Beyond Selidor

Day 09: Your beliefs
I am an atheist and, apart from a couple of years in my mid-teens when I considered myself an agnostic, have been all my life. This means that I do not believe in any higher power or powers, I believe that this life is all there is, that there is no afterlife, and that 'We must build the Republic of Heaven where we are, because for us there is no elsewhere'.

That is not to say that I am amoral or immoral; I find the suggestion that one needs to draw his or her morality from a belief in a deity or deities to be deeply offensive. I have similar opinions on the belief among some religious people that atheism comes from a mean-spirited hatred or a dissatisfaction with life: I love being alive, I love this world and I love being conscious.

What else do I believe in?

I believe in public education, and I believe we need to do more to improve and sustain it.

I believe in a barter economy, but recognise that it is impractical, and so believe that social democracy is the least imperfect form of government. I believe in public health, public education, government ownership of public transport, utilities and so on. I believe refusing to vote is extremely insulting to those who fought and died for the right to vote, and I believe (informed) voting and paying taxes are the absolute minimum political engagement that people should undertake.

That being said, I believe that the current political culture means that almost everyone who holds positions of power is very badly suited to doing so.

This shouldn't need saying (as everyone should believe it), but I believe no one should face discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or gender identity.

I am probably overly utopian, but I believe that fandom, and the internet more broadly, offers the best examples of social-democratic communities based on barter economies - 'from each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her need'. I stress that this only happens when fandom/internet community is done right, and that the internet is just as full of examples of cruelty and selfishness as the 'real' world.

I believe that community should be based on shared interests and values, and be something that we opt into, rather than being based on geographical proximity or arbitrary national identity based on accidents of birth.

I believe, above all, in learning from every single experience of your life, in constantly examining and reevaluating your beliefs in the light of your experiences. I believe 'the unexamined life is not worth living'.


Day 10 – An inspiration
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – Your mode of transportation
Day 14 – Where you live
Day 15 – Something you love about yourself
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations