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About Joseph Paine

Welcome to Paine's Pen, where the pen is mightier than the sword, and the pursuit of truth is the noblest quest.

I am Joseph Allen Paine, your guide through the tangled forest of life's greatest mysteries and toughest challenges.

I've had a lifelong serving of difficulties dealt my way, so I get it.

Life can be tough as hell, pushing us to the brink of giving up, or even worse.

I'm here to tell you, to remind you, life is absurd, it owes us nothing, and that's okay.

You have to learn to unlearn, to start from scratch at times. But that can often leave one feeling stripped away of who they are, where they belong.

Just remember, the only way to find your true self, is to truly lose yourself. If you read this far, then you know what I mean.

Consider staying in touch, get on my email list. You're going to be okay, I promise.

Welcome aboard.

We're in this together, as cliche as that sounds. Be here, be now, be in a place that feels like home again.

Who I Write For

At Paine's Pen, I delve deep into the heart of life's most perplexing crossroads.

Whether you're grappling with a midlife crisis, the aftershocks of religious trauma, or the daunting void of nihilism that often accompanies self-enlightenment, you've found a sanctuary here.

This is a place for those who stand at the crossroads of life, seeking direction and purpose in an increasingly complex world.

My journey has been anything but conventional.

What Forged My Thinking

Raised in a household torn between my mother's devout Christian beliefs and my father's steadfast atheism, I grew up navigating the choppy waters of conflicting ideologies.

This early exposure to dualities shaped my understanding of the world – not as black and white, but as a rich shade of grey.

During my midlife crisis around age 40, I sought solace in the teachings of great minds like Socrates, Nietzsche, and Carl Sagan, blending their wisdom with the humor of George Carlin and the admirable non-conformity of Jordan Peterson and the realness of Joe Rogan.

But in my quest for knowledge, I began to strip away my old beliefs. Once I studied astromy, history, world religion, then philosophy, I found myself wondering who we are as a species, who am I based on narrative truths passed down to me?

Then seeing my oldest daughters struggle daily with physical disabilities and the everyday challenges of Rett Syndrome—stripped of their autonomy, of thwir voice. It was then, there in the silence, I started to hear my own inner voice for the first time. Once mistaken for the divine, I finally realized that in order to get shit done, I had to pray with my feet, not my hands.

Ultimately, I killed God.

I put a dagger in my own beliefs, especially after I studied psychology alongside philosophy. Once I learned more about critical thinking, biases, and innate human cognition, I found myself at a crossroads where my old beliefs faced my new disbelief.

It was there, in no man's land, naked to the core, I detached from everything internal and external. It was there, I found myself a stranger. I not only killed God, but I inadvertently killed myself, my attached beliefs. I stripped myself of all the projections—you're a child of God—they said.

But the oppressive weight of religion held me down, held me back for all too long. I no longer wanted to be undermined by ideologies and beliefs. And my faith in God dwindled like a candle that burnt put.

This left me mourning a God that I always believed in since my first memory. In addition, I mourned myself, because I was so attached to thoughts and beliefs that were passed down to me, not even my own.

I went through all the 5 stages of grief sequentially — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance.

But even in all of that, I felt empty.

I was too far in my journey to go back to my ignorant blissful state, yet not far enough advanced to feel happy again.

In the empty spaces of my mind, the void that now echoed in my heart, I became nihilistic—utterly lost without hope.

Something had to be done.

I have always operated, functioned my best by following guidelines. So that's when I wrote my own script for life, replacing the scriptures of conformity.

But I didn't just abandon everything. Once I had plenty of time to reflect, I decided what should stay in the spaces of my mind and what should go.

Hence, my quest for knowledge then led me to develop what I call EchoSpectivism, a philosophy that embraces life's absurdities and encourages us to find beauty in the fleeting moments of existence.

EchoSpectivism is more than a philosophy; it's a way of life.

It teaches us to take accountability for our actions, to embrace our dual nature as both creators and destroyers, and to live our lives in the present, not in anticipation of an uncertain future.

It's a call to arms against the nihilism that threatens to engulf us as we awaken to the realities of our world.

But it's not all philosophical musings and existential debates here at Paine's Pen.

As a father of daughters with Rett Syndrome, I've learned the power of silence and the strength that comes from facing life's toughest challenges.

My family is my anchor, the driving force behind my quest for understanding and meaning.

So, if you're feeling lost, disillusioned, or just in need of a fresh perspective, subscribe to Paine's Pen on Substack.

Here, you'll find a community of like-minded individuals seeking to navigate the complexities of life, armed with wit, wisdom, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

I won't show you the way—I'm no messiah. But I will show you how to find your own way by providing you with a compass, a tool, an EchoSpective of sorts. Or whatever you wish to call your own script in life.

Together, let's explore the depths of the human experience and emerge stronger, wiser, and more enlightened.

Join me on this journey, and let's discover the mighty self that lies within. Subscribe now for regular updates, and let's turn the page to a new chapter in your life.

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Join the crew

Dive into a community that challenges the status quo with EchoSpectivism. Engage with Paine's unique perspectives and share your own in a space where differences are embraced with kindness, humor, and respect.

Your participation and subscription not only enrich this journey but also shape the evolution of EchoSpectivism, benefiting humanity. Join us in redefining beliefs and creating a better tomorrow.

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