An Open Letter to Professor Peterson from a Former Student

For context: http://thevarsity.ca/2016/11/21/the-explainer-timeline-of-the-jordan-peterson-controversy/

Dear Professor Peterson,

I am a former of student of yours – I took the “Personality and its Transformations” and “Maps of Meaning” courses that you taught at the University of Toronto during my undergraduate years, where I double majored in psychology and philosophy.

I am writing this letter to you directly, but also publishing it publicly in the hopes that it furthers the advancement of the current conversation/controversy that you are surrounded in at this time. I am doing this for three reasons: 

1. I hope to provide you with some thoughts for self-reflection about the issues at hand, not because I am sure that you need assistance in your process of self-reflection or because I am sure that reading this letter will benefit you, but because I genuinely want to be helpful;
2. I want to aid in my own process of reflection and to help contextualize my own thoughts and feelings on these matters (and I thank you for validating my proclivity for using the written word for such purposes during my time as your student); and
3. I hope to provide some food for thought for others who are currently following the recent controversy (especially those who seem to follow you unquestioningly with the passion of zealots).

I distinctly remember a moment during one of your Maps of Meaning lectures years ago wherein a student raised his hand and asked a question: “Why are you teaching us all of this?” Your answer rings loud and clear to me in my memory: “I want you to be free of ideological possession.” Your thesis has stuck with me to this day because I find it cogently and concisely sums up a major reason why seemingly rational and normal human beings can seem to become the embodiments of evil, something we have seen (and continue to see) far too often throughout the course of history. It helped me to make a little more sense out of the unfathomability of my own ancestry: my grandparents were survivors of Nazi concentration camps. It has helped me to more clearly recognize and appreciate the strength with which underlying assumptions about the world – call them ideologies, schemas, or unconscious beliefs – shape the realities of individuals, families, communities, and societies as a whole. I say all of this because I want to be clear that I value and largely agree with your cautions about the dangers of being “ideologically possessed”; I hold you in high regard as one of the more insightful and thought-provoking professors I had during my undergraduate years at U of T.

I appreciate the extent to which you acknowledge the fallibility of human beings, particularly their blind-spots: their biases, their emotional reasoning, and their logical fallacies. It was a point you made again at the debate this past Saturday morning as you were pitted against (what seemed to be) two interlocutors who did not share your fears and concerns about the insidious motives lurking behind bill C-16 and the “social justice warrior” agenda to silence those whose views do not conform with theirs. To some who have been following this unfolding drama, you have been painted as a hate-monger, an ignorant bigot, and the prototypical “privileged white male professor sitting in his ivory tower.” To others, you are seen as a courageous martyr, a warrior for truth and freedom, and a brilliant psychologist/professor who is being fundamentally misunderstood by a naïve world. I would argue that those who view you at either end of such an extreme spectrum are, to borrow your phrase, ideologically possessed by polarized, overly simplified perspectives, the origins of which and the reasons for I will not begin to speculate here.

As for myself, in accordance with my own humanistic beliefs, I view you as a man who is striving to stand up for what he believes is right. I see a man who earnestly believes that there is danger lurking in the shadows and is trying his best to shine light on it in order to prevent its influence and reach from growing. And I see a man who feels that he has his back against the wall, who is afraid of what is happening in the world around him, and even more afraid of what may be coming down the road. 

As I think back at all of the knowledge I gleaned from you in your lectures and writing, all of the insights and perspectives you shared with myself and my fellow class-mates, I also recall certain off-hand comments you made to us at times. Some that I can still hear echoing in my memory include: “If you believe that, then you’re an idiot!” and “If you think that, then you’re just plain wrong.” I recall these comments now not simply for their (perhaps?) inadvertent crassness and their (unintentionally?) entertaining shock-value. I recall them because within the tone and the very nature of the content of these statements, I can’t help but find an inherent arrogance – a definitive, dismissive quality of cocksureness that is, I think, unbecoming of a man who claims to recognize the uncertainty, fallibility, and tenuous nature of the human mind’s grasp on reality. I recall these statements because I have seen/heard them again in some of your recent statements, lectures, and debates regarding the issues surrounding Bill C-16. I point them out to you now because I think they may be symptomatic of one of the reasons that you find yourself in the position that you’re currently in.

Rather than make psychoanalytic assumptions about you, I would like to pose you a series of questions – ones that I have been wondering in light of recent events:

Is it possible for any human being, including yourself, to be fully free of biases, mental blind-spots, and underlying assumptions that may be erroneous? Is it possible for any human being, including yourself, to be completely “free of ideological possession” of one sort or another? Is there such a thing as a “completely analyzed analyst,” one who can view certain phenomena which such a degree of objectivity that he/she/they/[insert preferred gender pronoun here] are free of the grips of the unconscious? Can anyone truly see so clearly that they have broken free of the inherently subjective nature of human consciousness itself? If I had to venture a guess, I imagine that your answer to these questions would be: “probably not.”

I implore you then, Dr. Peterson, to ask yourself how you can justify presenting yourself as being so sure as to the rightness of the stance you have taken recently regarding Bill C-16 and the issue of transgender rights? Is it not possible that the decades you have spent researching totalitarian regimes and their ideological underpinnings, your own education and theoretical orientations as a psychologist, your own personal upbringing, history, and life experiences have led you to see things in a certain way? Is it not possible that given your own beliefs, your own findings based on your extensive study of various texts and academic research, that you have nurtured in yourself a bias to assimilate your perceptions of events and personal experiences to fit a particular worldview? Is it not possible that in your attempts to make sense of what seems to be an often dangerous and unpredictable world composed largely of irrational and idiotic human beings, you have oversimplified your views on the nature of good and evil, right and wrong, freedom and oppression?

I ask you these questions not because I am sure that you’re wrong about what you believe to be the truth in these matters. I ask, rather, in the hopes that you will not take your sense of rightness as proof that you are, in fact, right – no matter how logical, rational, intuitive, or well-informed your arguments seem to be. I remember you cautioning myself and my fellow students against putting too much stock the in veracity of rationalization – the most valid of arguments does not guarantee its soundness. The human faculty of reason can justify just about any position, provided that certain premises remain beyond the reach of scrutiny and thorough questioning.

For what it’s worth, here are some of my brief reflections on recent events:

            I think that you’ve made some harmful overgeneralizations about the people who are advocating for the rights of transgendered people. In labelling the entire cause of transgender rights as a front for “PC authoritarians,” “Marxists,” and the “radical/fringe left,” you have also (perhaps inadvertently) called into question the validity of the cause itself. This sort of “guilt by association” reasoning, which you may or may not actually espouse, is communicated to those who look up to you: students who listen to your lectures, watch your videos, and hang on to your every word. I do not doubt the existence of the “radical leftist” people of whom you speak (I encountered my fair share of them during my undergraduate years), and I agree when you say that they are likely not representative of the trans-rights movement as a whole. However, by focusing so exclusively on them and what you imagine their motives and influence to be regarding bill C-16, you have framed the issue of transgender rights in a very particular way – one that I believe suits your own motives, beliefs, and worldviews much more than the actual spirit and letter of the law itself. 

