“The phenomenon of self-consciousness, together with the institutions and processes that support it, constitute one reason why past forms of life are not a real option for the present, and why attempts to go back often produce results that are ludicrous on a small scale and hideous on a larger one. This can be seen, above all, with reactionary projects to recreate supposedly contented hierarchical societies of the past. These projects in any case face the criticism that their pictures of the past are fantasies; but even if there have been contented hierarchies, any charm they have for us is going to rest on their having been innocent and not having understood their own nature. This cannot be recreated, since measures would have to be taken to stop people raising questions that are, by now, there to be raised.”
Nothing is too early or too late /
“Whoever does not cordially embrace whatever befalls him, whoever is sorry that it has befallen him, whoever wishes that it had not befallen him, wishes, so far as in him lies, to stop the motion of the Universe, to break that great chain of succession, by the progress of which that system can alone be continued and preserved, and, for some little conveniency of his own, to disorder and discompose the whole machinery of the world. “O world,” says he, in another place, “all things are suitable to me which are suitable to thee. Nothing is too early or too late which is seasonable for thee. All is fruit to me which thy seasons bring forth. From thee are all things; in thee are all things; for thee are all things. One man says, O beloved city of Cecrops. Wilt not thou say, O beloved city of God?””
(The quotation within the quotation is from the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (ca. 170-180). Cecrops was the mythical first king of Athens, who taught the ancient citizens of that city marriage, reading, writing, and ceremonial burial.)
One of the things it thought up /
“You see, “human being” was here before you even showed up. “Human being” was here before you were even thought of. Maybe, just maybe, “human being,” because it was already here, already had a direction, already had a thrust, already had a scope of possibility. Maybe, just maybe, “human being” is using you. See, I know that you and I live as if we’re using “[human] being,” but I’m asking you to consider the possibility that you showed up in “human being” and it uses you—in its direction and its thrust. You don’t use it. It already was when you showed up. And it already had a thrust, a scope, a definition. It already was a certain set of options, and those options are using you. You see, you say, in everyday language, “I think.” I say you don’t think. And I want you to consider the possibility that you don’t think. I am inviting you to stand in the possibility that it isn’t you thinking. Certainly, there are thoughts. That’s obvious. ... I’m asking you to stand in the possibility that it thinks, and you have the thought. ... You live the superstition that you think. But you don’t think. It thinks. And one of the things it thought up is you.”
Not better and happier people instead of us /
“What we are attached to in ourselves, in a reasonable self-concern, is not just our bare metaphysical identity, but also projects, friendships, and at least some of the important features of our personal history and character. If our lives are good, we have the same sort of reason to be glad we have had them rather than lives that would have been even better but too thoroughly different, as we have to be glad that we exist and not better and happier people instead of us.”
The Four Agreements /
They are:
Keep your word impeccable.
Don’t take anything personally.
Make no assumptions.
Always do your best.
Too thin to serve as a moral code, but useful principles, nonetheless. Echoes of Stoicism and Buddhism, and, with regard to the power of the spoken word, Judeo-Christianity. A quick, worthwhile read.