Richard    (41) from Lincolnshire 

Intelligent and university-educated, I enjoy books and discussing ideas about the world around me. I like cycling, photography, visiting historical places, watching old films - I am not the 'pubbing & clubbing' type. . . . Many intellectual interests, but not in an abstract and pretentious way - head in the clouds but feet on the ground. . . . and to quote from Douglas Adams "I don't enjoy writing so much as 'having written'."

As a maverick theistic-humanist and philosophical-realist, I find myself at odds with the dominant trends of atheistic-relativism, anti-realism, the ideology of 'political correctness' and the celebration of a culture of intellectual, moral, and social disintegration.

I am drawn to the classical notion that a good human life be viewed in terms of our observable actions and not our subjective feelings. Human happiness consists in 'virtuous activity of the soul'. In a time when 'happiness' is depicted in subjective terms of 'feeling happy' and the utilitarian goal of maximising the sensation of pleasure comes to define our culture, perhaps we should remind ourselves of the cardinal virtues: prudence; temperance; justice and fortitude. Defending these virtues in the modern age is considered deviant - revolutionary even. To the classical morality, Christianity added the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity through which we transcend our mere natural being and partake of our relation to the divine - and so become fully human.

Through my studies I have learnt the importance of the sense of wonder at the existing world and from which stems the human response of gratitude for the act of Creation. To paraphrase G. K. Chesterton: thinking is a form of thanking. Yet Chesterton was no naive optimist and also perceived the necessity to resist evil and defend the oppressed: Christianity was a fighting faith.

I identify with the perspective of Chesterton for he was was orthodox in his religion and a radical in his politics - indeed he believed that orthodox Christianity represented the true revolutionary spirit to be asserted against the twin heresies of capitalism and socialism which entailed slavery to the corporations or the state. Chesterton's philosophical realism is the antidote to our subjective and relativist culture, his 'distributism' - which sought the redistribution of property amongst the population in order to restore liberty - is a real alternative to the dominant economic-political creeds which have oppressed the common man, woman and child.

Who I'd like to meet:

Anyone who reads this profile and finds that it strikes a chord....

And by the way, I am much more down to earth than this profile makes me appear. I enjoy films, visiting historical places, a couple of pints in a decent pub, a cycle ride through the countryside, or listening to some guitar-based music from the 60s or 70s....
 

Someone intelligent, kind, gentle-natured and sensitive to the world around them. Thoughtful and with an enquiring mind, able to discuss ideas and explore new places. 

Richard is 41 years old and lives in Lincolnshire. He is single with no children. He's 5' 10" tall and of average build. He's a non-smoker, who drinks occasionally. He is looking for dating and romance, friendship, hobbies and activities.

Level: 6 Trusted member: yes! Joined on: 06-Sep-2005 Last logged in on: 25-Apr-2008 Last updated profile: 25-Apr-2008   Conversations with Richard

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