You, yourself, have been accused of fostering intolerance and fomenting aggression towards transgendered people on campus, largely because certain ill-informed, neo-Nazi types seem to gravitate toward your messages and use them as fuel for their own intolerance. Would it be fair to say that because such people have been drawn to your rallies, people who wave the banner of “free speech” over their heads as justification for their own transphobia and hatred, that your motives must secretly be steeped in neo-Nazi ideologies? Of course not. But when you frame issues a certain way based on your own preconceptions about the world (which we all inherently do), you are likely to start mistaking shadows for actual monsters. 

            

            There is much more I could write, but I realize that this letter has already become quite lengthy and that both time and attention are precious, limited resources in our world. I would like to end with one final point: I don’t believe that there is such a thing as absolute freedom. The freedom of speech that we enjoy must be tempered by our own sense of responsibility for what we say. As a psychologist sworn to a code of ethics which includes a responsibility to society at large and as a professor at a prominent academic institution, this responsibility is amplified for you. If the way in which you frame your arguments and exercise your right to free speech does, in fact, lead to ostracism from your colleagues, anger from minority communities, and the increased boldness of racists, misogynists, and bigots, then you have a duty to very seriously examine the impact of your words and actions. 

I would be happy to discuss these matters further with you, if that is something you would like to do.

Best wishes,

Daniel Farb

Being OK with Not Being OK - Part 1 – Identifying What Is

There is a prevalent and almost ubiquitous social conversation around solving problems and “getting results” in our society. Since our earliest education in the school system we are given problems and instructed as to how to solve them. Our intelligence is judged largely by our aptitude to problem solve, to think critically, to come up with solutions. My university education essentially trained me to think analytically, to form logical arguments and back them up with evidence – to find solutions and make sure they were well fortified. This type of thinking, this analytical thought process, is useful for many tasks in this world; some of humanity’s highest achievements have come as a result of using these problem solving faculties of ours. When it comes to dealing with matters of spiritual growth and development, however, analytical thought can be a great detriment.

            If there’s any lesson I've learned from my own experience in facing personal demons and overcoming obstacles within myself it’s this: growth can be very painful. When dealing with matters of the soul, especially when compounded with mental health issues (of which I am no stranger), the terrain can often be treacherous and the path uncertain. The experience of going through personal transformation can be confusing and downright terrifying, and it almost never happens overnight. The reality is that there is often a great deal of pain and suffering that goes with this thing we call being human, whether it’s an undercurrent to our daily lives or it sticks out right in our faces. And for those who are in the midst of acute suffering for which there is no easily identifiable cause, no amount of immediate, pragmatic, goal-oriented problem solving is going to make much of a difference.

            There is no formula for spiritual growth and no guarantee when it comes to transformation. There are many systems and schools of thought as to how the process of human growth and development occur in one’s life, and there is much common wisdom to be found in the various philosophies, religions, and cultures of the world. Each human being, however, is unique. As much as we have in common with each other as a species and as similar as some of us may appear to be, we all have a unique set of circumstances that make us who and how we are. From our genetic codes to our upbringings to our beliefs and convictions, no two people are exactly identical. We don’t go through things in exactly the same ways, at precisely the same times, or for an identical set of reasons. For this reason, while we may find solace in certain ideas presented by others and compassion, understanding, and even empathy from those we encounter, it is close to impossible for two people to ever fully be in the world and experience reality in exactly the same way.

            At the end of the day, when we are experiencing the pains of our particular human existences, there will always be some degree to which we are alone. This is not to say that there can’t be great comfort in sharing our thoughts and feelings with others and connecting with other people – great relief and joy can be derived from human interaction, especially in times of emotional turmoil. My point is that there’s some part of our experience that will always remain so inherently subjective that no amount of conversation, analysis, or investigation will reveal it fully to the mind of an observer. This is why it is so important for us as human beings to learn to be in tune with ourselves as we truly are, in ways that only we can know ourselves.

             So brings us to the most important and greatest challenge of being human: to be OK with those parts of ourselves that nobody else can truly know. It is possible, although not realistically feasible, to acquire evidence from the external world as to the goodness, validity, or “OK-ness” of almost every aspect of ourselves. Others can tell us that we are good people, that we are worthwhile, or make a list of our traits for us, but no external description or account can fully encompass all that we truly are. The parts of ourselves that only we can know intimately, provided we are thoroughly honest with ourselves and that we have the sufficient insight into our own psyches, are beyond the purview of anyone but ourselves. If we are to have a significant and lasting respite from suffering, or even a chance at true fulfilment in life, we must learn ways to be OK with our deepest depths – the secret parts of us that nobody else can see.

            The first step in the process of learning to be OK with ourselves is to identify that which is the cause of our pain; we need to know what it is that we are not OK with. It could be depression, anxiety, or some form of mental illness, or some kind of compulsive behaviour, insecurity, or fear that we carry around and are unable to get rid of. Regardless of what it is, the experiences or feelings that are causing us to suffer must be identified and characterized in some way that makes sense to us. For lack of a better term, the syndrome that we possess within us that is the source of distress needs to be distinguished and named. We need to be able to identify it as something that is, at least for the moment, intrinsically linked to ourselves, but at the same time is something that is not us. A person with depression, for example, must be able to distinguish themselves from their depression. It may be something that encroaches on every aspect of their experience of life and has real, tangible consequences, but nonetheless the person in their entirety cannot be said to be the same as their depression. Said another way, the person must acknowledge that they have depression, that the depression is linked to them, but they as a person are nonetheless distinct from their depression.

            It can be quite difficult to distinguish oneself from the syndrome being experienced, especially when we are talking about matters of the mind. When lost in the whirlwind of thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, and the like which make up our conscious experience, especially when the totality of such experiences are intense, confusing, or painful, it can be very hard to maintain a distinct sense of selfhood. Perhaps the greatest danger is to identify too much with one particular thought, feeling, internal voice, thought-pattern, or aspect of experience such that it becomes indecipherable from one’s true self. It should also be noted that the purpose of distinction of oneself from one’s experiences is not to cut off or completely compartmentalize one’s experiences. In the same way an arm or leg is part of us, our thoughts and feelings are part of us. It would be strange, however, if one were to say, “I am my leg” in an indefinite sense. The totality of what makes a person who they are cannot be restricted to one particular experience or syndrome. It is when a person completely identifies with one’s suffering as who they are or wholly indistinct from themselves that the suffering becomes unbearable. Conversely, if one perceives one’s experience of suffering as completely outside their control, as if their syndrome has all the power to continually inflict itself upon the sufferer, that hopelessness and despair may also become a reality.                                        

Why I Stand for Community

I had an interesting conversation last night with my homie DJ Romeo; we were talking about the idea of community, specifically the hip hop community in Toronto, which inspired me to write about some things that have been on my mind for a long time now.

