The Marquis de Sade, John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester and Joseph Bonaparte all had something in happen. They were libertines, which means one devoid of most moral restraints, which are seen as unnecessary or undesirable. They ignore the trends that society as a whole follow and pretty much dance to their own tune. Scandals and imprisonment usually comes hand in hand with being a libertine. The Marquis de Sade used to lure young prostitutes as well as employees of both sexes back to his castle. He was later imprisoned for his writings, which combined philosophy and pornography. You see, even in the 1700's they had censorship issues and nobody was really free. Do we need the libertine philosophy to grow? I believe we do.
Sex has probably been one of the most controversial topics since men roamed the Earth. There have been so many rules telling people what they are allowed to do or say that it is still a topic that makes most very uncomfortable. A little bit of truth, obscenity and erotica never hurt anybody. Wouldn't it be nice to be free from the shackles society has bound us in. How pleasant it would be to get rid of all these unnecessary restraints. For those of you that think Jim Morrison is cooler than cool... listen up.
Here's how to join the ranks of some of the most controversial men in history.
-First, you can start off by letting go of old habits. Break free of your daily routine and and throw caution to the wind. Let's see where the day takes you.
- Embrace change. Do something you've always fantasized of doing but never mustered up enough courage to do... until now. Ask out that pretty girl you've been eyeing or go to a place that makes you feel alive.
- Follow your impulses. I don't mean drinking until you pass out because you had a bad day at work either. I mean to ignore the hesitation that takes over when you are about to experience something new. Libertines swear by this code.
- Challenge yourself, especially your judgement. Too many people spend their lives strolling easy street and obeying every single rule that comes their way. Challenge those rules every once in a while because that's how you discover new opinions. Discover new groups or activities that you find shocking and try to understand them.
- Learn about the notorious libertines of the past. Ravage their books, songs or ideas. Trust me, you'll find you you can identify with a lot more than you'd think. The parallels are endless.
- Finally, never settle for less. Never accept anything that doesn't move you. You must follow your passions in order to come to life.
Well folks... can you dig it or are you afraid? The Marquis de Sade once said: " Happiness lies neither in vice nor in virtue; but in the manner we appreciate the one and the other, and the choice we make pursuant to our individual organization." How about lighting your own fire for once?
Till next time...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHiya Cheyenne
ReplyDeleteFor reasons unknown at this time I was deleted from facebook and you're probably wondering where I am?
Until I can get a reply back from facebook as to why they did this I have created another account under the pseudonym of Johnny Digweed, below is the link.
Regards
Stephen.....
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000984137144&ref=profile
I think it is a good thing to periodically challenge our assumptions. Much of this post reminds me of Dr. Wayne Dyer's best selling book from the late '70s or early '80s 'Your Erogenous Zones'. It was designed primarily for many who were OVERLY strict with themselves and entrapped in a sort of emotional, professional, or psychological straightjacket. It was popular and made a lot of good points.
ReplyDeleteAll values and moral constraints, however, are not inherently negative, as seems to be the libertine position; neither is some degree of social order when balanced with individual freedoms. We all have values that inform our passions, and which sometime restrain them, and do so for our benefit and the benefit of others. Libertine-ism as a lifestyle can be simply self-indulgence to the neglect of all other considerations.
However, if I understand the writer correctly, those who are entrapped by a narrowness of thought or vision, or prejudice, or empathy starved judgementalism could be benefited by familiarization with these Libertines. In doing so, supported by the six recommendations she gave, one might become enlightened to the possibility that trying something new, and not being reckless about it, may expand an otherwise narrow mental horizon and open new vistas of knowledge, experience, and sensibilities leading to greater fulfillment, purpose, and happiness. There is value in that.