Virginia Outdoors

No words can truly give these experiences justice. Go outside, leave your technology (with your camera as the exception) behind, with some good friends and make some great memories. Experience nature, respect it, and the rewards are innumerable.

- Stephen

A Little Morning Motivation

After each sunset, there is a sunrise. With the sunrise comes a new start.
Original photography.

I woke up this morning determined to change my attitude.

Working on a long-term academic project with a 40 hour/week work schedule is a new challenge to me, and am experiencing a bout with the mental burnout that normally accompanies these types of endeavors. So, as I searched for a quote of the day (a ritual that I have been performing every day this summer) I found this on forbes.com:

“Life is a short day; but it is a working day. Activity may lead to evil, but inactivity cannot lead to good.”

 - Hannah More (I highly recommend you look up who she is, an incredible and inspiring woman who thrived in 3 careers -- as a poet and playwright, writer on morals and religion, and a practical philanthropist)

“…but it is a working day…” In life, we are presented with a dynamic set of challenges and are blessed with unprecedented flexibility to face them. More importantly, we are recharged every night and given a fresh start every morning. Those are the tools given to us, what we do with it then falls under the domain of our beautiful free will. Men can build skyscrapers, scale mountains, heal the sick, consolidate a nation, or even sit at home all day. That is our choice. Where will you dedicate yourself? What will you do with the amazing tools bestowed to each of us, who will you impact?

“Activity may lead to evil, but inactivity cannot lead to good.” The first step, regardless of the path over which your choices will guide you, is to commit yourself to something, no, anything. Set a goal, an objective; something so perceivably unobtainable that only fools would conceive of its accomplishment. In reality, it is the fool who would tell you so. Then, have the vision. See yourself there, after the completion of that (those) goal(s). How have you changed? How did you grow, whether it be mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically? Think about that image you have created of how you have transformed from how you are today to how you will be tomorrow. Make the steps tangible. If you make it manageable, the summit suddenly becomes closer and closer. It’s amazing: once you begin taking the steps, there are less to be taken. Now, get there. No excuses. You have what you need; the flexibility, the access to technology, the ingenuity, and most importantly the ability to choose. If you drop the ball; no one will notice, no one will care, that is because you are responsible for your own success.

More so, the umbrella of that responsibility extends to failure. Embrace it, love it, learn from it, move on. “Activity may lead to evil,…” sometimes failure happen, unintended externalities may mitigate the gains you hoped to achieve. It happens, that is why life “is a working day…” you have to roll with it, adapt, be better the next time, be the best the time after that.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is this: YOU are the only one that is limiting yourself. If its grades, don’t dwell on what you did do, focus on what you will do. Study harder, study longer, make what you do different than what it was before and I’d guarantee that the result of those inputs will never be the same as the original.

“I’ve always figured out that there are 24 hours a day. You sleep six hours and have 18 hours left. Now, I know there are some of you out there that say ‘well, wait a minute, I sleep eight hours or nine hours.’ Well, then just sleep faster, I would recommend.” -Arnold Schwarzenegger

If its your physique. Eliminate the phrase “I’ll start tomorrow” from your vernacular. Every. Single. Day. is an opportunity, a blessing, and a curse. “..inactivity cannot lead to good.” Each day can be one day closer for you to not only accomplish the objective, but embody the vision you have set out for yourself. Each day also presents the opportunity to tear down that vision. Take the chance, take the risk, and always move forward.

 Carpe Diem.

-Stephen

The Bug

Unshakable. Insatiable.

It’s an itch and a thirst, a terminal infection. It’s travel.

Recently, I've come into a mild travel-kick. Beginning last spring, when I took a trip to the UK with my rugby team, I became enchanted with the freedoms of international exploration. Always being an avid backpacker and fisherman, I took every available moment during the next summer to explore a new corner of the state which I call home. This winter was highlighted by a trip to Ecuador to tune-up my Spanish abilities and tour the South American paradise. When every day for 2 weeks was characterized by new people, a new environment, new foods, and new culture I didn't want the excitement to stop.

It’s an addiction.