It's no secret that every human being is self-centered to a certain degree; we view the world through our own unique lenses and perspectives based on a variety of factors (not the least of which are our past experiences). In our capitalist society, cash is king, and everybody is out to get theirs. The world of business has only one bottom line for the majority, and unfortunately many other good motives that people possess often fall to the wayside in the face of profit-motive. The same is all to often true in the music industry, and the hip hop community of which I am a part is no exception.

It's also not a secret (or at least I hope it isn't) that most artists do not make money off of the work they do. The vast majority of serious artists invest time, energy, and money into their works and receive little or no compensation as a result. Rappers in Toronto (and I would assume elsewhere) spend a lot of time making music, putting out records, and pushing their product and brand to anyone who might be interested, but often their goals of reaching broad fan-bases and eventually monetizing their music are not fulfilled. This is not the case with every artist - there are some who are actually making a living off of the work they do (and there's even a percentage of those who make really good music).

While money is still the universal currency within any industry, and those with more money definitely have an easier time at marketing their music, there is another, (I dare say) more valuable currency than money for those who can't simply throw dollars in the direction of materializing their dreams: respect. You can't buy respect. In the words of Brooklyn emcee O.C.: 

"Of course we gotta pay rent, so money connects, but uhh/ 

I'd rather be broke and have a whole lot of respect." 

The short-term focus and insatiable desire to be in the spotlight right now of so many artists I come across can be, I believe, a tremendous detriment to their careers overall. More importantly than that, the levels of stress that come with  the "need to achieve" right now can lead to desperation and certainly take a negative toll on ones health.

Don't get me wrong - I think it's important for artists to go out 100% for their own dreams in they want to have any chance of whatever their definition of "success" is. The problem I'm getting at here is that it's not the goal of being a successful artist that is the problem - it's how people go about doing it. While I am not generally in favour of labeling and pigeon-holing people, I'm going to describe a few "types" of people I've come across to elucidate the issues I'm attempting to describe:

Sharks: Will say and do absolutely anything necessary in order to get what they want. Any standards of morality and codes of human conduct fall to the wayside for selfish, self-centered motivations. Will shit on anyone and everyone if it means they get what they want.

Snakes: Keep low-key and behind the scenes while they attempt to manipulate people and situations in order to get what they want. May say and do things for people in order to try to get things from them in return, and then fuck them over a moment later when those same people no longer serve a purpose to them.

Chameleons: Change their colours to appease to whatever crowd they are in and depending on who they are talking to in order to win the favour of others and get what they want. May smile in your face one minute and then talk shit about you behind your back to another person in attempts to win favour with different groups of people.


Believe me, if I had the time or inclination, I could make up more characters to fit more stereotypical ways of being I see around me in my community. Many of the types of people I am describing would probably fit in the spectrum of antisocial personality disorders, although many others do not go to such extremes. As with everything, there are degrees to which people display such stereotypical traits, and there are often far more subtle behaviours at work. The point of my descriptions is that there is one bottom line for all of these types: they do what they do because their top priority in life is getting what they want. 

Selfishness and self-centeredness/egocentricity is the predominant spiritual disease of the human race, and it permeates all facets of our society. It is probably necessary in our world to have a degree of self-centeredness, certainly insofar as we need to take care of ourselves and survive. And when it comes to achieving our goals, we do need to do the work necessary for ourselves in order to get what we ultimately want. My main objection is this: most people think predominantly only of themselves and, if they are brutally honest with themselves, don't care much about anyone who doesn't have any personal relevance to their own life. In the Toronto hip hop community, I see this mentality playing out to an extreme, where everyone is out for themselves and "fuck you unless you can help me further my own goals RIGHT NOW." The end result: go listen to k-os's "Crabbuckit":

There are those who fall on the opposite side of the spectrum: altruists who think that helping others, selflessness, and giving of oneself are the ultimate goals in life. To anyone who can live this way and be truly happy and fulfilled doing it, my hat goes off to you. It takes a very special kind of person to constantly give of themselves without any thought of return and without having some kind of hidden agenda. There are some who, in a perverse way, flip the idea of giving to others in order to ignore issues in their own lives or avoid being confronted with what it takes to achieve their own goals and dreams. These self-proclaimed altruists do not really care much for those they seek to help; they give of themselves in a limited capacity in order to feel OK with who they are in the world. I think it's important to strike a balance between giving of oneself for the sake of others and taking care of oneself. Peep the words from the Jewish sage and scholar Hillel:

I believe that it doesn't have to be either/or when it comes to getting what we want for ourselves and our lives and caring about the people we come across on our way to achieving our dreams. I believe it's possible to get what we want AND help others get what they want. We can make a positive difference in the lives of others while we further our own ambitions. I know this to be true - I'm doing it in my life today. I'm living it.

This is why I stand for my hip hop community and for the idea of community in general. I am not purely an altruist - I am well aware of the fact that by helping others today, they may in turn be more likely to help me down the road. However, this is not the primary reason I do what I do and stand for what I stand for. I give of myself to others and express myself to the world because it is a source of fulfillment for me in my life. I do it because of the nature of my own spiritual condition as a human being; I've learned that if I become too consumed with self, then I will be miserable. I do genuinely want to have a positive impact on the lives of others and make a lasting difference in the world. Being of service to those around me is not inconsistent with my dreams of being a successful hip hop artist, poet, writer, actor, etc. - it is part of and inseparable from my dream and my vision. My definition of success in this life includes uplifting those around me, and in doing so uplifting myself.

This is the person I have given my word to being in this world and am actively growing and creating myself to be. Who I am is the possibility of love, inspiration, and transformation. I stand for this definition of hip hop: peace, love, unity, respect, integrity, creativity, and fun. This is why the acronym in my name - F.U.B.B. - stands for Foundations of Understanding Based on Benevolence.

I look forward to meeting and working with those of you in the world who share similar dreams and visions.

Much love.
-MC FÜBB

On the Possibility of Peace

I've spent the past few weeks arguing with many people and debating both sides of the issues surrounding the ongoing conflict in Israel. I have concluded that the blame-game and the right/wrong debate is absolutely useless in this matter, as it often is. There are certain perspectives and interpretations that neither side will likely ever give up.

There needs to be a new type of dialogue being fostered that concerns only the possibility of peace and the things congruent with that possibility. Our way of talking about the issues needs to change before the transformation will take place in reality. It starts with the conversation, and the conversation needs to take on new dimensions to be productive. As Albert Einstein once said: “Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”

How to foster such a type of conversation in the minds and hearts of those who are filled with hatred seems to be a monumental task, and where to begin this task I do not know. I will start with myself and the way I talk to people. I hope in doing so others will be inspired to do the same.

