Nature, in her wisdom, seems to have arranged it so that men's stupidities should be ephemeral, and books make them immortal. A fool ought to be content with having exasperated everyone around him, but he insists on tormenting future generations; he wants his foolishness to overcome the oblivion which he might have enjoyed like a tomb; he wants posterity to be informed that he existed, and to be aware for ever that he was a fool.
—Montesquieu
On tradition
I respect no tradition for being tradition. Tradition is something that is done because it's been done. To judge a tradition, one must look at it's origins, purpose, and effectiveness. Most traditions can be improved upon.
Labels: thought