So now, sitting on a chair at my desk, I am left to dream of future travel and postulate why it’s such an important activity in which to engage. First, it is an opportunity to define ‘you’. Travel offers a blank slate. No one knows who you are, you are not bound by any agenda, and your limits are those which you set for yourself. How you handle yourself with such autonomy will define your character: how do you use your time? Will you step outside of your own comfort zone? Will you make the effort to meet new people? How do you decide with whom you share your experiences? How will you decide which experiences to have? Along with dozens of other questions, only you have the ability to provide an answer through your actions on the trip. Second, travel will widen your perspective on everything. What matters to you, needs vs. wants, and daily routines all have the potential to be challenged by any one of the experiences you will have while abroad. Hopefully you will uncover some of the trivial problems in your life which may be done away through minimization. Furthermore, it is easy to come to grateful conclusions about the place you call home. The value of the “little things” will probably increase after the trip. Lastly, I cannot omit the rejuvenating properties of travel. We have all heard of the importance of rewarding yourself for hard work,  meeting goals etc.,  and travel is (potentially arguable) THE best reward for such behavior. Mind at ease, any length of travel provides both a physical and mental separation between you and the problems of reality. Placing yourself in such pleasant situations has to be beneficial (I mean, mental health days are a thing, right?)and when I’m a doctor I’ll be sure to do the research that would allow me to prescribe patient with “x Mandatory days of travel” as a legitimate treatment.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe all it will take is your first trip abroad. Either way, I know that I cannot get enough of the adventure entailed in travelling. The sites, the people, the cuisine, all of it cumulates in an experience that is as much about the journey as it is the destination. We cannot afford to maintain such a narrow perspective as is developed by those who never leave their home state. Not in a time of interconnectedness, of globalization, were we must subscribe to a global rather than statial way of thought. Opportunity is there: the money, the methods, and the destinations. There is no excuse to not go out and experience the world, our world. Go out and gain the perspective, BE a cosmopolitanis, a citizen of the world. 

safe travels.

-Stephen

Critical Thinking and American Academic Culture

It goes without saying that there are inherent flaws within the American academic system, particularly at the high school and undergraduate levels. These problems are born of the culture of “teaching (or learning) to the test” present within these systems. I’m not talking about the meritocracy of schools based on standardized test scores (which is, in itself, a massive problem which I will not here address for fear of pulling out all my hair), rather the lack of critical thinking among students and the short comings of methods used by teachers (not across the board; I’ve had several teachers who actually excelled at this, you know who you are) to encourage it.
Firstly, let me say that this problem is in part due to the culture of laziness that has become toxically present in American culture as a whole, which plays a large role in what I will go into here. I will use as examples two classes in which I am currently enrolled; a political science class and a philosophy class. It is important to note that I’m not saying critical thinking is more important in these fields than in others, quite the opposite, it is important in every aspect of life, these are just the examples I am using.
On the one hand, we have my political science class. This class features what would, in a perfect world, be a good method of encouraging critical thinking among students. We are assigned for each class period one or two pieces of academic literature to read, after which we are to think of a thought provoking question to be used during in class discussion. The catch? You don’t necessarily have to read the entire thing to be able to write at least a passable question. This is one example of learning to the test, of doing just enough to get the grade, of being too lazy to do the work thoroughly and properly. I’m by no means saying that I’m not guilty of this, because I am; I am, however, saying that this example represents one of the problems I see in American academia. While this method is intended to encourage critical thinking, it accomplishes the opposite; because it isn’t necessary to complete the reading in its entirety, thereby taking in all the information therein, it is not critical thinking that is achieved, rather a honing of BS skills, and I don’t mean bachelors of science.
On the other hand, we have my philosophy class. This class takes what I see as the opposite approach to critical thinking. The assignments in this course also consist of readings; however the written portion is not some thought provoking question, rather a summary of what you read. Assignments like this have been lamented since middle school for their simplicity, (supposed) lack of critical thinking, and lack of academic merit in general. I would contest, however, that they accomplish the task better than the method explained above. Because getting a good grade requires completion of the reading assignment from start to finish, the student is forced to take in all the information in the text, or at least look at it enough to write a brief summary. While not directly or intentionally targeting critical thinking, this method certainly exposes the student to more information and, thereby, provides a better understanding of the course material.
As I stated above, the real issue is American laziness. Methods like the ones above are necessary because American students, by and large, don’t want to think critically, they want to get good enough grades to walk across the stage in June. It will not be until this overarching cultural issue is resolved that students will learn for the sake of learning, think because they want to think, study to gain knowledge, as opposed to merely going through the motions to get the grade.

