CJLeger.com Celebrates International Women's Day

The contributions women have made to history, technology and the pursuit of human progression is an invaluable resource humankind cannot deny. As new generations emerge, the increased demand for the acknowledgement of women's achievements has forced a change in the status quo, created a demand for change within school systems and curriculums, a demand for change within corporate America; and all around the world, as people begin to acknowledge that women are just as capable of inventing, achieving, and succeeding as much as men, young girls are blossoming and growing roots in industries previously thought to be only for men.

Change has to start by taking advantage of resources that the current age we live in finds obsolete. Social media and highly publicized television events are a core part of that. Watching these sources give you an  idea of women's empowerment and how it has increased significantly in just the past five years. However, although we adults hear about these changes, see the news and watch the speeches about women's rights and equal pay at the Academy Awards, that doesn't help our children understand the importance of this concept. The empowerment of women must start with the empowerment of young girls.

Why Aren't Journalism Jobs Expanding to Telecommuting

If you look at the life of a freelancer, nothing encompasses it more than that of writers. Writers make up a large portion of freelancing contractors throughout the country, and throughout the world. However, when it comes to stable journalism jobs, you rarely see openings for telecommuting positions. In order to work for some of the top newscasters, you'll have to set up shop at one of their physical offices.

When it comes to journalism, you'll be lucky if you spend a couple of hours throughout the day in this physical office, since most of your time will be spent chasing leads and stories everywhere else. So why isn't there an influx of telecommuting journalism jobs?

Industries are gradually heading towards online based business models, and freelancers are receiving more opportunities in the past 3 years than they ever had previously. No one wants to deal with the commitment of employees anymore, and thats because its a win/win for everyone. You keep your job based on your performance, and you don't have to work on anyone else's schedule, meaning you will most likely get more work done.

This was a thought piece, I really have no real insight on it, because I don't understand why the development of this issue hasn't progressed. But I'd like to know if all of you feel the same way.

5 Classic Books Everyone Should Read

Books are a constant in my life. They are source of knowledge that can serve to teach generations for centuries to come. While some books seem to be a very entertaining past time for a specific timeframe, other books make it into the realm of timelessness, becoming classics forever.

I've always felt that all avid readers should invest into creating their own library. It's okay to purchase books and resell them when you're done reading them, but there are some classic books that should make it into a permanent slot in your library. Here's my list:

1. Dracula Unabridged by Bram Stoker

Dracula remains at the top of my list as one of my favorites. It's a book thats been with me almost my entire life and was written by Bram Stoker, who changed the idea of reading for an entire generation, and brought imaginary fear into the hearts of the people of England. Creating an unforgettable character, Dracula has been remade, remembered, and heralded for decades.

Centered in England, this book takes you through the lives and diaries of four young and in love characters,

• Jonathan Harker
• Mina Murray
• Lucy Westenra
• Dr. John Seward

Through their stories the reader is engulfed by a world of obsession, determination, love and fear, as they attempt to take their lives back from a supernatural monster.

Review: One Life to LIve on The Public Blogger

One often thinks of writing as a silent art, where reading and contemplating become actions that people can take, if the material is inspirational enough. But where some pieces may hold an inspirational message, yet not the opening attraction to relay it, other pieces become a show all on their own with a powerful message that wraps you in immediately.

That's what I came accross when I ventured onto The Public Blogger, initially referred to by Kendall F. Person, and found the post One LIfe to Live. If not because another word has not yet been invented for a written pictureless, videoless, actorless, show; I would be tempted to call this post a theater piece. Because that is what is conveyed with the exquisite use of accompanying music, which boasts an immaculate level of inspirational prowess while the reader discovers a poem-like literary performance unlike any traditional writing today.

As I read into the words of self discovery that place power and responsibility of one's success and happiness in their own hands, I found that this post was reminiscent of those internal examinations made by many of our past philosophers. That type of thinking, outside of what the normal reigns of society allow people to understand about the world and one's place in it, is what many great thinkers before us tried to convey to the powerless subjects of rulers, kings and emperors in ancient times; in a world where people did not know their capacity of achievement or that they could control their own destiny.

It occurred to me that we have fallen into similar times, and that great thinkers such as Mr. Person, may very well become the next great philosophers of our time, quoted and referred to by later generations.

