My parents enjoined me to respect the humble and help the needy.
My parents taught me to protect the innocent, to teach the ignorant and to warn the cheated.
And I do! I feel well when I do! I also sympathise with the defenceless, and loathe all oppressors.
But my parents forgot to advise me this:
*
You cannot work for the light if you do not know the shadow. Without what I learned about the wicked I could not help the innocent.
To prove that what you share is wisdom, keep alive. Dead martyrs are mainly a blueprint of how to perish.
Truth and justice do not prevail like in the legends; sometimes, the dragon wins. Learn to be a dragon... at times.
Worse, strangely, more blood was shed in History in the name of truth than for the sake of lying. Understand the colours of lying: some is stupid ignorant, in error, some shameful, some protect lives and countries. Some lies are crimes, some lies are sacrifice and duty. Most are venal and egoistic some are generous. Some are ugly and some are beauty, art and dreaming...giving hope.
When you are nothing but just, it's one step from being cruel. Uncompromisingly sincere, you are a heartless barbarian.
Bad people saved me and good people did me harm. Judge people for yourself.
To help and to do right you must be credible and able to do things; don’t give away your means with silly wows of poverty. Do not despise power, just don't let it go to your head.
Keep away of dying of other people's ills; you do not help the oppressed and the poor by joining them. To help them, try to pull them out from misfortune; grow your means to do things, educate them, teach them to fish, create choices and work for them, advise them well with higher competence than theirs, give them respect and a helping hand, not your body and life. Declaring yourself with the victims is mostly arrogance or a vocation to be a victim.
To be good you must be able to do wrong too; be good but carry a stick.
*
Among people whose life is worth little, your life is worth nothing. Avoid the vacations in hell. Keep away from those who have nothing to lose.
If you must visit in humble territory keep alert and look plain. Smile friendly but laugh carefully. Do not shine. Do not offer unasked advice and do not help people against their will; when asked, be shy, as a guest among wolves; “the meek are simple as doves but wise as serpents” (1)
*
For most people that which cost them nothing is worth nothing. To make it useful, cause them to pay a price, an effort, a sacrifice or some pain. Sad but true!
When you save someone or give much, do not expect gratitude, on the contrary, excuse yourself for the gift, imply it's your duty and still beware; receiving too much is heavy debt and all people hate to be debtors. Particularly the small ones.
*
Certainly, do not appear wise alone among fools. As there is a time for everything, amidst mass delusion truth must wait. No choice but to give time to time.
*
Simple is not stupid but it is not very intelligent either and common is the opposite of uncommon.
Simple people dislike complicated people; shallow minds hate deep ones. Complexity is a threat for them, depth a bottomless precipice, imagination is craze and subtlety an insult; for the limited mind irony is lying, humour mockery, paradox madness.
Simple people distrust change, even for the better. For the innocent, things are as they are “because this is how they are” If you ask why, it is a critique. If you ask why not, it is an accusation.
*
Some simple people are stupid too (not to speak about the intelligent who can be even more stupid because they command more means). Common-sense is not so common.
Do not reason with the stupid! Excuse them, help them charitably, suggest them what to do or let them bite the dust if they do not listen, but keep the distance.
The stupid thinks in one dimension only and is proud to do so, calls it honesty. The stupid persists in error proven and calls it honour.
Stupidity, when you meet it close, it is not just insufficient intelligence, not even lack of intelligence but a full-bodied way of thought, different and hostile to intelligence, like paranoia opposed to sane reasoning. Stupidity is a dense and coherent judgement, intent to force everything into a square pigeon-hole, firmly convinced and rejecting of new perspective or acknowledging error; it is an active process of dragging downwards, like gravity.
Do not dream wishfully, like Socrates, that once informed properly and educated, stupidity will eclose into enlightened goodness; no, it will only be more efficient, hidden behind a better mask of words learned by rote. Do not make things simple to fit the stupid. You are a fool indeed to educate your natural enemy.
Stupidity is your most powerful foe. Wisdom has many limits but stupidity is endless [2] It often wins in the larger crowd and in the longer run.
If you cannot avoid fight with stupidity remember that in the long run it always wins. Do not set to defend a long-term position. Chose the short term. Unsettle, throw down and go away to other things, elsewhere. Run!
*
The poor are not beautiful, nor good or honest by the simple virtue of being poor; they are like everybody else, except for the burden of what they do not have and need [3]. Spare yourself the dreamer’s disenchantment; just do the good things for their own sake and for your own satisfaction of being good. Do not expect recognition.
*
I interrupt a longer list, charitably, before I’m swallowed by the dark side, with the edifying tale of the clever man who went a-hunting oddity:
A man was told that there is an island where people are one-eyed. He decided to become rich. "I will go and catch one of those, show it at fairs for money and make a fortune." This is what he said, and went. It took years but finally he found the island [4].
All people there were one-eyed, indeed. What an exciting, outlandish sight!
