Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife
Grandfather says he is a political anarchist, more than anything else.
Then he favors youths dressed in black and wearing masks and hurting people and breaking things, you ask?
No, Grandfather’s anarchy is not violent; it merely avoids government, whenever possible.
One must live apart to do that, so one must be able to stand one’s own company and that of a few others.
A hermit he is not.
“Experience has taught me that any kind of political grouping is oppressive. It’s the blind mass that crushes the individual.”
— Gao Xingjian
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About the Author: RD Blakeslee is an octogenarian from West Virginia who built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. You can read more about him here.
Photos: Courtesy of the Blakeslee Family
If Grandfather is an anarchist, why did he say this?
“Pay attention to your government and do what you can to make it represent you.”
https://lenpenzo.com/blog/id22017-how-i-live-on-less-than-40000-annually-ralph-from-west-virginia.html
1. He changed his mind
2. “… consistency is the refuge of fools.” – Hyman G. Rickover
3. Other (What?)
Hmm. Noticed that you didn’t get any responses to this, RD. Maybe the people who hang around here lean more to the worship-government-side?
Or maybe they’re young enough yet to still think they can make it all work better with just a few tweaks.
As for you? I suspect that, once again, we share some similarities. We don’t worship anything other than God, and the older we get, the better we know it. Maybe that’s what’s setting us apart.
P.S. One of my favorite role models was Noah John Rondeau, aka the Cold River Hermit. I heard him on talk radio, and like my grandfather, he started many stories with the phrase, “Doncha know.”
Gee, I find that the number of responses depends on how many share, or are quite interested, in the subject.
Generally, the “philosophical” ruminations don’t ring a bell for most folks, I guess.
I hadn’t heard of Noah John Rondeau – thank you for telling me about him!
There’s alot about him on the web – I’ll read it and get back to you here, later.
Rondeau – a very interesting character.
But, “A hermit he is not.” (Grandfather), which Rondeau was.
While his motivation for seeking separation in the mountains was like Rondeau’s, his life includes family, friends, a conventional homestead and interaction with others, when he chooses. Modern communications, as we are enjoying here, has made it much easier to avoid actual isolation.
My history need not be repeated to obtain the benefits of living apart,. The essential elements are planning one’s own way for getting away while young and making steady progress getting there.
Gee, It’s been itching on me all week that I didn’t respond to this observation of yours: “We dont worship anything other than God, and the older we get, the better we know it.”
Well, Gee, I can’t honestly claim I “worship”, but the older I get, the more I am sure of of two feelings about Him (pardon “Him” femaleists).
1. If god is, then he is as he is and what I think about Him makes no difference. Endless theology is moot.
2. I am am sometimes overcome with a compelling urge to thank Him for a blessing, e.g: https://lenpenzo.com/blog/id44266-grandfather-says-the-miracle-of-birth.html