Thinking of love and hate, honesty and dishonesty as extensions of myself helps shape how I build relationships and how I act. The truest honesty I show to others is reflected in how I extend honesty to myself and share it with them. Those who are not honest with themselves are also not honest with others. If I don’t forgive myself, my hatred for others also fosters negative feelings within me. I can accept others in myself just as much as I accept myself. My well-being always comes first, with others coming second. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Paradoxically, one of the reasons for Rome’s demise was that it kept winning wars. Victories expanded the empire’s territory, and the risks increased proportionally. Men, primarily middle-class men, volunteered as soldiers; the larger the territory, the longer the wars lasted, and the longer it took for them to return home. The women who remained at home were forced to borrow labor and became indebted to the nobility. Eventually, the women were sold into slavery, and by the time the men returned, their families had disintegrated. People don’t betray because they’re evil, but because it increases their risk. If the territory you’re in grows, you might reconsider your loyalties to the organization. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”