn’t notice the dark storm building over the world. Everything is in transition: all political power, economic ownership, social classes, and our the very culture of liberty that always gave the United States of America the moral advantage to do what was needed, necessary, and right, and do it proper and right in the process.
There is an election this fall (primary in September in Wisconsin, and a general Presidential election in November). Don’t be fooled and misled by false witness or “gravened” faces, which are everywhere in the media. Why would we not do now–within ourselves, our homes, our friends, and neighbors–something truly extraordinary, yet not just on election day, but 24/7 now until we change the world one person at one time. Hard? Jesus started with but one.
My advice has been the same for 15 years–inform oneself better; be open-minded and tolerant of opposing viewpoints. Second, take your personal decision, then act in any peaceful, non-violent way possible, up to and including civil disobedience and non-conformity to take the power away from those who stole much of it, and plan to steal it all.
Wake up, People of America!! See things for what they really are. Unite!! Act!!! And prevail.

Russo-Georgian War: Cepia Club Appeal

Three or four weeks ago, I explained to S. our March Project 6 prediction of significant event that will affect major markets on or within a day or two of Aug. 8th, 2008. Although we 'theorized' some sort of WMD terror strike, S. this morning said we could claim 'street credit' for the war in the Caucasus between Russia and Georgia. It is so sad, however. A moment of prayer for those dead, dying and who will die.

Recall April 2008 forecasts from OpScimitar after-action analysis (and, re Wizard, our Blue Cell/Red Cell meeting in game room in June): 1) On or around 8.8.08. 2) Affects major markets and leads to a) General fall of them; b) Strengthens ultimately Chinese Reminbi to a 4 to $1 by end of 3rd Qtr; b) Significant gain for Asian/petro-dollar sovereign wealth fund. 3) If Russia was involved in any way generally this year in ANY military hostilties, it would be: a) Allowed by a secret agreement between Bush Administartion and Russia Gov. for the US to NOT intervene and give Russia a freer reign in their 'near abroad; and b) focus on a warm-water port access (we thought on Indian Ocean, but Georgia on Black Sea fits the general parameters); and c) Give the US/Nato an open-pass to go to war with Iran. 4) Be part of a US grand strategy to detach Russia from Shanghai Cooperative Organization and a separation from its de jure unofficial alliance with People's Republic of China, with the goal of destroying the SCO completely. NOTE: This is NOT the 1995 or the May 2008 forecast of a conventional/nuclear decapiation strike against Russia by US/Nato, which we expected at June Blue/Red Cell conference for mid 2010 thru late 2011. 5) The ultimate control of the Caspian Oil Basin (in particular Kagesh. in Kazakstan) by US/Nato.

Other future predictions/forecast/possibilities that might bear expecting: 1) The OpScimitar related Hijaz/Mecca/Medinah (Saudi Arabia's western rim) Al-Qaeda 'sleeper' uprising that spreads across the Arabian peninusla and the Horn of Africa. 2) The 'Islamic' revolution in Egypt. 3) The deployment of EU/non-US Nato/UN/and/African Union 'peacekeeping' deployments to Suez/Siani, Aden, and Sudan/Darfur. (Note: The Zimbabwean peacekeeping mission by the AU?Commonwealth, examined as a replacement 'location' from June anaylsis that fit the OpScim model, is still valid). 4) The stable front around Israel re Syria and Jordan (still don't know about Lebanon's possibilitie). 5) The Iranian/or AQ mining of the Red Sea and Straights of Aden/Yemen, and the Iranian mining of Persian Gulf's Straights of Hormuz. (These minings of SLOCs might be 'real' or US 'manufactured false-flag, but either Iran, on imminent war, Iran goes ahead even before the hostilities begin).

It is our new thought that the war with Iran is high-high probability between now and circa Oct. 15th/20th.

All of this info is bona fide, true as to date and timing of Club Project 6 predictions and forecasts and affadavits/source material can be readily produced.

Let me say this: What is going on is murder for profit with the goal of a slavery for the world's population. That's all we'll say for now about that.

Tragic as it is, we HATE being right or mostly accurate in The Cepia Club. This is an appeal to anyone who loves life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Cepia Club 'does' stuff. We're struggling in finances, as we always have and always will. We have not broadcast an urgent appeal like this: But as you can tell, something serious is going on according to our correct forecasts since 1995. If this info scares you, we apologize.

But please, we need all sorts of support to continue our work. Those who understand what our 'secret' is--peace, prosperity, liberty and freedom-- visit our website, join as an associated member, buy our stuff, trade/barter, or generally help. We apologize, but the world is going in a wrong direction; we are working on our individual/community solutions for it by building a future peace one person, one community at a time.

Please email, call or smail if you question, want to buy something, become a closed or open profile Associated Member, or give us a 'free-will' measure of support.

Sincerely,

Tim Krenz