www.cetano.com

Quite a lot of people believe that in this world there are conformists, a.k.a. “mindless sheep”, the people who do things because “that’s what everyone does” - and, conversely, don’t do something because “nobody else is doing it”. People also believe that there are non-conformists, who supposedly are the opposite of the above. So far, so good.

But a lot of people make a big mistake here - they believe that non-conformists are people who are intentionally different, people who do something because others don’t, and don’t do something because others do. In other words, people who consciously try to be “different”.

And that’s not “non-conformism” at all.

Trying to be different is really the same as trying to be the same - it’s living in function of others. It’s having no personality, no opinions, no tastes, no self. What others do is the basis of what you do, whether you copy it or oppose it.

Many teenagers (but it’s not limited to them) err in this way - one could call it their “rebel phase”, but it’s “rebellion” without a real cause, a real objective - they just want to shock others, to be noticed. They try to affirm their identity by opposing whatever they see around them - no matter if whatever they see is right or wrong.

A “non-conformist” - or, rather, an individualist - does, instead, what he likes, what he believes is right, what he wants. If he does something completely unique, he doesn’t care; if he does something everyone else does, he doesn’t care. What others do is up to them, but he chooses for himself.

For instance, I like a music genre that is completely unfashionable, that almost no friend of mine likes, that isn’e ever heard on the radio. Yet I love chocolate, which most people also love. Do I stop listening to heavy metal to “fit in”? No. Do I stop eating chocolate to be different, to “separate myself”? Nope, that would be quite stupid. Both are my tastes - whether others share them or not didn’t, and doesn’t matter at all.

Pedro Timoteo is a systems administrator and writer, living at Tercena, Portugal. He authors, among others, a philosophical blog, Way of the Mind.

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No one can live a life without mistake! Plain and philosophical perspectives would see mistake in a completely different way. This article will explain the term “mistake” by using both plain and philosophical tactic.

For plain approach, mistake means any act that is not acceptable to the majority of the people who are directly or indirectly affected by the activity committed by the one who is thought to be “mistaken”. Mistake just means unacceptability, because, with or without reasons, this activity is thought to be unacceptable by the majority of people who get or not get involved in. But when it becomes accepted by the majority of people, it will, with or without reasons, become acceptable. What about philosophical tactic?

In philosophical approach, mistake signifies any commission that is not acceptable, because, with absolute reasons, it would badly affect one or many people or that it does not bring any long-term benefit. For philosophical view, long-term benefit would be the objective.

Philosophical perspective would not care about majority or inadequate quantity of endorsement, the only reason to prove any activity the mistake just because it is wrong with philosophical reasons. For philosopher, mistake is still mistake, though only he or she thinks that it is the mistake and other millions of people think that it is acceptable or grandly beneficial.

Lay Vicheka is a translator for the most celebrated translation agency in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Pyramid Translation Co.Ltd.. He is now hoding other two professions: freelance writer for Search Newspaper; focusing on social issues and students’ issues and Media Liaison Officer for Asia’s first free on-line IELTS consultation website. Lay Vicheka is the expert author for ezine and prolific article contributor to other websites around the world such as articlecity, 365articles, spiderden, talesofasia, etc (Just google him). He is also a volunteer Cambodian-newspapers columnist (Rasmey Kampuchea and Kampuchea Thmey). Lay Vicheka has great experience in law and politics, as he used to be legal and English-language assistant to a Cambodian member of parliament, migration experience (home-based business) and in writing. He is also member of a New York-based research company. Posting address: 221H Street 93, Tuol Sangke quarter, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel: 855 11 268 445, vichekalay@yahoo.com

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Many people lump together the scientology church, and the scientology philosophy Hubbard created. Then bag the church for it and its adherents strange behaviour. But isn’t that like throwing out the baby with the bath water?

The scientology church and some of its high profile adherents, Tom Cruise springs into mind here, seem at odds with the stated aims and purposes which the founder, now deceased, set out.

The tenets of the church proclaim, quite rightly, freedom of speech and freedom of expression as regards religion. This can be seen by anyone who reads the Creed of the Church which can be found at creed of the church of scientology.

However continued attacks on the scientology Freezone, that area of scientology where people practice the scientology religion outside of the official church, demonstrate a lip service given to the creed rather than firm belief. In addition subsequent changes in the basic texts of the philosophy have alienated the true aficionado of the original working philosophy.

This basic philosophy is found in the many books he wrote and the many thousands of lectures he gave which are available on audio tapes and CDs

The application of the technology includes Auditors (practitioners) applying certain auditing techniques and procedures (exercises) with PreClears (Clients) to produce an exactly defined benefit for that client.

It includes the understanding of life, it’s composition and potentialities. The application part of the philosophy includes activities which one can embark upon to improve one’s life both in the spiritual sense as well as the physical.

Such benefits can include:

An increased spiritual awareness
An improvement in lifestyle
An acquired or improved ability of a clearly defined nature

In fact, the philosophy and working technology which Hubbard researched and developed is well known by many thousands of people who have found it to be beneficial for them in their lives and has assisted them to become more aware and capable.

This is distinctly different to the practices of the church, much more in the public eye, and which is much more perceived by the media and critics. Which leads one to wonder what is it that is actually being criticized here?

Perhaps it is not the religion after all but the current management of the church, once held in high regard but now perceived somewhat less favourably.

Further information on the actual differences is available on the link below.

Permission to use this article is granted provided this link to http://scientologistsfreezoe.com is included.

Sebastian Tombs

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