The Story of the Clan: Respecting Unalienable Rights

Representing the shield of justice
for communal living. 
The importance of unalienable
rights to society.

The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment meant to explore how societies can strengthen their systems and prevent the erosion of higher values. It is designed for analysis and reflection, so take it with a grain of salt. In this piece, we focus on the importance of respecting unalienable rights and how that respect strengthens society socially, morally, and economically.

What are unalienable rights?

In our learning example, the technicalities of law were manipulated to shield misconduct rooted in a lack of respect for unalienable rights. In other words, certain individuals claimed entitlements that were never theirs to claim—rights that cannot be erased or overridden for the sake of friendship, clan, politics, religion, or ideology. Philosophical reflection allows us to consider what happens when these rights are disregarded and replaced by lower-order beliefs.

In the story, clan members engaged in behaviors most people would consider deeply harmful and immoral. They manipulated the sick for profit, used positions of power to sexually exploit others, mishandled money, allegedly engaged in underage sexual rape, endangered children, targeted others based on religion or race, manipulated clan-aligned courts to protect friends, and retaliated against witnesses, concerned citizens, and whistleblowers. Basically the really bad stuff.

There were no backstops, no accountability, and no meaningful correction. Even discussing issues of basic morality can come with extreme aggressions and protections thereof. Over time it became clear: victims could have been protected, lives could have been saved, and institutions (decision makers) could have fulfilled their purpose. Instead, they were misused for personal gain, allowing some to place themselves above the law while dehumanizing others in direct violation of unalienable rights.

This kind of corruption often grows when people convince themselves that “others”—representing large portions of society (out-group)—are less worthy than themselves, and when no checks and balances exist to curb intentional misuse of power. (The good news is that the vast majority of people do believe in the deeper purpose of law but if that tide turns there could be increasing incidents of defaults. The advice, promote those with good values and promote less those with lower order values. Typically if someone really really wants something, an office, position, authority, etc. see it as a red flag. These roles are duties with a heavy responsibility. The wrong type of personalities mixed with positional power should be avoided. This is also why you remove bad actors.).

While abuses can occur in any society, they are typically corrected once exposed and known. But when hate and corruption are so deeply embedded that correction seems impossible, serious philosophical questions arise:

1. Should there be both a moral and legal obligation to uphold unalienable rights, and if not upheld, to pursue system improvement?

2. What does it mean when these rights lose practical meaning, or when lower levels of moral consciousness take precedence?

3. What happens when open violations of these rights shift the root assumptions of society? Consider that in our example, confronting corruption ultimately improved social and economic cohesion. There are assumptions we all live by and those are important to foster healthy exchange.

4. Do unalienable rights apply universally—to all people, all religions, all races, all speech, all politics, and all beliefs? How far does that extend and to whom does it apply?

5. If raising concerns, filing complaints, or challenging corruption places individuals on secretive lists for retaliation, does that constitute a violation of the social contract itself? Is it even important or a concern? Have times changed so much since the founding that social contracts are seen as relative useless pieces of paper?

6. How might the promotion of leaders/officials with integrity and values help preserve institutional trust and protect society from systemic decay? Think of this as community generated value and power to positively influence outcomes through awareness and voting. In other words, think for yourself and what is most important to society.

This is an interesting read. One may or may not agree with it but it is interesting nevertheless. I have no opion on this topic as this is meant for exploratory purposes without necessarily coming to a conclusion. it is the exploration of the idea and your personal acceptance or rejection of such ideas helps define who you are. It is an exercise through a story but one may easily swap out some factors for others, different perspectives, etc...

Unalienable Rights

*The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. We will write in a positive ending but it is ok to disagree. The key point is that you thought about it either way.

Delta County MI Board of Commissioners Meeting (8/19/2025): Fireworks, mental health, veterans, grants, vicious animals,....

There is never a dull moment when it comes to local life and governance. Being informed helps us better understand changes in the market and community. The area has grown significantly in recent years, both in terms of investment and sense of community. People are working toward positive outcomes, and because of that, new opportunities continue to emerge. Below are a few highlights I found interesting. There’s much more in the video, so you’ll want to watch it for yourself!

• Fireworks Ordinance – Some communities have ordinances, others don’t. A strong point was raised that if a county wants to regulate fireworks, it should do so at the county level. But if opinions are mixed, it may be best left to local communities. The goal is to let people have fun while ensuring fireworks are used responsibly—not late into the early morning hours.

