Without compassion, true gratitude is an impossibility. If we are to feel gratitude towards another for their deeds, then we must have compassion for the suffering and self-sacrifice which they endured in carrying out those deeds. If their actions were free of suffering or sacrifice, then are they truly deserving of gratitude?

Derek R. Audette

Categorized in : Life Sacrifice Gratitude

The universal methodology of the tyrant is always incrementalism.

Derek R. Audette

methodology tyrants politics

If you want to know what true art is: Go outside on a clear night, wait until it gets very, very dark, then look up! You will see no rules of composition, no evidence of superior technique. Yet, you will be staring into the very face of pure, unadulterated beauty and wonder. That is the unattainable Ideal for which I must constantly strive.

Derek R. Audette

dark night art

I do not like to call myself a Liberal, because there is so much that is wrong with liberalism. I also do not like to call my a Conservative for exactly the same reason. The fact that the theater of conservativism today seems to be such a haven for such an abundance of small minded, non-thinking, irrationalists is however making it very difficult for me to not adopt a harder stance.

Derek R. Audette

politics today thinking

The curse of the intelligent man is that he will always find himself surrounded by the ignorant. The measure of the intelligent man is determined by his tolerance toward them.

Derek R. Audette

intelligent men life

I think the most basic difference between Liberalism and Conservatism today, at its core, is that Conservatives just seem to want a better world for themselves - while Liberals just seem to want a better world.

Derek R. Audette

differences world thinking

Whether you actually can or can't fight city hall is of little relevance. Either way, when the need arises, you must!

Derek R. Audette

fighting cities needs

The question is not whether the good outweighs the bad. The question is whether or not the good excuses the bad. And, in my opinion, it doesn't. It never does. As long as wrongs are being commited, in any quantity, and in any ratio to the amount of good that is being done, it is both irresponsible and wrong not to bring awareness to it, and struggle to put an end to it.

Derek R. Audette

struggle life long

If it turns out that physical death truly results in the absolute cessation of consciousness, then it would seem to me that in the grand truth of things, every human who has ever lived, who has not committed every minute of their lives toward an effort in finding a cure for mortality, has died as an utter and miserable failure.

Derek R. Audette

effort consciousness life

Abstraction is an exercise in a pre-assured failure. It is a futile attempt to communicate the non-communicable

Derek R. Audette

communicate exercise art

No matter how much utter disdain I have for the work of a particular artist, I would still rather that he had created those works than hadn't

Derek R. Audette

stills matter art

The entire 'my art is better than your art' thing really gets under my skin. The fact of the matter is: Your art IS better than my art... at being what it is. So what? It just so happens that my art is better than your art, at being what it is.

Derek R. Audette

skins matter art

No matter how substandard you feel your skill or talent may be, If you never produce your art, the world will always remain deprived of it.

Derek R. Audette

skills world art

From my observations, it would seem that the core message of most major religions is right, just and pure. For this reason I can not help but conclude that evil acts committed by religious people are committed not because of their religion, but in spite of it.

Derek R. Audette

religious life people

Whether or not anyone could have done it is not what's important. What is important is whether or not anyone would have done it.

Derek R. Audette

important done art

It is not about which artist is more skilled than which other artist. It is about creating what is in you to create. A lack of confidence in oneself is like a thief, It steals from the world that which might be worthy.

Derek R. Audette

thieves creating art

Gratitude free of compassion is selfishness. It is nothing more than being happy for what has been done to benefit you.

Derek R. Audette

gratitude compassion life

I would warn against too much of a radical devotion to rationality. Rationality is an illusion, an invented concept, a construct from the mind of man. It is not a property of the universe. Rationality may be a useful tool when it suits our purposes, however, it is merely a measuring stick, calibrated against what we know of the nature of the universe - all of which may or may not be completely inaccurate.

Derek R. Audette

mind men life

Life is replete with comedy, drama, horror, suspense, tragedy, romance, mystery, fantasy and a good dose of fiction. While at times the plot may seem to be lacking, the special effects alone are well worth the price of admission.

Derek R. Audette

romance drama life

Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.

Derek R. Audette

ignorance life two

An all encompassing uncertainty on the part of any person is either a sign of utter stupidity or extreme intelligence. Only the not so dumb, or the not so smart, are ever certain about anything.

Derek R. Audette

smart stupidity life