-Sam

Rites of Passage, Part II

            It’s been almost a year since my original post about rites of passage (look, I used the proper form of the word, this time). In the time bygone, I have had a few experiences that I think allow me to now compose part two.

            I’ll start with this summer, when I was employed as a miner in a limestone quarry. Whilst working in this mine, I was subjected to not hazing or purposefully instituted rites of passage in so many words, but to the stereotypical blue-collar “Fucking New Guy” (FNG) stuff. Let me preface what I’m about to say; I don’t come from some posh white-collar upbringing, I was raised doing farm work, earning my keep at home, and hunting because we needed meat, not because I had a new $12,000 shotgun that daddy bought me – my point is that working in a blue-collar environment was nothing new to me. Back to the quarry; as the FNG, I unfailingly drew the most undesirable job: driving a haul truck. Don’t get me wrong, there aren’t too many engrossingly interesting jobs in a limestone quarry, but driving a haul truck in a half mile long semi-circle for ten hours straight for six days a week is the pinnacle or boredom. So, as the new guy, I was relegated to doing this for the duration of my employment (don’t mistake this for ingratitude, because I’m very grateful to have had the job, money, and experience). However, working in this quarry provided me with opportunities not only to learn how this industry operates, at least one a base level, it got me a lifelong certification as a miner in the state of Virginia, a basic knowledge of how to operate a few different pieces of equipment, improved my driving skills immensely, and provided me a chance to work with down to earth men. I was never made fun of or joked about any more than the new guy on any job site and I was never made to do anything dangerous or embarrassing (there isn’t any room for these types of fuck fuck games in a mine), but I knew that the jovial shit talking and joking radio transmissions were all part of being the new guy and earning a place on the quarry crew.

            On another level, I began this summer my second year at VMI. A 180 from last year, I found myself in a position of power and influence as a member of the cadre in charge of preparing and training the newly arrived rats. Firstly, let me say that the cadre with whom I worked displayed nothing but the utmost professionalism and expertise in their methods. As I went through the process of Hell Week, this time on the other side, I thought back to my own experience as a rat; methods I thought helped me learn, things that I thought were impractical, etc. and used this tool box I’d accrued over the past year to make my own training more effective. Now, my Hell Week was no walk in the park, by any means, but there was never a moment that was easy or even pleasant, and I made sure, as a member of cadre, that this year’s rat mass had the same experience of constant physical and mental strain while also achieving basic aptitude in the ways of a cadet. They were never hazed, they were never needlessly embarrassed, they were never made to do anything dangerous (these things are not the cadre’s job), but the whole ordeal represents one of the most rigorous rites of passage in the US higher education system.

            Now that I’ve been on the receiving and delivering ends of these rites of passage in several settings, I think that yes, society is certainly getting softer (something I think needs desperately to be remedied), but the fact that rites of passage still exist in mundane places like a work site, that young men still want to come to such a challenging place as this to test their mettle, and the fact that people like me continue to insure that the FNG’s get the same tough and testing experiences as we had says that rites of passage are not dead, they’re just sick, and society needs to provide the medicine.

-Sam

Reestablishment of U.S. Power in the International System

Cadet Stephen M. Bernard

Virginia Military Institute

Abstract

This paper explores the position of the United States in the international system. It outlines the U.S. rise to power and explains why the United States has fallen from the position of power it had originally held. Guided by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum’s book That Used to be US, I apply parts of their 5-point solution to the issues of globalization and the information technology revolution. After outlining these issues, I use textual analysis to connect these two issues to depict the adaptation necessary by the United States to reestablish themselves in the global community.

