Happy New Year! Among my resolutions for 2024, writing is more than one. Foremost of those endeavors is documenting some pointers for my kids (and perhaps others?) who don’t always seem to want to hear from their old man.
So whether it is this year or never, at the very least, I’ve gotta give it a shot. My role model here, as in many other areas, is Mark Twain. His essay (lecture) “Advice to Youth” is a classic of the genre. Although having a good sense of humor competes with other great notions on my conceptual list of priorities. In any case, I’m borrowing his title for this series of posts.
In fact, it’s a huge topic and I’ve thought that I should start with famous examples of other peoples’ suggestions. To that end, I will edit this first post, providing some links, but not too many. Then, I will add other parts/posts on various themes: philosophy, economics, psychology, history, society, cultures, etc. Daunted, I’m nonetheless determined. Thanks for your attention, especially if you are one of my own children!
- An incomplete list…
- Confucius’s ideas of Filial Piety and Meritocracy are worthy (and of course his Analects). Consider other ancient Chinese, Indian, Greek, Roman, and everywhere indigenous, etc. philosophies…
- George Washington (Rules of Civility) & Benjamin Franklin (13 Virtues, or his entire Autobiography, not to mention Poor Richard’s Almanack, etc.)
- Ralph Waldo Emerson. Self Reliance, (and consider Nature). Be yourself! Whatever that means?
- Henry David Thoreau. Walden, specifically Chapter 1: Economy for organizing a budget (and consider Civil Disobedience for being bold).
- Mark Twain. In addition to Advice to Youth, check out Letters from the Earth, Thoughts on God, The War Prayer, or his epic oeuvre at Project Gutenberg.
- Of course, I could go on, but time must be given, not just for learning, but for arguing! Certainly, any such list is criticizable as too old or new, too conservative or liberal, too culturally or racially one way or another… Had we but world enough and time I would analyze/synthesize some bits & pieces. Meanwhile, read, think, ask…