(January, 2009).

My Response to A World that Hates Israel: Never Again

As a proud Jew, Zionist, and staunch supporter of the existence of the nation of Israel who is not afraid to voice his opinion, I meet a lot of opposition in this world. Sometimes people are reasonable and willing to talk about things calmly, but most of the time I am met with emotionally charged rhetoric, violent threats, anger, belligerence, and accusations based on hatred and misunderstanding. So here is my best attempt to set the record straight - why I believe in Israel's right to exist in peace and why I defend my position vehemently.

Israel exists so that the Jewish people of the world can have a homeland. There is no other nation in the world that Jews can call their home. Conversely, there are dozens of predominantly Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc. countries in the world. Throughout the history of the Jewish people, and even before they "became" the Jews (as slaves in Egypt, for example), the Jews have been persecuted and killed. In every generation, in every era, there have been those who sought to destroy the Jewish people and eradicate them from being. This hatred of the Jews (which I refer to as anti-Semitism, for lack of a better term), is irrational, racist, and just as bad as any form of discrimination or prejudice that exists. Furthermore, it is persistent. It has persisted throughout history and continues to persist today.
The Holocaust happened only 60 years ago. This is a relatively recent event in world history - less than a century ago. The world sat back and did nothing while 6 million Jews, not to mention countless other minorities, were exterminated by the Nazis. And the world said "never again."

But the Jewish people have learned from the Holocaust that "never again" means we can never again wait for the world to intervene and come to our aid. Never again can we afford to allow anyone to discriminate against us for being Jews, because passivity breeds tolerance for intolerance, and this only leads to escalations of hatred. Never again will we march like lambs to the slaughter or wait for the hang-men to tighten the nooses around our necks.
And this is why Israel exists: to make sure that the Jews have a way to fight back when those who seek our destruction begin to emerge from the shadows. And since Israel is the metaphorical and material symbol for Jewish unity, strength, and the right to exist, it is also the target of the world's anti-Semites.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not claiming that all who criticize Israel or oppose Israeli policies are racist or anti-Semitic. In fact I think it's the responsibility of all Israeli citizens to scrutinize and criticize their government and its policies. But I am asserting that much of the anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric in the world, much of the hatred of Israel and its policies are nothing more than veiled anti-Semitism; the same anti-Semitism that has plagued the Jewish people for thousands of years.

To those whose hatred of Israel is motivated by anti-Semitism, I have nothing to say other than that we are here to stay, so you better get used to it. Israel and the Jewish people will never be eliminated, and we will never cease to fight for our God-given rights as human beings; the rights to live, be free, and find peace in the world. I pray that you find some peace in your hearts and realize that your hatred towards us reflects your hatred of your own self, and that you someday overcome this burden.

And to the rest of the world, who hate Israel for every other reason in the book: because of its military campaigns, because of its intolerance of terrorism, because of its refusal to let the death of its people go unnoticed, because of its values, beliefs, and unyielding resolve and commitment to its purpose at any cost, tell me this:

What would you do if you were Israel?

How can you reason with those who deny your right to exist?

How do you create a conversation of peace with those who would rather kill you than accept you?

How can you be diplomatic when every concession you make leads to greater bloodshed?

How would you deall with a world that would rather accuse you of being wrong than work for the common goal of lasting peace?

How can you reason with those who do not utilize the faculty of reason?

I tell you this, world: Israel cannot afford to wait for things to get worse. Israel cannot afford to maintain a status quo of living under constant attack and fear of destruction. Nor should it.

When one's basic rights to life are not being met, one must pursue a dialogue to attain those rights. And where that dialogue is ineffective or impossible, one must pursue legal means to attain those rights. And where the law is too limited, powerless to act, or ineffective itself, the use of force to stand up for one's rights is justified.

This is why I support Israel and will defend that great nation and all it stands for until the day I die. This is why I stand for what I stand for. And I will not kneel before anyone in this matter.

With prayers of peace in Israel and the entire world,

-Daniel Farb
Proud Jew, Zionist, and lover of Israel
(January, 2009)

Dear World...

Dear World,

I know some of you aren’t very happy with me right now. I know over the course of my life I’ve pissed a lot of you off. During my brief existence here, I admit, I’ve done some damage. I could use the excuse of being young and ignorant and confused when I was a kid, and I think I’d be justified in doing so, but I refuse to use that excuse to justify any of my behaviour over the past ten years. G.O.D. knows that over the past decade I’ve done and said some pretty shitty things. I’ve hurt people close to me, I’ve hurt perfect strangers, and I’ve ultimately hurt myself quite a bit in the process.

This isn’t a confession. This isn’t an apology. This isn’t a pathetic attempt to get you to sympathize with me. This, like the purpose of anything I’ve ever written, is me conveying some truth that I’ve found within myself in the hopes that it makes a difference for those of you who take the time to read my words.

I know that at times I can be impatient, crass, and insensitive. I like to think that I possess a certain intensity in my way of being in the world, and I also know that that way of being can be a double-edged sword. I know I’m sometimes terribly judgmental of others and that I’m even harder on myself. I’ve done a lot of soul searching; I’ve swallowed some bitter chunks of truth about myself over the years. Knowing, unfortunately, sometimes makes no difference. I still choose to be ways that I know will rub some of you the wrong way, say things that might offend you, do things that might anger you.

I also believe that there lies an immense potential for greatness in every single human being. I know I can be great in the world; I’ve touched my own greatness at times in my life. What I’ve learned is that there’s some part of me that fights against my desire to be great in this world – a human ego that resists the loudest callings of my soul. I believe we all resist certain things about ourselves and the world and that resistance is the main source of human suffering. The greatest pains I’ve experienced in my life have been during the times that I’ve fought against my own calling in the world; the times I’ve stood in diametrical opposition to my own self-defined purpose in life. And it’s at those times, dear world, that I’ve done you the most harm.

Heaven and hell are real – we can manifest them within our own minds and in turn create them here on earth. Angels and demons exist – I can tell you this because I’ve met people who have embodied the former and I, myself, have been the latter at times in my past. I didn’t literally sprout horns and carry a pitchfork, and the angels I met didn’t have wings or halos. What I’m saying is that we all have a few fundamental choices in this world: we can choose to build or destroy, to create or to dismantle, to grow or decay, to live or to die.

I make no excuse for the damage I’ve done to any of you, to myself, or to the world as a whole. I have remorse, but no regret; I cannot say with any certainty that my life could have gone any other way than the way it’s gone thus far. I do believe, however, that my capacity for destruction is equally matched if not surpassed by my ability to manifest peace, love, and joy in the world. I believe that every single one of you has that power as well.