Reestablishment of U.S. Power in the International System

The history of the United States can be characterized by the term exceptionalism. Defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, exceptionalism is the condition of being different from the norm; also, a theory expounding the exceptionalism of a nation or region. America and its citizens have traditionally risen to face adversity. When the Soviets were transporting nuclear missiles to Cuba, national unity provided support to an administration who applied strength to mitigate the threat. At the tail end of the Great Depression of the early 20^th Century and in the midst of the Second World War, car plants were turned into tank factories, stay at home moms built American Naval vessel—all for the purpose of defeating the axis of evil. Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum in That Used to be Us question America’s ability to meet today’s challenges by providing four areas of modern society pioneered by the United States but now dominated by other nations. The four areas they describe are globalization, the information technology revolution, chronic economic deficits, and energy consumption management. To offer a solution on how the US can restore its former global presence, the authors prescribe a five-part solution through education, infrastructure, immigration, research and development, and regulation. (376) I will explain globalization and the information technology revolution, the relationship between the two, and propose solutions offering a course that the United States must take to adapt to today’s global community.

Globalization, as presented by Friedman and Mandelbaum, catalyzed the other challenges faced by the United States in the modern international system. Therefore, globalization was and is crucial to the development and expansion of nations (such as China, Germany, and Japan) that now aggressively compete with the United States. Defined as the free movement of people, goods, services and capital across national borders, globalization truly appeared following World War II. The global system was designed and implemented by the United States to establish more democratic, free-trade, governments following the destruction of the war.  Well equipped to participate a system designed by Americans, the United States prospered from the free trade of economic expansion.

Economic prominence through trade agreement led to America’s role as an international power and set the example for modern state progression. Observing western prosperity, globalization policies took footholds in nations such as China which identified incredible profit potential in an increasingly competitive market where adaptability and flexibility are essential to excel. (19) This profit potential did not solely exist in the competitive market but because of its competition. China, among others, identified and proceeded to exploit the value of lower prices to the consumer. This trend results in the current dominance of China in the manufacturing industry, they are able to outcompete American products by offering finished goods at a lower price to the consumer through the use of lower labor wages. Solvable by tariffs to protect the domestic market, foreign products can be made at a lower cost, increasing the profit margin for small businesses. That pattern leads to the outsourcing of labor jobs, a topic covered later in this essay.

Following the events of the Cold War was an era of change in the international system. Utilizing the metaphor of evolution observed in nature, methods of adaptation as conducted in the consolidation of companies, nations, institutions, and even individuals will be the determinant of who will survive, or in the reality of globalization, thrive in the future of the international environment. (23) Furthermore, the states which emerged from the Cold War era should have devised systems to interact in the new international system.  Therein lays the problem with the globalization challenge as faced by the United States. Established as the strongest nation in the world following WWII, the United State’s position in global dominance has been in recession. Since the end of the Cold War, the complacency of American leaders to systematically adapt to the fundamental changes in the global environment has lead to the American power decline. (23) The transition from the twentieth to the twenty-first century created new markets and economic certainties at rates unparalleled in human history. Exponential growth in globalization created complex webs of connectivity between distant states and increased competition in job markets on the global scale.

To further explore how the United States had fallen behind, Americans should call upon the event where the CEO of Apple, an American based company, was approached in an attempt to return the production of Apple products from foreign sites back to the US. He responded with an answer suggesting that such a return of jobs was improbable. Basing his decision from the comparison of labor force flexibility, industrial capacity, and reliability of the workers in foreign countries compared to labor in the United States, the CEO aptly came to the conclusion that the difficulty of maintaining a high profit margin through domestic manufacturing would deter customers. With the establishment of Unions and institutions such as OSHA, American employment in an industrial factory seems to imply the de facto indispensability of the low-skill worker. This system cannot compete with the growing pool of low-wage, high-skilled worker found abroad. (60) Global economic change has empowered the businesses of the private sector versus the institutions of the government. This shift to small businesses also created a highly competitive market, compelling participants to use their freedoms as business owners to advance themselves ahead of the competition. Attitudes that drive companies towards success also drive companies such as Apple to seek maximized profit by job exportation as opposed to job creation in the United States. (58)

Addressing the challenge of globalization, a policy solution should be pursued by the elected leaders of the United States. Representative Bob Inglis (R-SC) calls for imperative collaboration between the American major opposing political parties. (353) As a part of the solution, a regulation aspect of the five-part prescription by Friedman and Mandelbaum describes the necessity of finding middle ground between the two ideologies (of the major political parties) which govern the state. The theoretical middle ground between state leaders will facilitate federal regulation conducive toward the changes necessary for active competition in the global market of today.