Person's use of powerful music to occupy the background as you read paragraphs of human empowerment, make it easier for one to embrace the message, and heightens the experience, elevating it to the status of, as I stated before, a theatrical performance.  Void of an actor for which the reader to place his attention and a menagerie of costumes and images, this piece places the reader in a dark space alone, with nothing to judge or compromise their ability to reflect on a message of human empowerment, but their own internal feelings and thoughts of how they view themselves. It is only at this level that we as humans can ask ourselves, "Can I do this?", without interfering thoughts of what society says you are capable of, what circumstances make it difficult for you to succeed and statistical analysis that often place people in a bracket and inadvertently shut them down. For example, reading a report that says 45% of students in Detroit will fail to graduate high school, may put a Detroit high-schooler in a mode that tells him there's nothing he can do to stop this fate. It's inevitable. And no movie, show, or motivational speaker can change that train of thought, it has to come from within.

Person's literary show brings down the walls of conformity and enters the soul, and with a strong force of action, forces the reader to declare war on their inner demons.

Read the original post here.
Follow Kendall F. Person on Twitter @ThePublicBloggr
On Facebook at The Public Blogger

© C. J. Leger September 14, 2014

Ethics vs Religious Morality: Which Prevails in a Perfect World?

Before I start, let me state that this is not an attack on religion. I am a christian, and I ask you the reader to view this post with an open mentality.

There are many similarities between concepts of ethics and the concepts of religious morality. By religious morality we are referencing the standards people worldwide adhere to in the name of their religion, but where religion and it's teachings differ across the board, ethics remain universal.

What do I mean? set yourself in a modern day utopia where religion is neither existent or a source of reference for legislation or civil behavior. In this Utopian society, we will call Ethina, the driving force behind the interactions of its citizens is ethics. Here, concepts such as the teaching of why plagiarism is wrong, is based on personal integrity. Not the judgment of a higher God or Gods.  It would only be here that society would be face to face with a functioning civilization void of war in regards to religious inequality, differences and the pressures to convert.

"Ethics is what you do when no one is looking"

Religions offer a stupendous set of moral guidelines to live by. But those guidelines differ across the board; creating various arguments between followers simply because what may be right for one group is not necessarily right for others. And what is the definition of "right" when it comes to religion? Well, it's whatever its God deems to be right, sets as a rule to live by, and uses as a criteria in judgement when entering heaven. Here is where ethics diverts from religious morality. For what is the principle meaning of ethics? Long story short, ethics is what you do when no one is looking. Ethics is the standard of what is good, just, and right that one lives by. And the sole purpose of living by these ethics is to preserve your personal integrity because it is what is universally right.

This is often why the pursuit of philosophy excludes the ideals of religion. For philosophy is a quest to learn and gather knowledge, and create standards for which all peoples can live by; regardless of religious standing and compromise. In religion, the way of living is determined by how a God or Gods will pass judgment on you if you veer from their rules. This is not just in terms of  whether or not God deems you to be dammed to hell; moreover, "hey you should not do that, it's against my laws". More people tend to do right or wrong, based upon the question of "What would God do?", and that's not often what is the right thing to do, depending on the religion. The real question should be "What should I do based on what is ethical". In these two sentences the words would and should differ greatly.

Going back to our Utopian society; everyone's God would do something different. But here, ethics paints a clear picture of what everyone should do.

"I say to you this, I would not live in a world where I could not dabble into philosophy without being strapped to and bound by the influences of religion."

I leave you with this. As a Christian, I believe in God and believe in everyone's right to worship theirs. But I am no blind person. I see that my religion, and that of many, have their faults as well as great qualities. But I am an avid defender of ethics and practice it daily.

I say to you this, I would not live in a world where I could not dabble into philosophy, without being strapped to and bound by, the influences of religion. The whole purpose of philosophy is to explore the world and reason, without the influences of God and religious pressure. For that's the only way humans can find what is truly right, not what a belief tells you is right.

So here I stand, a Catholic and an ethical thinker. While I would like to bring my religion with me into Ethina, I cannot ethically risk the success of peace and perfection by including bias truths of morality. That is a question we must all ask ourselves. Would you?

© C. J. LEGER September 13, 2017