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Interested parties are encouraged to contact me. -Sobek
AGATHON MANIFESTO
Edward Pittman
March 22, 2004
I. PURPOSE AND MISSION
The purpose of this document is to provide a foundation for the coming into existence of a charitable trust or foundation that will be known by the name of AGATHON, meaning "The Good". This GOOD is the advancement of the quality of Individual Life, and will be realized in the world by the direction of attention and resources to key areas as specified in the Mission Statement.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Agathon Charitable Trust/Foundation is to promote the mentoring of youth, the creation of prosperity and the stewardship of the environment by identifying, acknowledging and funding productive efforts rooted in the principle of Individual Sovereignty.
II. COMMENTS ON THE MISSION STATEMENT
The foundation of Agathon is clarified and strengthened by the following comments on some terms and phrases from the Mission Statement:
INDIVIDUAL SOVEREIGNTY
The principle of Individual Sovereignty asserts the primacy of the Individual as the essential and paramount unit of society and whose well-being and advantage is an end in itself. Individual Sovereignty is expressed through Self-ownership, Self-determinism and Self-reliance. As understanding and recognition of Individual Sovereignty vary within political and cultural environments, it is acknowledged that operational compromises may need to be made in the execution of the Trust/Foundation's stated mission. Regardless, the Individual is the touchstone, and so the aim is to always benefit the real lives of real Individuals in ways most compatible with the principle of Individual Sovereignty.
PRODUCTIVE EFFORTS
The phrase "productive efforts" refers to efforts that produce concrete results. This means a recognizable difference in the life of a young Individual, the creation of quantifiable wealth for identifiable Individuals or tangible improvement of environmental quality. Education plays an important part but the primary view is always to be toward ACTION, action that produces results that can be SEEN and TOUCHED.
MENTORING YOUTH
Mentoring is to act in the role of a trusted counselor or teacher. This includes one-on-one personal and occupational mentoring as well as other activities aimed at providing youth with the knowledge and character to become sovereign and empowered adults.
CREATING PROSPERITY
The aim here is the creation of real, new wealth rather than mere charitable redistribution. This is to be achieved by focusing on Self-reliance and Entrepreneurship.
STEWARDING THE ENVIRONMENT
In the role of stewardship, the focus is on private conservation and market solutions to environmental issues, avoiding and reversing the "Tragedy of the Commons".
III. CONCERNING FUNDING
In accord with the principle of Individual Sovereignty, the operational philosophy of the Agathon Charitable Trust/Foundation is rooted in voluntarism. For this reason, the Trust/Foundation is to be funded entirely by private money and shall not receive funds from governments. Furthermore, the Trust/Foundation shall not contribute funds to any government program or project.
IV. IDENTIFYING SYMBOL
The identifying symbol or logo of the Agathon Charitable Trust/Foundation shall be a blue circle (voided) inside a blue square (also voided), where the circle fills and touches the square.
Agathon Manifesto