An experiment in internally-sourced dignity

[Fluidic Kimbo]

I haven't run an experiment in a while so I'm gonna leave this thread here as a placeholder while my idea takes shape.

Previous experiments may have centred around biology, and also new psychological perspectives and ways of thinking, however on this occasion I shall centre on the the topic of human dignity: where it comes from and how it is generated. And more specifically whether it is possible to strip another person of their dignity.

As an interlude I shall describe how I met the acquaintance of a 50-year-old bodybuilder from New Jersey named Rocco who would go on to become my first weightlifting coach in 2009.

[Fluidic Kimbo]

6 years before I would meet Rocco, I was sitting in a poetry class in high school. The poem we were studying that day was entitled 'The Pursuit of Light'. This poem was about a 20-something year old man who was found dead outside in the winter time; he had frozen to death. In the first stanza of this poem the poet describes the life of a young alcoholic who did very little with his day other than stumble around drunk. The poet goes on to callously describe the man's meaningless death and how there wasn't one person to lament him -- only the harsh shrill cry of a rooster. In the third stanza the poet describes how an electrician came to the man's house a few days after he died to disconnect the electricity. The electrician remarked that death is like the cutting of the power -- it usually comes against our wishes. The final stanza of the poem in its original rendering is:

"Ach an té a dhéanann faillí i bhfiacha an tsolais
Nach follas go n-dorchaíonn sé é féin d'aon turas"
=
"He who neglects the pursuit of light
Isn't it obvious that he darkens himself with intent"

The premise of my experiment will be that it is necessary for each individual to pursue light in order to generate and maintain dignity.

[Capebuffalo]

Kimbo and your poetry. It never gets old. Kidding ...it does get old.

[Capebuffalo]

Ahh you almost fooled me. Went back through some of your old post. Not Kimbo. Kimbo didn’t wear latex like you do.

[Beetlegeuse]

Last I looked, all dignity was internally-sourced.

[Fluidic Kimbo]

Last I looked, all dignity was internally-sourced.

If you attend a talk or rally about social issues, you might hear someone say "This is owing to the rise in female pregnancies". Of course there's no such thing as a male pregnancy, but nonetheless people talk like that.

Another reason why I said "internally-sourced dignity" is that people can become mistaken about why they do or do not respect themselves. Some people don't know what respect is, nor what dignity is.

I shall further clarify these terms as I introduce the scope of my experiment. I shall touch upon whether it is possible for a person to own another person's behavior, taking an in-depth look at 'cause and effect', and whether respect and dignity can be transferred from one person to another.

Throughout this experiment, a human life shall be considered to be nothing more than a series of emotional reactions.

My story begins in a gym in 2008 when I was 52kg (115 lb) and was intrigued by a very muscular American man of Italian heritage. Rocco was a bodybuilder, it was a very basic piece of who he was. As weeks and months went by, I eventually decided to approach him to ask him for personal training.