In Praise of Idleness

"The road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organized diminution of work." - Bertrand Russell

Russell was arguing that a decrease in work time would lead to an increase in leisure time, further resulting in an increase in involvement in cultural pursuits, promoting increased knowledge and a more contemplative habit of mind. He thought that what was needed in our very complex modern society is calm consideration with readiness to call dogmas in question and freedom of mind to do justice to the most diverse points of view.

Indeed, you could see why many wouldn't like that. Better to keep people busy.

Speaking of which, must dash…

Mundane Comment About My Day

A shitty thing happened to me.
Then I remembered the following quote by Epictetus: Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinions of the things that happen.
Then I thought, the thing happened, it wasn't shitty, it's just my view that it was shitty.
Then I thought, nah, it was a shitty thing.

The General Demolition Of My Opinions

I was watching the French presidential elections and it got me thinking why was there something instead of nothing in the universe. I mean, we wouldn't have to sit through all the sound and fury of life if there was nothing. Things would be so much simpler as there would be, um, no things. No matter, no energy, no space, no time. Imagine, with so little to do in a quantum void we could all have a lie in on a Saturday morning. I admit that absolute nothing as a state is hard to conceive. It puts things in perspective, although you can't actually put things in perspective in a nothing as there aren't any planes of reference... ho, ho. The thing with something is that you can compare it to something, but you can't compare nothing to nothing. Nothing is hard to grab. And, furthermore, nothing is unstable. If we go back to the beginning, the Big Bang theory states that something came out of nothing because this latter was unstable. So we exist in a something because it is more stable, which, looking around, certainly doesn't seem the case. Some will say, 'what about God in all this?' For me, an equally pressing question is if the universe -our something- is so vast and ever expanding then how come the constant lack of leg room? As far as a something goes, it's not a great something. However, if I had to vote between nothing and something, I guess I would vote something. Which brings me neatly back to the French presidential elections. 

The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters

'El sueño de la razón produce monstruos' is an etching by Goya.

The sleep of reason does produce monsters, monsters of ignorance and folly.

When we don't think then reason is in danger.

Without critical reflection on what we are being told and what is going on around us then we are in danger.

We are in danger of becoming a society in thrall to spectacle and base emotions.
Oh.

Vivere Militare Est

To live is to fight. Not fight as in kill people. Fight as in struggle. A constant struggle. And even when you win then you lose. But nothing feels worthwhile without struggle. Endeavour confers intensity. When it feels easy, it feels wanting. Everything worthwhile is difficult. Vivere militare est. But not as in kill people.

Dead Dog

I saw a dead dog the other day.

It had been hit by a car.

Its owner was screaming.

The dog was lying in a pool of blood.

Paris swirled on around it.

Its owner screamed.

Waiting For A Bus

I'm waiting for a bus and I'm thinking about nothing.

You can't actually think about nothing so what I'm thinking about is nothing in particular.

Thinking about nothing in particular means that I'm thinking about several things.

So I'm waiting for a bus and I'm thinking about several things.

But I'm not really thinking about several things, several things are going through my head but I'm not reflecting on them.

So I'm waiting for a bus and I'm not thinking about several things.

Not thinking about several things means that I'm not thinking.

And if I'm not thinking then I must be dead.

So why am I waiting for a bus if I'm dead?