I’ve created lot in my short time here. I’ve written hundreds of poems, stories, essays, pieces of prose…even written you a few letters. I’ve written and recorded songs and put out a few albums. I’ve performed dozens of times to different crowds at different places on the map. I’ve spoken publicly and in private with many to share my experience, strength, and hope with them. I’ve given of myself to those who suffer and in the process helped to save some lives. I’ve built things. I’ve inspired people. I’ve created love, I’ve spread joy, and I’ve made people laugh.

Dear world, please try to understand; sometimes I lose sight of who I am and why I’m here. Sometimes I forget what I’m capable of and I sell myself short of the power that I have to make a positive difference for others. These are the facts of my humanity. They don’t condone anything, but I hope they help to explain.

This life, this world, all of us here in this reality – it’s not about any one of us. Of course we are all myopic in our attention when it comes to our own lives vs. the lives of others; we need to possess a certain degree of self-focus and self-awareness to survive. What I’m starting to see now, though, what I’m beginning to believe is that all of my choices in life, everything I’ve said and done and everything that I haven’t, have been far more important in terms of the effects they’ve had on the world than the consequences that they’ve had for me personally. I have no notion of the degree and scope of the impact that my life has really had so far, nor knowledge of the difference that my life will ultimately make over the course of time. I can guess, I can ask people, I can intellectually calculate and search my intuitions, I can look at the quantifiable material differences, but at the end of the day, I have to admit that I just don’t know.

So I make you a promise, world. I will continue to write, I will continue to rap, I will continue to speak and perform. I will continue to speak my truth, because that, I believe, is why I’m here. I am committed to inspiring you to find out why you’re here – to create yourself, your life, your purpose, and manifest the destiny that your soul calls you towards. I promise to be courageous in my efforts in the face of fear, in the face of my own limitations, and in the face of no agreement from any of you, because I think the world needs more courage. I’m here to wake you up to your own greatness and to tell you to not let  your own humanity be the reason why you don’t push forward with every ounce of strength you have to be who you truly are and create the kind of world that I believe we all want to live in. I’m here to inspire you to work together as one race to transform the world. I will make mistakes; I will learn from them. I will fall down; I will get back up and keep moving. I will not give up on my dreams until I die.

And if, in the process of me living this life, I hurt you or upset you or piss you off, then I sincerely apologize. It’s not my intention to do you harm. But I will never apologize for being who I am, for working towards fulfilling my purpose, or for answering the beckoning of my soul.

This is the path I’ve chosen to walk – I refuse to go another way.  

Words from the Philosopher MC: On choosing to fall to victim to circumstance…

Circumstances are the “what’s so” of life. Circumstances simply are what they are, much in the empirical sense that a brick is simply a brick. All entailments as to the meaning of a given circumstance or set of circumstances are human attributions, and therefore such interpretations are as arbitrary as the subjective lens through which they are viewed. People who use circumstances as reasons for their action or inaction are actually limiting their freedom to make their own choices. It is only when one is free from all attributions as to the meanings of one’s circumstances that one is free to really choose.

           
Example: There is a hip hop event going on that Tom would like to go to, but he ends up not going “because it’s too cold outside.” In this case, Tom have fallen victim to his circumstance inasmuch as he let it dictate his actions. It’s clear from this example that the cold weather is not at the source of the reason for Tom’s action or inaction. Rather, he would be being more honest and accurate if he said “I didn’t go the event because I chose to use the cold weather as an excuse not to go.” Had Tom actually made the choice to go to the event, the circumstance of the cold weather would have remained the same, but he would have actually done what he wanted to do. Ergo, had Tom chosen to go to the event despite the cold weather, he would have not fallen victim to the circumstance.

Caveat: There are such things as real victims in the world, and therefore it is possible to be a victim to circumstance without choosing it. For example, had Tom been walking down the street and randomly gunned down by a raving lunatic, this would be a circumstance that prevented Tom from getting to the event without his choosing. In essence, a real victim is one who has had their freedom to choose forcefully taken from them.

In the Face of No Agreement (blurb)

It takes something for us to take a stand for what we believe in in this world. The easiest thing to do is to follow the path of least resistance – to do what society expects us to do and blend in with the masses. But to stand for something, to acknowledge a cause greater than ourselves and work diligently towards forwarding that cause, is among the hardest things we as human beings can do.

What makes consistently standing for a certain cause so difficult is that if we are sincere in our efforts and actually begins to make progress towards our goals, then we will invariably face obstacles and even opposition. On the quest to materialize our dreams in this world, it is essential that we have others in our community agree with our vision and share our commitments. Unfortunately, a by-product of expanding our effectiveness in realizing our goals is that we are bound to come across much indifference, apathy, cynicism, and possibly even direct opposition to that which we are committed to. For every dream in this world, there exist forces that have No Agreement to it being fulfilled.

Another form of No Agreement, less obvious and more insidious that external opposition, is our own resistance to our own greatness. No Agreement towards ourselves can take the form of self-doubt, self-sabotage, self-destruction, disempowering beliefs, fear, anxiety, confusion, and even self-created rationalization against fulfilling on our own commitments. In order to be able to effectively face obstacles in the external world, we need to learn to master our own internal worlds so that we can stay clear and focused on what we say we stand for. Because at the end of the day, all we can truly own are our own words and actions in our given circumstances – everything else is in some degree beyond our control.

The source of human greatness is our ability stand firm to our commitments in the face of No Agreement. Regardless of our circumstances, our past experiences, our limitations or disadvantages, we always have the ability to choose who we are going to be in this world. And if we are courageous enough to be unwavering in what we stand for, if we maintain our integrity with our commitments, promises to others and most of all with ourselves, then we are already living into the future that we want to see materialized right now.

Choose to be powerful. Choose to be courageous. Choose to manifest your own greatness.

Stand for what you say you stand for – In the Face of No Agreement.

Generosity

Never doubt the power of human generosity.

In every single moment of life, human beings have the capacity to choose. Perhaps one of the simplest and most powerful choices a person can make is to choose to be generous.

We live in a world where the choice to be generous in any given circumstance can seem counterintuitive. Within a pervasive context of thinking where self-gain reigns supreme, to give of oneself needlessly or without the intention of receiving personal benefit in return makes no sense. From the perspective of one who is a single part of the greater whole which makes up reality, a generous disposition makes perfect sense.

The cliché statement that "it is better to give than receive" actually bears immense wisdom. When a person gives generously to another, they immediately gain benefits that are not obvious, insofar as there is no immediate tangible reward for one's generosity. However, in being generous, a person becomes open to the very idea of generosity itself, and becomes more able to receive generously. This doesn't mean that if I give you a dollar, I'm going to get a dollar back; this notion of reciprocity is simplistic and is a far cry from what is meant by the term "karma." It is a law of human beings (and perhaps all spiritual beings) that how one consciously chooses to behave repeatedly over time will eventually become part of one's character, one's self - one's very being. And our experience of reality, and ultimately the quality and flavour of our lives themselves, flows from how we are being in the world.