The information technology revolution was initiated in the United States with the production of transistors, satellites, and the personal computer. They eventually evolved into consumer products such as the internet, cell phones, and the IPad. Globalization disassembled monopolies in information technology from the United States to create the international system of competition in the IT industry. Products and industrial concepts were introduced into the world community by American-based companies. (30) Competing countries, grasping the IT revolution, began out-producing America and outperforming the United States in its own domestic markets. This trend can be observed in the automobile market where foreign companies such as Honda, Toyota, or Volkswagen compete in terms of price, efficiency, and durability and outperform American companies like General Motors or Ford. 

Adaptation to the transformation of the international system and economy by the United States is crucial to acquiring a position of power and solving the IT revolution issue. Education as well as research and development are applicable from the five-part solution to current challenges. Drawing upon another example outlined in That Used to be Us, IBM almost collapsed in the technological revolution during the time of the personal computer. Inventing the pc was considered a side project as the business remained stagnant in its ways, utilizing business models designed for the business world that it had once dominated; the company remained oblivious to the market as it would become. It adapted and survived through self-criticism and analysis of the world in which it operated. (375) Just as prevalent as product manufacturing in considering a solution to the IT revolution is the competition in the job market. Education is incredibly relevant as analytical and innovative skills must be further developed in secondary schools to become a business asset in the technological industry. (88) Where factory workers were once needed to produce that which was in demand by the consumer, machines have proven more efficient. White collar jobs at the entry level have also been progressively eliminated as individuals possessing bachelors and graduate degrees produce higher human capital and are more desirable than those without. (57)

The United States demonstrated exceptionalism in nearly every problem it had faced. However,  the problem was nearly always tangible; whether it was the economic downturn of the depression, daunting fascist regimes in WWII, or threatening communist activity during the Cold War. In the modern system, the challenges are inexplicably different and more complicated. The current intangible challenges of globalization and the information technology revolution are incredibly intertwined; the international community moved from fragmented and fractionalized to free exchange and competition rich. Although recent US trends ignore our history of global leadership, seemingly to be replaced by states such as China, adaptation and focus upon prescriptive application of  education, infrastructure, immigration, research and development, and regulation – the five-part solution offered by Friedman and Mandelbaum—can actualize true American potential. Col. Mark Mykleby, formerly assigned to the United States Special Operation Command and currently a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, calls on the American people to mobilize towards the solution and discuss the obvious challenges to maintain the citizen’s obligation to the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. (377)

Challenged in fields such as globalization and the information technology revolution, I have outlined solutions guided by Friedman and Mandelbaum’s That Used to be Us, I offered  a response to the gradual decline of American power in the international system. As citizens of the United States, individuals may encourage elected officials to influence policymaking. Traditional American values encourage small business and domestic goods, by reaching across the aisle and implementing common sense, policy will revitalize the American economy without severing foreign ties. Increases on the importance of higher education will produce a highly skilled labor force and incredibly valuable human capital. Higher education will also shift the balance of the IT revolution as American citizens regain their place at the forefront of technological innovation. The United States’ history exemplifies that high values and ideals fuel hard working and zealous individuals who are able to attain the stereotypical American dream, by their own merit. Hope lays in that precedence, so that today’s American people may do the same and reestablish their country in a position of power in the international system.

References

Friedman, Thomas L., and Michael Mandelbaum. That used to be us: how America fell behind in the world it invented and how we can come back. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux,           2011.

