February 12, 2008
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Contemplations
The Classical Greeks viewed contemplation as the highest form of leisure but of course they could afford to aspire toward and think such lofty thoughts since those able to contemplate were wealthy, educated, slave owners that rarely, if ever at all, dirtied their fingers on much beyond food and wine.
More civilized moderns work with dirty hands, pursue education as a lifelong quest and, thankfully, have seen the immorality of slavery. We work hard under the oppressive yoke of contemporary economics but should all make, take or steal time to contemplate the often mysterious depths of great writings.
Now, I don't claim to have cornered the market on profound contemplations but I'll be so bold as to list some wonderful--some downright hilarious--contemplations right here on my website. If you would like to offer a truly contemplative treasure, please e-mail it to me.
Here goes...
1. "Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good. Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good. When the levee breaks, mamma you've got to move (Led Zeppelin)
2. "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity" (Martin Luther King Jr.)
3. "The person of superior integrity does not insist upon his integrity; For this reason, he has integrity. The person of inferior integrity never loses sight of his integrity; For this reason, he lacks intergrity (Lao Tzu).
4. "One who knows does not speak; One who speaks does not know" (Lao Tzu)
5. The following is taken from Woody Allen's "Play it Again, Sam"
Allan Felix: That's quite a lovely Jackson Pollack, isn't it?
Girl in museum: Yes, it is.
Allan Felix: What does it say to you?
Girl in museum: It restates the negativeness of the universe. The hideous lonely emptiness of existence. Nothingness. The predicament of man forced to live in a barren, godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror and degradation, forming a useless bleak straitjacket in a black absurd cosmos.
Allan Felix: What are you doing Saturday night?
Girl in museum: Committing suicide.
Allan Felix: What about Friday night?
February 12, 2008