Skeptical? Go and try it out. The next time someone is speaking to you, be generous with your listening; you'll be surprised what people are willing to talk about with you if you are actually patient and open enough to listen. The next time someone asks you for a favour in which there seems to be no immediate benefit in your helping them, help them anyway - and do it gladly. You may begin to notice that others are much more likely and willing to go out of their way to help you.

Be persistently generous with others and that very generosity will become part of who you are. You will begin to naturally attract and elicit that same generosity from others and from the universe itself.

Motivation?

People often think you need "motivation" in order to do something. For example: "I don't go to the gym because I'm not motivated enough to go." This type of reasoning is nothing more than an excuse. The idea that one needs to be motivated in order to take a given action is a fallacy.

What does "being motivated" even mean? Is it a feeling? Most of the time, when people say they lack motivation, what they are really saying is, "I don't feel like it." God knows we as human beings often shy away from taking certain actions simply because we feel a certain way about something. But we as human beings have the capacity to act contrary to how we feel. Most people get out of bed in the morning and go to work everyday even if they don't feel like it.

"Aha!" says my imaginary interlocutor, "it's the motivation of keeping the job, of not getting fired, of having money that has people act contrary to their feelings." Yes, on one level of analysis, motivational factors, even reduced to feelings, can have hierarchical values. In this case, the motivation comes from fear (perhaps the most "motivating" emotion of all) of losing a job, of not having money, and all the consequences that come from being unemployed and broke in a capitalist society. I'm not doubting this is a valid theory that may very well describe how human beings operate...according to their motivations/feelings.

But from another (and I believe more empowering) perspective, human beings have a choice even of how they will act in the face of any emotion, including fear. We can see plainly that the term "motivation" is given to describe reasons for behaviour, these reasons usually reducing to nothing more than emotions. If fear is the ultimate motivator for human beings, then a person who can choose to act contrary to their fears, to be courageous, is a powerful person indeed.

We attach all sorts of reasons, concerns, and explanations to our emotions - the reasons we let them run our lives, the concerns upon which they are grounded, the explanations for why we feel the way we feel. Sometimes our reasons are valid (e.g. I'm afraid of running into the middle of moving traffic because I fear that I will be injured or killed). But often our fears are not based on facts, but rather preconceived notions of how the world is, how we are, and how things will turn out based on past experiences. Take the example of the boy who won't ask the girl to dance out of fear of rejection. He doesn't actually know he will be turned down, but he doesn't ask for what he wants because he believes that his fear indicates a predetermined outcome (which is does not, in this case).

So how do we know when our fears are valid, or when anything that we let "motivate" our behaviours are indeed worth basing our lives upon? The truth is, in most cases, we simply can't know. Granted, some outcomes are easier to accurately predict than others. But perhaps the greatest fallacy of the human mind is to relate to certain beliefs we hold as if they were true, empirical facts, when in fact they are nothing more than unverified or even unverifiable propositions. When we live our lives within the confines of our unchallenged beliefs, we limit ourselves as human beings. We limit our growth, our freedom, our self-expression, our ability to learn and engage our creative faculties to the fullest. This is often what people mean when they refer to someone "living in a box."

So what relevance is all of this to my life right now? Well, I have a job. It's actually a pretty good job; it pays well, the hours are flexible, and it's probably one of the best jobs you can get within the industry. But the problem is, I don't want to be there anymore - I don't want to have this job. And the longer I stay at this job not wanting to be there, the more I dread it, the more I even begin to loathe it. So here I've chosen to allow the feelings I have about this job, which I've allowed to accumulate over time, be my "motivation" to quit. At the same time, I have tremendous fear about leaving this job. What will I do that will make as much money? Will I be stuck at a worse job if I quit here? Etc., etc. Thus far, the fear of the unknown, of perhaps making a bad choice, has been the winning "motivator" to keep me employed where I am.

What I really want to do is make money off of doing the things I love; rapping, making music, performing, writing, acting - basically anything entrepreneurial, creative, and most importantly, things that I'm passionate about and that make a positive difference in the world. So here's the big problem for me; I've been using a lack of motivation to grind, to hustle, and to put in the hard work necessary to make my dreams a reality as an excuse for where I'm at in my career as an artist, and where I'm at as a whole in my life. And the reason that I attribute to this lack of motivation? I'm not starving. I have a job. I have money. I'm doing alright.

I know that I can take the actions necessary to be where I want to be professionally without any motivation whatsoever, because I have taken many beneficial actions in my life that I didn't feel like taking. But there's something about it...about FEELING that HUNGER...that NEED to SUCCEED that has driven so many people to greatness. No, I don't NEED to feel that...but it sure couldn't hurt. And I have thus far been unable to manifest that feeling in my current circumstances for a prolonged period of time. So given that as a human being I attribute motivations based on my feelings, and given that fear is (arguably) the ultimate motivator, if I put the fear of being broke, of not having money and all the consequences that come along with that at stake, I would likely be as motivated as I possibly could be to make money doing the things I love to do. And how to create that real, tangible feeling? Create a real situation with real consequences for failure - e.g. quit my job.

And then all the other fears come in: what if I quit and the fear isn't enough to motivate me to grind harder? What if it is motivating enough but I don't get the results I want out of the work I put in? What if I...what if...what if...

What if I took an action that everything inside me is telling me to take in the face of all my fears, all my concerns, all my reasons...

What if I chose to be courageous on a level I have not been for what seems like a very, very long time?

I've heard it said that if you burn the bridge behind you, then you are forced to move forward on your path. I've also heard it said that it's only when you lose everything that you are free to do anything.

And I hear a voice inside me getting louder and louder with each passing day...and it's beginning to grow restless...beginning to scream:

LET ME OUT! THE TIME IS NOW.

On Not Giving a Fuck

I figure that one of the keys to life is to not care about certain things. I'm not saying to walk around with a "I don't give-a-fuck" attitude; quite the contrary. I think it's important to care about that which we are committed to, among other things. But sometimes it's good to not give a fuck. Like when it comes to art, I'm going to express myself as authentically and powerfully as I can, and I don't give a fuck how it's received by the world. That might sound ignorant, but I think it's actually quite empowering. "For example," someone may say, "you should care how it's received, because you want people to get it and have it impact them and ultimately buy it..." etc. And that someone would be right, I do want all those things. But the moment I put any of those concerns before the authenticity of my art, I compromise the integrity of myself as an artist. I am a person who has chosen to be an artist in the world, and therefore if I compromise my artistic integrity, I compromise my integrity as a human being. Does that sound like a jump in logic, like some kind of fallacious reasoning? You can compute it yourself - as far as I'm concerned it's sound and valid. In other words, I don't give a fuck if it's actually a logically valid or sound argument. The point is, it works for me. And if it works, then why would I give a fuck about trying to fix it?

