Ever More Awesome

Western civilization was built upon, and could thus be summed up by one simple maxim; "ever more awesome". Simple, yes, but not easy. You see, wars were waged, lands were conquered, and innovations were made--all to be more awesome. But what does this mean? How does one know if they are awesome? What attributes are found in those who are awesome? These questions are all, in a way, heading in the wrong direction. There is no set of attributes or properties that, when assembled, bestow awesomeness upon something or someone. It is much like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said of obscenity: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it". Similarly, when I see something that is awesome, I know it, furthermore, someone else who sees it knows as well. This kind of silent unanimity is what does all the talking about what is awesome. Simply put, it's a kind of intuition that we have, as members of a society, as people aware of our place in history and our generation.

That being said, being awesome is not accidental. Though one may not be able to explain to you why something is awesome, one can certainly take steps to be more awesome. Part of these steps are strides toward being genuine, being sincere. When a person is doing something wholeheartedly and with excitement, those things show outwardly. Whatever they are doing is often done much more impressively, and the person themselves captures the attention of those who are paying attention. Alexander the Great (who could possibly be also called Alexander the Awesome), in his trip across half the globe, had the sincere belief of a united world. He may not have been awesome in the way that we see more non-offensive people as awesome, but he may have just been part of an evolution in awesomeness. Another part of being awesome is a general feeling of goodwill, a kind of looking to everyone and saying "come, enjoy this, for it is truly great". This is part and parcel with sincerity, but more of an extension of it. It is the realization of happiness in what one is doing, and a wish to give everyone that joy. Simply put; maximum fun, all around!

Friends, it is not often that my posts take this serious a turn, but I feel it necessary as we attempt to build the legacy of this new century, our legacy. I wake every day, and sometimes I do not wish to go anywhere or do anything. Sometimes I get lost and I lose hope for a minute. But nearly every day, I see something awesome, I see someone who really is being awesome, and I am inspired and reminded of what I ought to do. What I am talking about is not being great for the sake of your ego, or for the sake of being remembered, it is rebuilding the world, just more awesomely! Your fellow humans need you more than you think. They rely upon others to inspire them, inform them, revitalize them, and so much more. Being awesome is doing all of the above. Let us build this new age, our age. Let us open our hearts like masts and catch the wind of today to push us into tomorrow. Let us move forward, toward the future built on the bricks that we carry today. Let us push onward, ever more awesome!