Perspective from the Aloof: Gay Marriage

Are you ready for the controversy? Here goes: gay marriage. I’m hoping I won’t alienate all four and a half readers we have; mostly just the half, that kind of weirds me out.
Back to gay marriage. If you have read any of my previous pieces, you know I am not what one would call liberal or progressive in the political sense of the words. You also know that I’m not exactly a member of the religious majority, particularly here in the heart of the Bible belt and Falwell-land. So, I am – for the most part – politically right winged, a very religious non-Christian person with a strong background in the Bible and a childhood spent in the bosom of the Christian church; what could I possibly think about gay marriage? It’s simple, as far as I’m concerned: let ‘em do it.
Now, I do maintain a couple “conditions”. For one, don’t call it marriage, marriage is a religious institution created by religion, for religion, and, in this country whose cultural norms are largely based in Christian tradition, consisting of one man and one woman (what? A pagan defending traditional marriage?!) That being said, the government does not and should not ever have the right to tell you who you can love or with whom and the manner in which you can copulate (within the law, of course; I still don’t at all condone rape or pedophilia, but that’s a topic for another day). My solution for the government is this: let gay couples enjoy the tax breaks, benefits, insurance, etc. of a traditional married couple, call it a “civil union” or something of that manner, stop trying to legislate the harmless parts of morality, and stay the fuck our of our private lives. We all have the right to pursue happiness as stated in the Declaration of Independence, and as long as that pursuit doesn’t harm or infringe on the rights of others, then the government shouldn’t have a damn word to say about it.

-Sam

Party Systems and Our Form of Democracy; the problem and a solution

Good morning, readers! As I am charging up for the day on my mandatory dosage of Fox News, I noticed myself wondering off the prescribed train of thought given by the morning anchors.

The headlines were not capturing my attention, rather the situations, actors, and leaders that took action to contribute to the event which warranted national audience(according to Fox producers). Specifically, how ignorant people must be to bring certain individuals to power within government (whose names I will not divulge at the risk of losing whatever sort of objectivity I had going into this post) and how we DEFINITELY need to institute a basic knowledge test to individuals attempting to register to vote.

But that's beside the point I hope to portray....

Is the system installed in the modern day United States truly the best form of democracy? Is the government an excellent representation of the people with both vertical and horizontal accountability, a strong sense of party identification?

The simple answer is no.

We have a Single Member District, First Past the Post (FPTP) system were a voter casts 1 vote to a candidate of their choosing who represents a party and runs on a platform projecting that parties' core values. Among other follies, this system offers an inherent sentiment of 'wasted votes'and little party identification resulting in lower voter turnout and uneducated voters.

To combat current electoral problems, I propose a consideration of the mixed proportional electoral system where voters casts 2 ballots;1 for a candidate and 1 for the party. Such a method eliminates the 2 party system, accurately represents it's constituents, increases party identification, every vote counts, and it maintains the same levels of vertical accountability (between the voter and the representative) as our FPTP system. Would congress be productive with the incredible diversity offered by mixed proportional?...possibly a topic for a different time.

Food for thought...

-Stephen

A Piece on Paganism

When you hear the word “paganism”, you probably think of stuff like witches, tarot cards, upside down stars, and some seriously archaic “B.C.” cultures. While none of that is necessarily out of the picture or incorrect, I would like to take a little time and space here to discuss a type of paganism – or neo-paganism, rather – called Ásatrú.

            Ásatrú [Ow-sa-tru] is the belief in the old gods of the Germanic and Scandinavian Northmen of the first millennium (and beyond); you probably think of them as Vikings. The word Ásatrú comes from the Old Norse language and means “one who believes in the Æsir (the gods of Asgard).” In order to discuss Ásatrú as a religion, I feel I must first provide a brief overview of some key tenants of the religion. Firstly, Ásatrúar (those who practice the religion) believe that the universe is separated into nine realms or worlds: Asgard (the realm of the Æsir, gods of war, life, and greater things), Vannaheim (home of the Vannatrú, the “lesser” gods of more mundane things like agriculture, natural aspects, and fertility), Midgard (the realm of men, i.e. Earth), Swartalfheim (the realm of the dark elves, or dwarves as we call them), Alfheim (realm of the elves), Jottunheim (the realm of the giants), Hel (the realm of the dead, not Hell as in Judeo-christian theology, rather a place where normal people go when they die, ruled by the goddess Hel), Hel is located on the icy shores of Niflheim (this is the icy of the two primordial elements), and Musspelsheim (the fiery primordial realm). All of these realms are inhabited by their own peoples, about whom there are hundreds of thousands of myths and legends, some of which are important parts of Ásatrú and some, merely amusing tales for bedtime. I wish I could go into depth about some of these tales, but I haven’t the time nor anywhere near the space to do them justice.