Hip Hop Headz (H3) Constitution

1. Preamble

Hip Hop Headz (H3) is a community of members who consider themselves to be just that – hip hop heads. Whether one considers oneself an MC, rapper, DJ, graffiti artist, b-boy/b-girl/breaker, beatboxer, producer, singer, dancer, promoter, entrepreneur, publicist, agent, etc., is irrelevant in this context. If one identifies oneself as a hip hop head, one has met the necessary requirement to be a member of the H3 crew. It should be noted, however, that fulfilling on the necessary requirement is not sufficient for membership. Members need to adhere to a certain code of conduct to represent H3 and receive the benefits of membership. This document will explain these requirements.

2. Introduction: Who We Are; What We Stand For

H3 stands for the manifestation of hip hop in all of its various forms. Practically, H3 will throw events, support individual artists, endorse causes, and participate in any medium that propagates hip hop as a culture and art-form. H3 is the physical instantiation of hip hop and lives through the creative efforts of its individual members working together towards common goals. H3 creates hip hop – we live hip hop – we are hip hop.

3. Core Values and Principles

H3 has no monopoly on hip hop. H3 does not claim to know the “true form” of hip hop, have the “correct definitions” of all terms, nor the “right way” to go about creating/manifesting hip hop in the world. H3 does have, however, a set of core principles and values which guide its focus and the conduct of its individual members. Members of H3 are expected to place these principles in high regard and do their utmost to uphold these values in all H3 affairs.

• 3.1 - Love: Definitions of love are as various are there are forms of love and ways to express it. H3 has no monopoly on such definitions or what/how love may be present for each individual member. Nobody can judge for certain if there is love in another person’s heart or whether they are “in it for the love” or not. The principle value of love is meant as a general guidepost and reminder as to the origins of the idea of hip hop and the force through which it manifests itself to its fullest possibility.
Before any other motive in any H3 endeavour, the love of hip hop needs to come first.

If there is no love in one’s pursuits within the hip hop culture, then one is not participating in an H3 project. This is not to say that H3 is against pursuing hip hop for other reasons (e.g. money, respect, fame, etc.) – quite the contrary. It is not necessarily what one is doing or even why they are doing it, but how they are being and conducting themselves while pursuing their goals that matters in the context of H3. In the context of H3, love means, at its core, a fundamental acceptance for other human beings and an effort to show goodwill towards all people. It is in this sense that H3 seeks to “spread the love” of hip hop to the world.

• 3.2 - Peace: H3 is committed to non-violence. Under no circumstances will physically violent acts be tolerated by any member. Any member who commits and act of physical violence to another member or at an H3 event will have their membership revoked and possibly be banned from the community.

Violence can take many other forms besides the physical. It is difficult to draw lines and define what constitutes non-physical forms of violence (“psychological violence”, for example, if a very tenuous and subjectively defined term). Since many use hip hop as a form of self-expression, at times frustration, anger, and even rage may be present in its manifestation. The principle value of peace reminds us that whatever may manifest through hip hop, it needs to be channelled and used in a responsible manner. The life and achievements of many human beings (Mahatma Gandhi, for example) are testament to the fact that great things can be achieved through non-violent means. H3 places great importance in “keeping the peace” at all times and in all its pursuits.

It should be noted that self-defence is the only excusable form of violence in the context of H3. Self-defence means only defending oneself against current physical violence against ones person, and exerting only enough force as to stop the current violence from continuing. For example, if a fight breaks out at an H3 event, all members are expected to step in and use the minimum force necessary to stop the violence from continuing. H3 detests all forms of violence, and also recognizes that each human being has the right to defend his/herself from threats against their person. Under no circumstances will the initiation of violent acts by any members be tolerated, nor will retributive acts beyond the above definition of self-defence be acceptable by any H3 member.

• 3.3 - Integrity: Members need to honour themselves as their word at all times. As hip hop heads, our word is our bond. What this means in practical terms: members are expected to do what they say they would do when they said they would do it. This includes everything from punctuality at events to returning phone-calls. This being said, nobody is going to be able to keep their word all the time. Members are expected to be in communication any time they cannot do what they had committed/promised to do and do their utmost to rectify the situation.

Without integrity between members, H3 has no integrity and therefore the idea that is H3 will not work. Members need to treat what they say they will and/or will not do with respect. If there is no integrity in one member’s words, then that member cannot be trusted. Integrity is not to be confused with morality; one who does not keep his/her word is not a bad person, they simply aren’t trustworthy. If a member consistently displays a lack of integrity, then they are probably not a good candidate for membership in H3. Words manifest in the real. Word is bond. The power of the word echoes loudly in hip hop. One’s word is not to be taken lightly in H3.

• 3.4 - Community/Unity: All great accomplishments of historical and global significance occur at the level of community. No one person can change the world unless he/she is supported and believed in by a community strong enough to materialize that person’s ideas. Hip hop has an unlimited potential to create, build, and strengthen individual from various communities and different walks of life. H3 is committed to creating a community of human beings bound together by the common bond of a love for hip hop.

Unity is as intrinsic to the concept of a powerful community as it is in encompassed alphabetically within the word community itself. Without unity, a community has no direction, no common purpose, and is essentially sterile in regard to its ability to create anything of great significance in the world. H3 is about pushing and supporting its individual members as much as possible – provided that that individual member is operating as an agent of H3. This means that if a particular member is not in any way acting in the interests of H3 and what H3 stands for, then he/she is not acting in unity with the H3 and therefore should not receive H3 support. That being said, if a member has the goal of making a large personal profit off of their work, for example, then this goal is not necessarily inconsistent with the mandates of H3. If in pursuing this goal the member is also supplying a service to the hip hop community at large, for example, then they likely are conducting themselves in accordance with the principles of H3.

It is not so much the physical manifestations or methods of expression of one’s work that determine whether or not one supports a given community, but rather the motivations for action, result of one’s action, and the spirit that one has in their pursuits that matter to the issue of unity within in H3.

• 3.5 - Respect: Jackie Robinson once said: “I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
Respect is a term often confounded with many other concepts and has a very
definitive meaning for H3. All H3 members are expected to treat other members and anyone involved in any H3 endeavours with respect. To explain what is meant by the principle of respect, it will be useful first to look at what it does not mean in this context. Respect does not mean that one needs to like another person. One can greatly dislike another person, for example, and still respect that person’s right to be who he/she is, say what they say, and believe what they believe. Respect does not mean one merely tolerates another person; countless events in history show that the principle of tolerance is a far cry from what is necessary to avoid the negative consequences of prejudice, bigotry, hatred, and violence. If one respects another person, tolerance is not necessary, because respect entails a fundamental acceptance of other person’s shortcomings, faults, and in short, his/her humanity.

