The Better Idea: An introduction to The Pillars

“The only way to fight bad ideas is with better ideas.”

I get mail.

No, it’s true. Occasionally, people send me little messages to let me know that they’ve read my book.  Most of them are death threats.  Frankly. I don’t feel like I’ve been doing my job unless I get at least one death threat a month.  And you know what I normally grade them and send them back...Because I’m helpful like that, and people ought to know how to spell “Defenestrate”.

But as per usual, I’ve already gone off my track. A young vampire, who I won’t cause problems for by mentioning his name, writes Your Arrogant Correspondent and asks the following:

“Lately, I’ve been explaining to my fellow Carthians that the main problem we have as a movement is that we are a reaction to the politics of the past.  We know exactly what we’re against, but we don’t exactly know what we’re for. So I guess the thing that I’ve got to ask is this: How can we turn the Carthian Movement into a proactive forward looking philosophy all its own?  How can we go from being against things to being FOR things?”

An interesting question. and one that made for fitful day-sleep.

The answer is pretty simple actually. You can’t make the movement go from this to that.  But you can make yourself go from this to that. and when people see you leading by example. They will adopt what you do.

So the question is not, how do I make the Movement go from being against to being FOR?  It’s how do I go from being against to being FOR?  And do so in such a way as to inspire others and not get horribly horribly killed.

Now. If you want my two cents...Shit, I might as well be honest and say $37.50, I think that the best way to jumpstart this change you want to cause, is to adopt a moral and ethical philosophy that can stand apart from the other philosophies of the other covenants. Not only that, but adopt a philosophy that is in keeping with Carthian ideals and ideology.

As it happens I’ve been thinking some things along these lines. So. If it’s a moral and ethical philosophy for the Carthian Movement, still near and dear to my cold dead black heart, that you want...I can help. I can show you the way.

But like all shaman. I can ONLY show you the way. You’ll have to walk the path yourself.

Philosophy is necessary. it shapes movements. It builds bridges and cities. It creates art. It illuminates lives. So writing about philosophy is a thing that has to happen. but that it is an exercise in masochism for anyone sensitive enough to hate seeing someone apply your ideas and cause themselves, or others, undue and unnecessary pain so here goes:
*This is an evolving document.
*Not all truths are for all men nor for all time.
* The Map is not the territory.
*Your Mileage may vary.
*You are responsible for the content of your own Mind.
*You are responsible for the content of your own Heart.

*You decide your own level of involvement.
*My values and experience are not going to be the same as yours and mine don't necessarily trump yours either.
* The best rule when reading philosophy is the central tenet of Jeet Kune Do. "Absorb what is useful."

But I will say this, If you do something dumb or desperate, you can always fall back on, "Pinky said so." My shoulders are pretty broad.

-P Berkowitz

2015 Reykjavik, Iceland