            I suppose the best way to give a brief explanation of Ásatrú is to recount my own experiences with the religion. I was raised a Presbyterian Christian; my family are all very strong in their faith in the Christian God and his Son, as was I. It was around the age of seventeen that I discovered Ásatrú through the brother of a teammate. I’d always found the old Norse legends about heroes like Sigurd and the gods like Thor, Odin, and Tyr to be fascinating and fantastic, so I eagerly accepted an invitation to go with my teammates brother to a Moot (monthly gathering to do ritual) on the first Saturday of the month. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced. We (myself and a surprising number of Ásatrú who’d also come) gathered around an antler and bone covered stone altar flanked by on either side by two roaring fires, all in a clearing in the woods under the stars. Unsure what to expect, I paid very close attention to the goings on as a loud and primitive tattoo of drums began to sounds. As the drums continued, a priest walked out of the trees, his face and bare chest streaked with ash as he shouted Old Norse prayers to the four directions and to certain gods as he began the Moot. Following some more traditional speech on the gods and a more contemporary sermon on self-reliance, a bowl of mead (honey wine), was passed around and everyone took a drink. I was struck by the amazing energy I felt during Moot; it was like a primeval force held everyone there together in some regard, as if some connection stronger than any I’d felt had been forged. Following Moot, we left the woods and went back to the field where the longhouse was and gathered around a huge bonfire for what is called Symbal ([SUM-ball] which is a ritual during which everyone makes a toast in a circle three times, the first to a god, the second to an ancestor or hero, and the third is a boast or a vow of some deed). During Symbal, everyone was more relaxed and it turned riotously funny at some times and touchingly somber at others as people told stories of past exploits or toasted their dead grandfather.

            So what draws someone to something as antiquated as Ásatrú, you may ask? I can only speak to my experiences on the matter; it’s different for everybody in every religion. Since that first Moot I’ve been to two more as well as other gatherings including work parties and the like. I’ve always been met with nothing short of kindred spirits and what I can only describe as the best of Southern hospitality. I realize that these experiences could be had quite literally anywhere under any circumstances, so I’ll try to explain a little about Ásatrú itself that drew me to it.

            Firstly, as many of you know, I, as a VMI Cadet, hold honor and integrity in the highest regard. This is perhaps the biggest reason that I felt drawn to Ásatrú, the fact that, in its culture, there is nothing higher than honor, than being able to do what you say and keep your vows. I love the idea that men are accountable for what they say and do, regardless of circumstance, and that someone is expected to maintain their honor no matter what. The second, but equally influential aspect of Ásatrú with which I feel a strong connection is the idea that a man mustn’t be passive in his doings. That is to say that if a man wishes to accomplish something, he can’t accomplish it by sitting around and wishing it to happen, he can’t (although I think it helps) just pray for something to happen or for the gods to do it for him, he has to go out and fucking do it for himself. The gods smile on those who serve themselves, on those who are strong and have a strong will. This concept aligns very closely with my own feelings on the subject; I believe strongly that those who are passive in their lives and wait for things to happen are sheep and doomed to be devoured by the wolves who are aggressive and go out and make things happen. Thirdly, and the last to be discussed here, are the strong bonds of family and kinship that are found in Ásatrú. Ásatrúar believe very strongly in one another and will do anything to help or protect their family and friends. This is something I can relate to very well as an American, a Cadet, and as a man in general. I mean, even after you’ve lost all you have in this world, after everything changes, your family is still there with you and nothing can change that. I would gladly kill or die for any of my family and those friends of mine who have come to be my brothers.

            These are just a few broad reasons why I’ve started down the path of Ásatrú. Short of going into deep philosophical and spiritual talks (which may well follow, pending the interest here shown), I can’t get too intricate and maintain a level of comprehensible meaningfulness, as a cursory brush over anything of a religious nature does it no justice. At any rate, I hope this has been at least mildly interesting and informative. As I said, I may bang out some more specific things, perhaps on certain gods themselves, specific aspects of Ásatrú, etc.

            This has been a poorly organized and hasty exposé on Ásatrú by Sam Crawford.

                                                            Rah Virginia Mil. 