The principle of respect is closely tied to the idea of humility. In fact, it would be accurate to conceptualize respect and how one conducts oneself with humility towards other human beings. At its core, humility is the ability to accept the humanity of oneself and other people – the good, the bad, and the ugly. With this acceptance, one can show respect to even those who offend and upset them. Respect doesn’t mean that one “bites their tongue” when they disagree with another member. To censor oneself is in direct contradiction to what H3 represents and what hip hop is all about. Acting respectfully does mean, however, that one does not seek to tear down or destroy another person with their criticisms, but rather voices their opinions in a non-violent manner and in the spirit of contribution to the good and welfare of the other person. To disrespect (i.e. “dis”) another person on a personal level is not acceptable conduct between members of H3. In the more conventional sense of “dissing” another member for their actions or even dislike of their work is acceptable in H3, provided it is done in a constructive manner.

If one does not respect another member, then this is an issue that needs to be brought up in conversation immediately and resolved. If there is no respect present between members and non-members in a given project, then that project should not be an H3 event.

• 3.6 - Creativity: H3 exists to foster the creativity of its members and give them greater access to materializing their creative forces than they would have had on their own. The poet and playwright Jonathan Larson once wrote: “The opposite of war isn't peace... It's creation!” In the context of H3, creativity first and foremost is contra to violence and destruction, and hence in alignment with the principle of peace. Creativity is an active force, however, and is about manifesting certain ideas into reality rather than simply preventing the emergence of potentially destructive ones.

Creativity is often spontaneous and therefore unpredictable, which may at times result in words or actions from an individual that are not necessarily in line with H3 principles (e.g. an emcee is freestyling and says something racist or otherwise hateful). In such instances, what is important is that the member acknowledges his/her misalignment with his/her commitments as an H3 member and recommit to not repeating the same mistakes again. H3 is not about censorship. Quite to the contrary, H3 supports the creative expression of its members in whatever ways they may manifest, however unconventional or sometimes even offensive they may be to certain individuals. What matters most is that a member’s creative expression be done in line with the other values and principles of H3, particularly Respect, Love, Respect, and Unity.

H3 will back its members in their creative pursuits, even if they are met with violent opposition from non-members, provided that the member in question can demonstrate his/her alignment with H3 principles. The unity of H3 should be maintained even if a particular member receives much condemnation from communities outside H3, provided that member is in line with H3 principles and is not damaging the H3 community itself with his/her actions.

• 3.7 - Fun: It’s been said by many people about hip hop (among other things) that “if you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.” Hip hop is supposed to be fun. H3 members should never lose sight of the spirit of having fun in all H3 endeavours, no matter how serious they may seem or how hard the work may be.


4. Expectations of Members

4.1 All H3 members are expected to support all H3 projects and events in any capacity they can and to as much of an extent as is possible for them.

4.2 Members are expected to support the endeavours of other individual members as much as possible.

4.3 Members are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the core values of H3 at all H3 events and in all H3 endeavours and pursuits. This includes when dealing with other individuals within H3. Hatred, bigotry, racism, etc. for example are contrary to the principles of Love and Respect, and therefore will not be tolerated.

4.4 Members are expected to be actively working on hip hop related/oriented projects or towards achieving related goals. There is no such thing as an “inactive” member of H3.

5. Decision Making Protocols

5.1 – Chief Principle Officer: The Chief Principle Officer of H3 is its founding member: MC FÜBB (Daniel Farb). The Chief Principle Officer has the following powers/responsibilities in H3:
5.1.1 Ratification and Amendments of Constitution: The H3 constitution cannot be ratified or amended without agreement and the signature of the Chief Principle Officer.
5.1.2 Addition of New Members: The Chief Principle Officer must be in agreement before any new member can be added to the H3 roster.
5.1.3 Suspension/Expulsion of Members: The Chief Principle Officer must be in agreement before any member can be suspended or expelled from H3.

5.2 – Constitutional Amendments: Amendments to the constitution can only be made by a majority vote and agreement of the Chief Principle Officer. The majority vote is only valid if there is quorum consisting of 51% of members voting.

5.3 – Addition and Removal of Members: Only the Chief Principle Officer has the power to add or remove members of H3. Any member wishing for the removal or addition of a member should consult with the Chief Principle Officer to present their case.

5.4 – Endorsement or Non-Participation in Events/Projects: All H3 events and projects will be endorsed and supported by all H3 members, provided said events/projects are consistent with the principles and values of H3. If issues of whether or not a particular project/event is consistent with H3 principles arise, both sides of the case will be presented and considered, follow by a vote of a minimum quorum of 51% of H3 members. The Chief Principle Officer will not have the authority to remove support for a given event/project without majority support, as long as the member(s) creating the project/event are H3 members.

5.5 – Dissolution of H3: H3 can only be dissolved if the Chief Principle Officer dies or signs a declaration indicating the dissolution of H3. However, if either of the above scenarios occurs and the majority of members vote to keep H3 alive, then H3 will continue to exist and operate.

The Hip Hop Community is Vital

Human life, at the level of the individual, is like a vacuum. Solitary people have immense limits on their self-expression and ability to make a difference in the lives of others. It is only when one is expressed at the level of a community does the self truly manifest itself and shine onto the world.

Hip hop is a part of life; for some hip hop is life. The same is true of the solitary hip hop head as it is for any other human being. One hiphoppa may have immense talent and creative potential, but this potential will go largely unrealized at the level of the individual. It is only in the context of a like-minded community that one’s ideas can fully be actualized in the material world. Without the community that creates it, hip hop has no real power. Without the listener, even the dopest rhymes in the world will fall on deaf ears. A lone MC cannot form a cypher or move a crowd. Without those who take the time to watch, the illest b-boy is just some guy doing back-flips in his basement. Hip hop can and will survive without community, but it will only be able to do that – survive. If hip hop is to achieve the potential it has to actually be at the source of transformations in the world, then the cohesiveness of the hip hop community is absolutely vital.

Choice

I don’t have to do anything. I don’t even have to breathe. It’s all only a necessity inside of a prior choice or commitment. I choose to be alive, so I breathe, I eat, I drink – I do all that because I made a choice to live as opposed to killing myself.

And then I give reasons to my choices. I work because I choose to have money. I speak because I choose to be heard. I create art because I choose to directly impact the lives of others in the most powerful way I possibly can.

Everything is a choice, and then there is circumstance. Circumstances are only as they are because I have not yet chosen to transform them.

Who I am, what I do, and how I live are all matters of my choosing. Anything that stands in the way of my choosing is only there because I have not yet chosen to address it.