Peace Through Understanding
Welcome to Live and Learn, a blog that aims to be my platform for thoughtful discourse and learning
Welcome to my first post on Live and Learn, a blog that aims to be my platform for thoughtful discourse and learning.
In November 2022, I set a goal to launch this blog in 2023. Being goal-oriented and with only two months left in the year, I realized it's time to make good on that promise.
I've gained immensely from the writings of others, and it's time to contribute my own thoughts to the conversation. As a marketing professor with a focus on business-to-business marketing, pricing, and marketing strategy, I've found that the best learning often comes from sharing knowledge. This blog will serve as an extension of that philosophy. While my professional life revolves around marketing and economics, this blog will also touch upon society, politics, science, and the arts.
The Enlightenment era laid the foundation for many of the universal values of a liberal capitalist democracy—science, reason, liberty, democracy, and capitalism. For me, important shared values are:
Pursuit of Knowledge: The acquisition of knowledge through science and reason, coupled with a healthy skepticism to reveal universal truths.
Liberty and Natural Rights: The concept of "natural rights," advocating for individual freedoms and liberties.
Self-Government through Democracy: People have the right to govern themselves through democratic institutions.
Capitalism: The most efficient system for resource allocation, empowering individuals to make choices based on their own needs and preferences.
Humanism: A philosophy that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings. It advocates for critical thinking, evidence-based decision-making, and a rational approach to problem-solving. This philosophy aligns well with my lifelong mantra: peace through understanding.
These values have brought about progress unprecedented in human history. While we celebrate our many achievements, no human system is perfect. Progress means there is always more work to be done.
When I was in the 7th grade, my social studies teacher. Mr. Clevenger, had a policy that on each of his exams we could opt out of one question for full credit by simply writing the phrase "peace through understanding." I have never forgotten that teacher nor that phrase. Throughout my life I have believed in the power to achieve peace through understanding. My goal is to understand and be understood.
In summary, this blog, Live and Learn, serves as a platform for thoughtful discourse and shared learning. Rooted in Enlightenment values and the philosophy of Humanism, the blog aims to explore a wide range of topics—from marketing and economics to society and the arts. My objective is to provide data-driven insights that are both meaningful and actionable.
As I embark on this journey of mutual learning and understanding, your engagement is invaluable. If you find the content interesting and insightful, please consider subscribing and sharing it with others.
Peace through understanding.
Congratulations. Start writing.
JLM
www.themusingsofthebigredcar.com