The native saw, with equal delight, that he was a two-eyed freak, caught him and made show of him in the marketplace... and made good money.
Moral:
In the land of the one-eyed, wear an eye-patch.
_________________________________________
[1]“Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.” Douay-Rheims Bible, Matthew 10:16
[2] "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein, maybe, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. (also: Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.)” Probably not by Einstein but after Gustave Flaubert cf. Calaprice Alice, The Ultimate Quotable Einstein, Princeton UP, Princeton, 2011, P. 478
[3) Let me render the politically incorrect quote from Heinrich Heine in extenso, as you do not have many occasions to read such heresy: “These court lackeys of the People are incessantly praising its perfections and its virtues, and shouting enthusiastically “How beautiful is the People! how good is the People ! how intelligent is the People ! “No, it is a lie. The poor sovereign People is not beautiful; on the contrary, it is very ugly. But this ugliness arises from its dirty condition, and it will disappear as soon as we have erected public baths, wherein His Majesty the People may wash himself gratuitously. The People, whose goodness is so much vaunted, is not at all good—is often just as wicked as are certain other potentates. But its wickedness Springs from hunger; we must see to it that the sovereign People has always something to eat. As soon as His Majesty is properly fed, and his appetite is satisfied, he also will smile upon us condescendingly and graciously, just like other sovereigns. The People is certainly not very intelligent; it is perhaps even more stupid than other monarchs; it is almost as brutally stupid as its minions. Its favour and confidence are bestowed only on those who declaim and shout in the Jargon of its passions, while it despises every honest man who tries to enlighten and ennoble it in the language of reason. So is it in Paris; so was it in Jerusalem, Leave it to the People to choose between the most righteous of the righteous and the veriest highway robber, and be sure that the cry will be: " Let us have Barabbas ! Long live Barabbas! "The cause of this perversity is ignorance: we must endeavour to eradicate this national evil by instituting public schools for the People, where Instruction, and with it the indispensable bread and butter and other nourishment, may be gratuitously provided. Then, when every unit of the People has been placed in a Position to avail himself of all wished-for knowledge, you will soon see an intelligent People. Perhaps, at last, it will become as cultivated, as intelligent, and as witty as you and I, my dear reader.” Heine, Heinrich, WIT, WISDOM, AND PATHOS, FROM THE PROSE OF HEINRICH HEINE, TR J. SNODGRASS, BOSTON:CUPPLES AND HURD, 1888, p 253
[4] After a Japanese folk-tale.
My parents taught me to protect the innocent, to teach the ignorant and to warn the cheated.
And I do! I feel well when I do! I also sympathise with the defenceless, and loathe all oppressors.
But my parents forgot to advise me this:
*
You cannot work for the light if you do not know the shadow. Without what I learned about the wicked I could not help the innocent.
To prove that what you share is wisdom, keep alive. Dead martyrs are mainly a blueprint of how to perish.
Truth and justice do not prevail like in the legends; sometimes, the dragon wins. Learn to be a dragon... at times.
Worse, strangely, more blood was shed in History in the name of truth than for the sake of lying. Understand the colours of lying: some is stupid ignorant, in error, some shameful, some protect lives and countries. Some lies are crimes, some lies are sacrifice and duty. Most are venal and egoistic some are generous. Some are ugly and some are beauty, art and dreaming...giving hope.
When you are nothing but just, it's one step from being cruel. Uncompromisingly sincere, you are a heartless barbarian.
Bad people saved me and good people did me harm. Judge people for yourself.
To help and to do right you must be credible and able to do things; don’t give away your means with silly wows of poverty. Do not despise power, just don't let it go to your head.
Keep away of dying of other people's ills; you do not help the oppressed and the poor by joining them. To help them, try to pull them out from misfortune; grow your means to do things, educate them, teach them to fish, create choices and work for them, advise them well with higher competence than theirs, give them respect and a helping hand, not your body and life. Declaring yourself with the victims is mostly arrogance or a vocation to be a victim.
To be good you must be able to do wrong too; be good but carry a stick.
*
Among people whose life is worth little, your life is worth nothing. Avoid the vacations in hell. Keep away from those who have nothing to lose.
If you must visit in humble territory keep alert and look plain. Smile friendly but laugh carefully. Do not shine. Do not offer unasked advice and do not help people against their will; when asked, be shy, as a guest among wolves; “the meek are simple as doves but wise as serpents” (1)
*
For most people that which cost them nothing is worth nothing. To make it useful, cause them to pay a price, an effort, a sacrifice or some pain. Sad but true!
When you save someone or give much, do not expect gratitude, on the contrary, excuse yourself for the gift, imply it's your duty and still beware; receiving too much is heavy debt and all people hate to be debtors. Particularly the small ones.
*
Certainly, do not appear wise alone among fools. As there is a time for everything, amidst mass delusion truth must wait. No choice but to give time to time.
