julian peters comics

An Ownanist Manifesto

By Julian Peters

As a young Republican, I am a strong believer in pulling yourself up by your own efforts, on not relying on handouts from anyone. The hard truth of the matter is that the key to an energetic and vigorous economy is for every man and woman to look out primarily for his or her own private interests, to focus on the pursuit of their own happiness. This approach -one that puts responsibility for an individual’s success squarely in their own hands- I like to call “own-anism”, and I am a firm believer that it is the solution to the deep economic and societal frustrations currently confronting us here in America.

Although I only recently came up with the term ownanism, I feel that it perfectly encapsulates a philosophy by which I have been living my life for a very long time now. Since at least my early adolescence, when I first began to develop my political instincts, I have been an ardent devotee of the ownanist approach. While many of my peers would spend their time smoking illegal narcotics and engaging in irresponsible sexual behavior instead of studying, I would close myself in my room, pull down the shades, and get to work, often continuing into the wee hours of the night. Sure, it could be draining at times, but I came away from those all nighters with a deep sense of satisfaction that comes from a job well done. Best of all, when I achieved success, I knew that I had come by it entirely through my own efforts, that I hadn’t had to count on anyone but myself. This habit of self-reliance came in extremely handy in college as well, and has continued to serve me throughout my adult life. Continue reading →