Let’s be honest
– man is a barbarian and only raises himself above that level through culture.
Culture makes man and thanks to it, Greece
It is not only
in our intelligence that e should be elegant but also our internal and external
qualities, in our thoughts, in our words and our soul – leading to our talents,
which is the fruit of all these.
Building on that
theme, I say it is better to have intelligence than memory. Memory only needs
recollection whilst the former needs “wholeness”. Share the light of your intelligence
when required, and ask for it when you do not have it – the first with caution,
the second with anxiety. Just give a hint of it, especially when it touches the
interests of the individual in whom you have awoken such interest; give just a
taste – that’s being clever.
And memory? Be
able to forget! It’s a matter of luck rather than skill. The things we remember
best are those things that are often better forgotten. Memory is not only
unruly – it leaves us when we most need it, but also stupid in that it puts its
“nose” into places where it is not wanted. It is active with painful things,
but neglects the pleasurable ones – very often the only cure for the bad is
forgetfulness and all we forget is actually the remedy. However, it is up to
each of us to cultivate good memories since these make us a paradise; without
them, we have an inferno.
Until next time
(and with good vibes and memories),
Peripatetic
Scribe
Nice piece, P.S. There is a lot of "meat" here for me to use - I think this could develop into a very fine debate!
ReplyDeleteMark NZ
Thanks, Mark - I think you will have quite a lot of comments from this post!
ReplyDeleteA great blog post!
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me again of:
IF.....
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Thank you!
Lucana