*
Simple is not stupid but it is not very intelligent either and common is the opposite of uncommon.
Simple people dislike complicated people; shallow minds hate deep ones. Complexity is a threat for them, depth a bottomless precipice, imagination is craze and subtlety an insult; for the limited mind irony is lying, humour mockery, paradox madness.
Simple people distrust change, even for the better. For the innocent, things are as they are “because this is how they are” If you ask why, it is a critique. If you ask why not, it is an accusation.
*
Some simple people are stupid too (not to speak about the intelligent who can be even more stupid because they command more means). Common-sense is not so common.
Do not reason with the stupid! Excuse them, help them charitably, suggest them what to do or let them bite the dust if they do not listen, but keep the distance.
The stupid thinks in one dimension only and is proud to do so, calls it honesty. The stupid persists in error proven and calls it honour.
Stupidity, when you meet it close, it is not just insufficient intelligence, not even lack of intelligence but a full-bodied way of thought, different and hostile to intelligence, like paranoia opposed to sane reasoning. Stupidity is a dense and coherent judgement, intent to force everything into a square pigeon-hole, firmly convinced and rejecting of new perspective or acknowledging error; it is an active process of dragging downwards, like gravity.
Do not dream wishfully, like Socrates, that once informed properly and educated, stupidity will eclose into enlightened goodness; no, it will only be more efficient, hidden behind a better mask of words learned by rote. Do not make things simple to fit the stupid. You are a fool indeed to educate your natural enemy.
Stupidity is your most powerful foe. Wisdom has many limits but stupidity is endless [2] It often wins in the larger crowd and in the longer run.
If you cannot avoid fight with stupidity remember that in the long run it always wins. Do not set to defend a long-term position. Chose the short term. Unsettle, throw down and go away to other things, elsewhere. Run!
*
The poor are not beautiful, nor good or honest by the simple virtue of being poor; they are like everybody else, except for the burden of what they do not have and need [3]. Spare yourself the dreamer’s disenchantment; just do the good things for their own sake and for your own satisfaction of being good. Do not expect recognition.
*
I interrupt a longer list, charitably, before I’m swallowed by the dark side, with the edifying tale of the clever man who went a-hunting oddity:
A man was told that there is an island where people are one-eyed. He decided to become rich. "I will go and catch one of those, show it at fairs for money and make a fortune." This is what he said, and went. It took years but finally he found the island [4].
All people there were one-eyed, indeed. What an exciting, outlandish sight!
The native saw, with equal delight, that he was a two-eyed freak, caught him and made show of him in the marketplace... and made good money.
Moral:
In the land of the one-eyed, wear an eye-patch.
_________________________________________
[1]“Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.” Douay-Rheims Bible, Matthew 10:16
[2] "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein, maybe, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. (also: Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.)” Probably not by Einstein but after Gustave Flaubert cf. Calaprice Alice, The Ultimate Quotable Einstein, Princeton UP, Princeton, 2011, P. 478
[3) Let me render the politically incorrect quote from Heinrich Heine in extenso, as you do not have many occasions to read such heresy: “These court lackeys of the People are incessantly praising its perfections and its virtues, and shouting enthusiastically “How beautiful is the People! how good is the People ! how intelligent is the People ! “No, it is a lie. The poor sovereign People is not beautiful; on the contrary, it is very ugly. But this ugliness arises from its dirty condition, and it will disappear as soon as we have erected public baths, wherein His Majesty the People may wash himself gratuitously. The People, whose goodness is so much vaunted, is not at all good—is often just as wicked as are certain other potentates. But its wickedness Springs from hunger; we must see to it that the sovereign People has always something to eat. As soon as His Majesty is properly fed, and his appetite is satisfied, he also will smile upon us condescendingly and graciously, just like other sovereigns. The People is certainly not very intelligent; it is perhaps even more stupid than other monarchs; it is almost as brutally stupid as its minions. Its favour and confidence are bestowed only on those who declaim and shout in the Jargon of its passions, while it despises every honest man who tries to enlighten and ennoble it in the language of reason. So is it in Paris; so was it in Jerusalem, Leave it to the People to choose between the most righteous of the righteous and the veriest highway robber, and be sure that the cry will be: " Let us have Barabbas ! Long live Barabbas! "The cause of this perversity is ignorance: we must endeavour to eradicate this national evil by instituting public schools for the People, where Instruction, and with it the indispensable bread and butter and other nourishment, may be gratuitously provided. Then, when every unit of the People has been placed in a Position to avail himself of all wished-for knowledge, you will soon see an intelligent People. Perhaps, at last, it will become as cultivated, as intelligent, and as witty as you and I, my dear reader.” Heine, Heinrich, WIT, WISDOM, AND PATHOS, FROM THE PROSE OF HEINRICH HEINE, TR J. SNODGRASS, BOSTON:CUPPLES AND HURD, 1888, p 253
[4] After a Japanese folk-tale.
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