• Delta County Pathways, Diversion, and Mental Health Programs – I agree that providing treatment can reduce repeat offenses. Having a centralized local mental health organization often makes more sense than breaking services apart. It reminds me of the phrase penny wise, pound foolish. While there may be counterarguments, I generally favor local control over services that must adapt to community needs. It keeps the money and the decisions in the hands of locals who have a better finger on the pulse of the community. There are times where that might not be true so everyone has to call it how they see it.

• Veterans Service Department – The county has increased support for veterans, showing its commitment to helping them succeed. In my view, veterans remain an underutilized group for recruitment, workforce development, and entrepreneurship.

• Vicious Animal Ordinance – There was discussion about animal ordinances and the responsibilities of dog owners. I was once nipped by a pack of loose, aggressive dogs, and it highlighted for me that not everyone is capable of properly caring for animals (Wasn't in this area.). Registration and accountability are important to keep communities safe. Everyone should have these type of Vicious Animals! If you feel the need, consider donating or volunteering visit Delta County Animal Shelter.

• Mini Grants – Grants of up to $3,000 are available for community projects, with a focus on opioid-related initiatives: Delta County Mini Grants. I wonder if arts-based approaches could be used—for example, music or theater to teach kids and communities about drugs, or arts activities that support recovery. The arts can strengthen community health, build social connection, boost tourism, and support business. Sometimes the best projects create complementary benefits across multiple areas.

• Attorney Issue – There is an ongoing matter related to county attorney documents that is still being addressed.

Individual Development and Training Plans for Industry Needs

Representing people learning

Human capital requires direction in order to fully develop and reach its potential. In small businesses, training may be fairly rudimentary, but in larger and more complex global organizations, the process tends to be far more intricate. At the societal level, we must continuously update our skills to keep pace with changing demands. This process becomes more intentional when we understand both the needs of the market/employers and the types of training or education available to meet them.

Training and education, while related, serve different purposes. Training is often task-oriented and focused on immediate organizational needs, while education emphasizes broader personal and professional development within the context of industries. Education provides a wide platform of knowledge, alongside key industry-specific skills. Training, on the other hand, might for example equip individuals to integrate quickly into a role or adapt to new technologies within a competitive environment.

Industry trends play an important role in shaping training and education needs. For example, in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence, technical expertise is essential—but so is the ability to interpret and apply information effectively. Similarly, in any industry, where the business is heading often determines the skills that will be most valued.

Organizations must also assess the skills already available within their workforce and the broader labor market. For instance, if the goal is to expand shipbuilding capacity, the organization must evaluate the availability of technical and metalworking skills locally, regionally and within the industry as a whole. there are times when gaps are found and additional development is needed.

In some cases, local talent may possess foundational skills but require further development. Organizations can respond by sponsoring education, creating robust internal/external training programs, or offering opportunities to learn directly from highly skilled workers.

At the individual level, effective development plans begin with understanding a person’s current skill set and mapping out a pathway toward growth. Such plans should consider personality, learning style, and career trajectory, aiming to enhance the individual in ways that also create collective value for the organization.

A highly skilled workforce strengthens organizational capacity and overall competitiveness. Training for specific job classifications, comprehensive skills assessments, and ongoing performance appraisals—can ensure that both individuals and organizations continue to develop together over time. The feedback loops and the opportunities are most effective when focused on organizational needs and market trends.

Coordinating between education and corporate onboard training could help create more successful academia-industry transitions as well as greater spill over between general and specific knowledge. It may also have an additional benefit of ensuring that the broad and specific complement each other to maximize human capital development. The academic-industry divide gets more narrow if knowledge and skills are transferred back and forth with relative ease.

The Binding Values of Moral Conscious

Values play an important role in binding people together. They form part of the overarching framework of society, shared as root assumptions of people. Smaller groups, too, develop their own values. Whenever people gather and face challenges, some set of values inevitably emerges. They are constructed from generation after generation of learned knowledge that are applied to the struggles of today.

Representation of ancient
universal values being
shared in a group

The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical thought experiment designed to explore what happens when hate and corruption impact decision making and/or there are no backstops to misbehaviors. It is philsophical discussion so take with a grain of salt.

In such cases, the values guiding decisions may differ from the values of the community at large. Victims, perpetrators, and observers may each hold their own sets of values. A risk arises if  corruption or hate leads to choices that are generally not helpful for everyone else. 

