​Blog 516 – 01.06.2016
Passion Will Always Choose Paris

There is in all of us a tug of war battle between London and Paris, between monarchy and liberty, between the banker and the artist, between the “Never on a Sunday” or any day ending in a Y) girl and the “Yes you Can Can” girl.” Passion and the poet will always choose Paris. If the choice is between business and pleasure the artist, the lover of liberty, will always choose Paree. There was a popular saying after the American Doughboys came home from World War One, “How are you going to keep them down on the farm after they have seen Paree?” You are never going to get that genie back in the bottle.

We live in a very legalistic society where most people’s first answer to any perceived problem is a new law or regulation. It kind of reminds me of the medical and pharmaceutical industry whose answer to any perceived ailment is surgery or a pill. I am at this stage of my life a much more, “free your mind and the rest will follow” sort of guy. The rules to a large degree are written for the “Bad guy”, “The other guy” and never seem to apply to the people who write them. They it seems are always “above the law” or operate under a different set of rules. Like believers saying, thinking, and even writing in their holy books that is okay to lie, steal from, cheat, and even kill non-believers or patriots saying things like, “My country right or wrong” and also saying that in wars to defend their country “might makes right” and that doing wrong is okay to accomplish a good end – how is that even possible? Horrible things are done in war that injure not only the attacked but the attacker, not only the dead and wounded but the deliverer of death and hurt. One of the primary reasons suicide rates are so high among war veterans is that it is harder to live with the wounds to the spirit, mind, and soul than it is those inflicted upon the body. We used to say as children, “You cannot do wrong and get by, no matter how hard you may try.” Violence is a two edged sword that cuts also the cutter. We have no right to force others to live by our rules.
Limited government by agreement is the democratic idea. And however you slice it a republic where the rules of a few or the rule of one is forced upon the many or even a minority is tyranny and will not last. Empires fall because of the weight of their injustices more so than “moral decay” which usually is code for “they aren’t playing by our rules.” Some rules need to be changed or just discarded. I am a one rule guy, “Love and do as you please.” If you truly love you can do no wrong to anyone or yourself.

I choose Paris and you bankers, lawyers, and empire builders can have London. I will take a glass of wine, a loaf of bread, poetry and passion – art and liberty. Viva La France. The Protestant work ethic opposes “the good life” because it is free, fun, and passionate. In the movie Sabrina the title character asks the hard driven billionaire Linus Larrabee when he is extolling the virtues of hard work and saying he does not have time for trival enjoyments, “Linus, where do you live?” London or Paris, the choice is yours. As for me, my heart speaks French.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White