There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dare not face this thought! Moreover, since he is aware, however dimly, that his opinions are not rational, he becomes furious when they are disputed.
—Bertrand Russell
People often argue
People often argue against the pursuit of "empty pleasures," yet I rarely see anyone choosing to decline them in favor of "full miseries." Surely a subtle gradient of satisfaction and enrichment is more realistic than such a stark, puritanical contrast.
Labels: thought