Because people often define their values through the groups they identify with, individuals who engage in harmful behaviors may still be celebrated as champions by those who share their distorted views. The fish in the fishbowl.

The Story of the Clan illustrates how hate and corruption can impact some positions and groups—but also encouraging a higher moral conscious can strengthen social cohesion and even foster economic growth. In the philosophical example, the community ultimately rejected distorted clan-based values, to the frustration of those invested in maintaining them.

What becomes clear is that these distorted values were not accidental; they were cultivated within tight-knit circles that recognized the social and financial benefits of promoting them. Group members came to see each other as moral, despite the harm they caused—a cult-like mindset carrying itself toward its own natural conclusion. 

This thought experiment helps us examine how harmful values can form, spread, and sustain themselves, while also encouraging reflection on healthier alternatives. Fostering good values in our communities and encouraging people who reflect those shared values of togetherness to take leading roles can help. It is a slow process but it does strengthen binding as expectations are built upward from the communities in an organic and natural way.

At the heart of it is this: binding moral values gain strength through close relationships, but their content depends on the community that shapes them. Thus, encourage strong values on a community level so those with distorted values have greater social and moral incentives to realign. All people within the community have value and only through shared commitment to a bright future will people succeed.

The best advice, then, is to form your own values from a variety of sources. Look at the different societal values, your personal values, universal values, so on and so forth. Create a personal sense of perspective that uplifts your community as much as possible. Always try and do the best for the most amount of people and think about the long-term impact of those values for generations to come. Foster what is good in each other so that it can strengthen communal values. Support those who already have those values and have displayed those values consistently; versus when they are convenient.

This is a thoughtful idea on how accepting the most humble of values can lead to stronger leadership.

He who is not a good servant will not be a good master. Plato

You may be interested in this study on binding values. 

Binding moral values gain importance in the presence of close others

*This is a hypothetical, theoretical, philosophical learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. It is ok to disagree.

Sunset Picture: It is the small things that can brighten your day.

This is a photo I took in La Jolla a few years ago. Since I do a lot of writing, I thought selling some of my art could help support that work while also contributing to charitable causes. With my hobby projects, I’ve been aiming to donate around 50%—often more—to charity. It’s not a huge amount, but every bit helps.

Sunsets always make for striking pictures because they have a way of brightening our day. This one leans more toward a silhouette, but the sun glowing in the background adds a warmth and appeal of its own. When I look at it, I often think about the fish that might be swimming among the rocks. If you walk barefoot along the shore, you can see right into the water, and the moment you dip your hand in, everything begins to stir and come to life.

La Jolla and Sunset Painting
 For Purchase

Manage Money the Right Way: A Few Tips for Fiscal Success and Long-Term Happiness

Picture representing 
spending, saving, and goals.

Money is something many strive for because it provides access to resources and power. Yet, money is not everything, and lasting success comes from finding balance between today’s spending and tomorrow’s investments. Some people spend for prestige, while others practice restraint and prioritize their long-term goals.

Spending can feel good in the moment, bringing short-term satisfaction. But when overspending leads to debt, that pleasure quickly turns into stress. Those who balance present enjoyment with future security are far more likely to build lasting wealth.

Human behavior often leans toward immediacy—we want to feel good now. The famous marshmallow experiment showed that children who demonstrated self-control were more successful later in life. The same principle applies to financial decisions.

A Few Practical Tips:

• Match your spending to your income. Aim to put at least 15% into retirement and 10% or more into savings.

• Question the necessity of purchases. Many of us realize later that much of what we bought added little value.

• Reflect on how money influences your emotions and buying habits—there are often deeper patterns at play.

• Create a budget and stick to it.

• Explore alternatives. Many free or low-cost activities can be just as fulfilling as expensive ones.

• Ask yourself: Does your money work for you, or do you work for your money?

Studies consistently show that those who see money primarily as a source of happiness tend to be less financially stable. In contrast, people who view money as a tool for the future develop stronger, healthier financial habits.

Money Managers and Personality

100 Years of Veterans Affairs Research 2025

Veterans are individuals who truly walked the talk by stepping forward to serve an important cause—something many others might not have been able to do. They come from all walks of life and reflect the diversity of the American population. The video below highlights VA research and its impact in helping veterans recover and thrive.

I’m a strong supporter of research in general, and of veterans in particular. I’m sharing this because raising awareness of veteran-focused research is important—and because veterans represent one of the best populations to benefit from advanced treatments.