In the early 2000s, I began to cut my teeth as a would-be wordsmith and armchair philosopher when I created a rather lengthy, meandering work on my general observations of the world as I had come to see it. I referred to it as a manifesto but have since distanced myself from using that word because it is often included as evidence in criminal trials of certifiable sociopaths with body counts.

The word itself is harmless, though, and I feel it is time that I consider wrangling it back to the center as it is described in simple terms. A manifesto is simply a written document to expound upon the guiding principles of a group or in this instance a person.

The manifesto of my youth contained many of the principles I continue to hold sacrosanct, but having long-since lost the full content of the post, I’m left to piece together what I can recall. Having lived through additional decades, I feel as though I have further polished this living document to account for the many twists and turns of my own life and that of the world at large. As a living document, I continue to make minor adjustments as time goes on and my perceptions change but the thrust remains true in form and direction.

In order to honor the person I was in the past, and grow in my understanding, I will attempt to recreate this document to suit the world I find myself occupying in 2024. There is so much ground to cover and there feels like no better time than the present to begin.

This will take the form of a series of articles that form the backbone of my philosophy. They will not necessarily form a linear progression, and must be taken as a whole and complete work. As with so much of my work, there will be order under a healthy layer of the chaotic fire used to forge me in every passage.

To maintain some semblance of order, I’ll post these items under their own category for easier sorting and consumption. It will take however long it takes, because I want it to be complete.