Hunter S. Thompson is one of my favorite writers, personalities, (whatever, I just love him), of all time. I'm currently reading Hell's Angels, which I do recommend, and came upon a passage that stuck out in m mind:
"By the end of the weekend I'd consumed three or four times as much as I'd brought with me...and even now, looking back on nearly a year of drinking with the Angels, I think I came out ahead. But that isn't the way they balance the books. Despite their swastika fetish, the fiscal relationship between Angels is close to pure communism: "from each according to his abilities and to each according to his needs." The timing and the spirit of the exchange are just as important as the volume. Much as they claim to admire the free enterprise system, they can't afford it among themselves. Their working ethic is more on the order of "He who has, shares." There is nothing verbal or dogmatic about it; they just couldn't make it any other way."
I think this is a viable philosophy, or should at least be considered as such. I believe sharing is so important, and it really can mean a lot to another person. While the Angels, as Thompson said, really had no other choice, I still believe that they truly valued this belief. Most of them had nothing, but when they did, they shared it with the others. They had their own community, one with morals and mutual trust, despite their gang-status and notoriousness. While most people would never consider the Hell's Angels to have morals, I think they had a notable perspective on friendship and generosity.
Also, a documentary called "Gonzo" recently came out about the writing career and personal life of Hunter Thompson. I absolutely loved it, and recommend it even if you don't know much about him. Plus, Johnny Depp plays Thompson so it really can't get much better than that.
And, Jeff got a new tattoo. Not finished yet though, just the outline..
-t
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