Journal - Day 2 01/28/2003 
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As a man thinketh, so shall he be. It is very obvious that we are not influenced by "facts" but by our interpretation of the facts. -Alfred Adler
While it is true our culture (both close as in family, and far, as in society), our environment, and the arts help form our personal philosophy, there still remains a personal aspect. We each react to concepts, ideas, and the existential world with our own notions of what they mean. Out of this, we make a judgement as to what is right and what is wrong. That value system makes up how we think and how we react to the world.
Actually, to say "As a man thinketh, so is he" may be too simplistic. It may just be a little more circular than that. Yes, it is true we evaluate the world according to our personal philosophy and try to remain TRUE to our values. However, sometimes we do change our opinion. It does happen. As such, our thinking does change and so does our character. Having made that adjustment, the statement is again true, "As a man thinketh, so is he". You may not be quite the exact same person you were before your change of opinion, but you are still true to who you are NOW.
Day 2 - Chapter 1 - Ancient Rome
The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. - American Heritage Dictionary
You would think a Republic would not have an "Elite" because, by definition, they are elected, or chosen to represent them, and therefore in government at the people discretion. On contrare!
Sometimes those "chosen" are only selected from a specific group. In England, for example, only someone of "social status" may be in the House of Lords and under a communist society, only a member of the Communist party may be "chosen". Both of these examples demonstrate special opportunities for the "Elite", not withstanding there might be some "in fighting" going on within the "Elitist" camp. By the way, in Roman days, they parties were called Plebians (commoners) or Patricians (elite families).
Everyone in the United States may vote. This is not true everywhere else and certainly not through history. Not everyone in Roman days were able to vote either, but it they were, it would be for someone chosen from the "Elitist" camp.
In America, we have our "Elitist". It is my opinion there are those who christen our "Elites". The people don't necessarily choose them, per say. The New York Times is one such "king maker". The movie and music celebrities are certainly an "Elitist" group of people. Would you deny they get special attention and special consideration? A celebrities opinion on any subject makes news and is treated with equal value as a professor who has studied the field for years.
In American, still going with my own opinions, "Elitists" is a peer group in which most all must agree on new admissions before they are allowed in. For example, if you have become a billionaire you can become a candidate, but not a member of the group. If you use your money to get admission to some social functions and the Rockafellas, Kennedys, New York Times, and others like you, then you are admitted. You would just know if you were now an "insider" or still and "outsider".
Day 2 - Chapter 1 - Ancient Rome
blowhard, egocentric, egomaniacal, egotistic, egotistical, grandstanding, hotdogging, independent, inward-looking, know-it-all, narcissistic, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-interested, self-involved, self-seeking, self-serving, self-sufficient, selfish, swelled head, absorbed, abstracted, centered, concentrated, engaged, fixed, focused, immersed, intent, lost, preoccupied, rapt, set, wrapped, careless, cruel, heedless, inappreciative, rude, thoughtless, unappreciative, ungracious, ungrateful, unmindful, unthankful
Well, did we miss something? These are all ways of describing someone who is self centered. I have often said there is ONE sin which causes all others. It is "SELF".
Why am I so interested in Philosophy? Because I see the World View as one totally into "SELF". The World View isn't based upon truth, or best, or anything grandiose. It's much baser than that. The World View is to create a culture and develop a World View so "SELF" can do exactly what "SELF" wants to do.
Aristotle tells us Moral Values is the habit of making good choices. Even this nonreligious view of Moral Values is an unwelcomed interpretation for the World where "SELF" is everything.
It seems where there is affluence, that is, leisure, money, and so much which could be given away and not missed, societies gravitate toward "SELF". The more they have, the more they want. On the other hand, during times of great stress, such as a economic depression, war, or revolution, societies tend to pull together and "SELF" goes by the wayside. Most all the religions teach us if being "SELFLESS" is good during bad times, it should also be a positive thing during good times. Unfortunately, most people aren't listening during good times.
And the Romans? The only people who were professing "SELFLESSNESS" toward their fellow men were being thrown to the lions. Times were good and besides Christianity and Judaism there were other professing "SELFISHNESS". As the Romans became more affluent, their leisure time increased, and there came to be less and less to occupy themselves except their own vices.
Day 2 - Chapter 1 - Ancient Rome
Both Diocletian and Constantine greatly increased state control over the lives of Roman citizens. Both believed that the disorder of the 3rd century demanded a larger army, central economic planning, and an expanded bureaucracy to collect the taxes and monitor an increasing number of regulations. They tried to maintain order in the empire through the detailed management of Roman society. Local officials could not control trade and economic planning, so the government divided the provinces into smaller units and sent separate military and civil administrators to enforce new regulations.
Authoritarian rule permeated every aspect of Roman life as the government bound farmers to their land and craftspeople to their trade. The government required the sons of bakers or shipbuilders to follow their fathers' careers. The emperors even established a secret police, and the old unregulated economic system yielded to a planned economy. The emperors often appealed to the public good when they suppressed individual rights, requisitioned goods, or increased taxes. In the words of one writer of the period, the empire became a prison. - Encyclopedia Encarta
Everyone wants their freedom. Everyone wants to be able to cater to "SELF", as I've mentioned before. "SELF" is pretty big, but it's not the biggest kid on the block. Food comes before shelter, shelter before having fun, and self-preseveration even before food. When it gets right down to it, self-preservation will squeeze out just about any other concern we have.
What this is getting at is in any society, the more of our wants which are met, the wider variety of wants we will come up with. You might think of this as an pyramid with various levels where self-preservation is on top, food on the second level, and shelter on perhaps level three. Freedom is closer to the bottom of the pyramid. Yes it is. If we can't find a warm bed to sleep in at night, we could care less about who is taking our stuff. In fact, we'll even agree to a swap. All our music CDs and videos for a nice warm place to stay, and perhaps a meal to boot.
And so it is with the Roman society. As their society began to "unravel", more and more basic needs were not being met. Now we have someone or a small group of someones who claim they can meet our basic needs. Oh great! Let's make a deal! And so it goes. In the hopes of having the basic needs met, more of the lesser needs are given up in exchange. The result is an authoritarian system based upon a king, Caesar, Prime Minister, Chairman, whatever.
What was the Patriot Act of 2001 but just such a trade off. I'm not suggesting this was for the good or the bad, but rather that the trade off was seen exactly as we've described. We are somewhat fearful and uncertain of terrorist. In exchange for some comfort, we give up certain liberties. We hope it is worth it, of course.
Day 2 - Chapter 1 - Ancient Rome