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Were these five Righteous to you? Let us know in the comments below, and feel free to send us your Five Righteous Lists to TheChasingSmoke@gmail.com. Maybe we'll feature your Five Righteous List next week!

Hunter S Thompson was a man that prided himself on being honest. Whether it was with journalism or police officers, he always gave it to the people straight. Although exaggerations were his speciality I like to think that we can learn a lot from Hunters choice to live an honest and blunt lifestyle. Even if it means offending a dear friend or losing a job, honesty is the only means to sincerely finding what will make you feel satisfied.

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If you were to ask me what I felt the greatest crisis in America is today I wouldn't say taxes, equality, violence or even the obscene surplus of urinals in bathrooms (I'm standing up for stalls here folks). I really think it's a matter of identity. As children we're raised to seek high paying careers; be a doctor, a dentist or a lawyer. Is that what really makes you happy though? As Thompson howled, 'When the going gets weird, the weird go pro!' Let's take this lesson from Thompson to reevaluate our goals in life and understand that although money puts you to sleep at night, your job will wake you up every morning.

We'd all like to see the change in this world, but in order to see the change sometimes we need to take a stand and be the change. Thompson was never a man to hide from what terrified him. He walked right into the woods and gunned down a wild boar with an Uzi to feed his family when he was unemployed and desperate to take care of those he loved. This is one my favorite lessons from Thompson because its so true. We must always confront our fears in order to grow. 

This one goes back to one of Thompsons first editorials he wrote in his teenage years about a life worth living. He begs the question of whether a man living for a hundred years in solitude has lived a longer life than a man who lives five years risking his safety with every action. No one is truly immortal, but if we live our lives with risks we'll always have that opportunity to make an impact and obtain the closest thing to immortality. I'd certainly argue Hunter S Thompson has outlived his own death.

In Thompsons twilight years he often wrote about how he's found many of his fans attempting to live the exact same lifestyle he chose, however after years of rapid drug abuse he'd found himself slipping into insanity and so he pitied anyone who would crave the all the choices he made. I certainly would like to say I respect Thompson for his exploration and adaptation, hell, that's what his 'gonzo' journalism embodied. Regardless, I like to think in this case Thompson is speaking to us with a subtle hint of regret. He's encouraging us to explore new things that most others consider taboo, however we must also be careful and live a life of balance and moderation.

Honesty

Professionalism

Courage

The virtue of risk and moderation

Five Righteous Things I learned from Hunter S. Thompson

The Admiral, 6/16/14

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Were these Five Righteous to you? Sound off in the comments below and feel free to send us your own lists, just email Alexander.Jeffrey.Singer@ChasingSmoke.com

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