My Trip Into the Wilderness, Never Forget What Makes You Happy

Sorry for not posting in a while! I had to find some sort of escape from all of life's ridiculousness so I chose to call an old friend of mine to join my on a trek into Charles C. Deam's Wilderness area in Hoosier National Forest. We took the Grubb Ridge trail route to the Peninsula on Lake Monroe. An 8.1 mile hike in was filled with sights of a winter beauty and untouched nature- culminating into the exact mental remedy I needed to sooth a mixture of anxiety and the clutter of thought that seemed to plague me as my time away from "Mother I" wound down.

I packed a majority of the group gear and food to increase my ruck weight in hopes of adding a bit of training to the excursion - my pack was over 80lbs which, for any backpacking aficionados that may be reading this post, is an extremely heavy pack for a weekend trip. Even with that burden, my buddy and I managed to keep our pace between 3 and 4mph which allowed us plenty of time to set up camp before nightfall (we hit the trailhead around 1300) as well as ample time to leave before the great snow storm hit the midwest.

The weekend living by our own means among the frozen trees of wilderness, aloof from civilization, fostered my ability to reflect on the transformation I have personally experienced during my first semester at college as well as the web of conflict which spun in my mind. My reflections were noted in a journal that I started to carry with me in hopes of developing my thoughts to post here, but until that time I will share only a brief idea on what I found to be a minor issue that I would argue we all face; an overlooking of appreciation for the "what" and "who" in our respective lives.

By subjugating myself to an experience that by nature (pun not intended) required minimalism of comforts and communication, I found that it was so easy to count our blessings. Not to speak from any sort of pedestal nor write in stanzas of cliches fit to bestow moral upon a child - but it is almost painful to observe the ease with which a plurality of individuals take. Taking what one wants by impulse of the moment with no grace nor wisdom of future implication or use normally always leads to a waste in one form or the other. With waste, in context, denoting negative consequence; my most immediate example is regret. As we grow up and move on to "bigger" and "better" experiences and pathways in life -- whether it be college, a career, discovering new places and things, or devoting yourself to a loved one -- the foundation to our joy and successes may be easily overlooked and (regretfully) forgotten or lost. As I realize that the decisions I am making shape the role I will fill in the world and ultimately the legacy I leave, the thought which anchors me when I  feel so filled with ambition and goals that I will take off is the thought of my family's undying love and support.

On my trip, my good friend and I were able to go out with only what we were able to carry on our backs and each other, without the amenities of modern civilization, and create a memory that I know I will cherish for a long time. I believe everyone should stand that kind of vigil, one held within themselves. Never forget the "what" and "who."

- Stephen

Modern Rights Of Passage - Part 1

Let me be the first to say that I am a proponent of the grandest sort of allowing each man to make his own way in this world. That being said, I will also be the first to point out that nobody may begin their own way in America without first following in the footsteps of those who have gone before. I speak of course of the concept of “rights of passage” in this, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

            Too often have I been disappointed by the incessant whining of the general populace around me as to the hardships of being a collegian, an athlete, fraternity brother, sorority sister, or human being in general. I find it, to be quite frank, disgusting that everybody thinks they should have their fortunes handed to them on a silver platter. As a student of the lowest order (Rat) at what is arguably the most rigorous military school in the nation, I feel that I am slightly more qualified to speak on the topic of earning one’s place than most.

            I am of the mind that American society today has projected a picture to the populace of everything being given when asked and nothing taking the least bit of blood, sweat, or tears. I feel that this is a result of the pacification of American society as a whole and the growing idea that we needn’t work for what we want or out place in society or, indeed, the world. If one were to ask me where I stand on the concept of hazing, I would likely respond that I am a proponent of it. I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘how can you say something like that?’ It’s simple, really, it’s my thinking, that if someone can’t undergo the hardships of becoming a member of a fraternity, a club, or a corps of cadets, then how can they be expected to adequately stand up to the trials of executive life, combat, or, actual society?

            In conclusion, I would classify myself as one among the old breed of social thinkers. I am one who thinks that one must first earn their place and prove their worth before counting themselves among the ranks of those who have. I acknowledge that there are less than pleasant things that occur during these “rights of passage” and that not everyone who undertakes them will seed it through to the other side; but I promise you, that those who do undergo these hardships, this baptism by fire, will prove to be more dependable, reliable, and competent individuals.

                                           -Sam