Quotes for Reflection
And How Our Current Mainstream Narratives Fall Short of Their Wisdom.
There is quite a bit of wisdom and lessons to be found in the past. Shakespeare once said “what’s past is prologue.” Yet it seems much of society not only does not care to look to the lessons of the past, but is moving on in the vain assumption that we know all that we need to know to make this world a better place. To be fair, we barely ever recognize just how much progress we have made and how much better the world is today, and instead falsely believe in the notion of a terrible, racist, sexist, etc. world. If Socrates himself said “I know that I know nothing,” what makes us think we know so much? Isn’t it a bit foolish for us to assume we know it all, while barely understanding what came before us? History and philosophy aren’t popular subjects, but learning and discussing its people and its concepts could very well be key in true change where we need it. The following are 5 quotes from some of history’s wisest men and women that can help lead us into a better future, if we give them the time beyond the momentary inspirational tribute in the form of a post, hashtag, etc.
“To a man who is afraid, everything rustles” — Sophocles
Perception is key. If you perceive it, you believe it to be true. That doesn’t mean it is necessarily the case. Take this test as an example, if you have not already done so.
After you watch that, you can see that what you are seeing is not necessarily always the case, or not the whole picture. Apply that to life, into every situation, and you get a more humble and less divided society. Easier said than done, but one small step towards that goal for us to contemplate perception. Think about why Sophocles said this. If your mindset is developed through the Critical Race Theory for example, you are operating from an assumption that everything — even the most ludicrous things — are steeped in racism. To a man who thinks racism is everlasting and ever-present, everything is an example of it. This “rustling” isn’t proof of a reality, it is only the mindset of that person, and the group of advocates that follow the harmful narrative. How do you correct for that? Only through contemplation, introspection, and honest communication with people from all walks of life and differing opinions. Once that is started, the man who is afraid can see that what he perceives to be a rustle is just really false evidence appearing real.
“The line between good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being” — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
In our times, there is virtue signaling and moral superiority abound. If you don’t conform to the popular narrative, you are an immoral bigot. Think about a scenario where you go into a conversation with someone who does not agree with you and they do not automatically judge you to be ignorant. Then you can get to a place where the recognition of the other as a human being worthy of respect is the foundation for an actual conversation. Solzhenitsyn, a man who spent 8 years in the gulags and was pursued and wanted dead for trying to publish the Gulag Archipelago, can help us understand that no one is perfect. No one is just good. No one is just bad. Human beings are both and when we can interact with one another from that perspective we can finally bridge the gap and the misunderstandings that abound in the United States’ polarized society. Articles like this and facts based on polls such as this can’t possibly stay alive if we all stop pretending we and our group is amazing and anyone that doesn’t agree with us must have something wrong with them. You can be just as wrong. The benefit of the doubt can go a long way.
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears” — Marcus Aurelius
Aurelius is often termed the most just Roman emperor to have ever lived. His book “Meditations” was never actually meant to be read by the public, but was rather something more akin to a diary for him. It is telling, then, that the most just emperor spent so much time in contemplation and meditation on what it means to be a good human, and lead a good life. Meditations, in my opinion should be part of the required reading list for high school kids (as should the Gulag Archipelago). True education comes from introspection. No one else can give you your life’s answers. It is only up to you to do the work and figure it out. And this quote is about introspection and the right frame of mind. If you are intrinsically strong, if you have an internal locus of control in other words, what other people do is much less likely to affect you. You can start to understand that as flawed human beings, we all operate under our own perceptions and so a perceived hurt is not necessarily one that was intended and has no bearing on you nor your intrinsic worth. You can start to let go of 99% of what you hold on to as anger or resentment. Discussing Critical Race Theory, or rather criticizing it, is a quick way to get you labeled racist. That doesn’t mean the theory isn’t worthy of criticism, nor does it mean you are actually a racist just because advocates of it are quick to judge you as one. So the injury itself can disappear, and you can continue being true to yourself and speaking up for what is right rather than conforming to the status quo. Speaking up for the truth, especially in times when it isn’t the mainstream, takes courage. Courage can only come from a sense of inner power and a rejection of outsiders’ hold on you as a person.
“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.” — Ayn Rand
If you think about BIPOC, and the narratives around uplifting minorities and how white people are all inherently racist and need to stop talking and listen, where do you place individuals? How about the fact that not all BIPOC think alike? Why does any one white person not have the right to participate in the conversation about the social problems of our times solely because of the color of their skin? How can you deny the individual right to freedom of thought and freedom of speech and stand up solely for groups because it feels more moral? Groups are made of individuals. The beauty of human beings is our complexities. We cannot defend whole groups and not defend the individual.
“We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality” — Ayn Rand
Lastly, another Ayn Rand quote…it appears to me that this is what we are doing right now. Many facts are being overlooked in order to fit a popular narrative — BLM being just one example. CRT not being racist is another. These actions, or inactions, to conform instead of stand up for truth have real consequences. It is now to the point that “the dissemination of curricular content and instruction based on CRT in K–12 schools is second only in scope to the presence of CRT in post-secondary instruction, where CRT originated.” It is not that no one is speaking up — Paul Rossi and his letter, is an example. The Principle of that school even privately agreed with Rossi but publicly distanced himself from him and pretended to be against him. But Rossi should not be in the minority. We as a society, if we can get back to a point of introspection, should have already dismissed these harmful ideas. We are now evading reality, at least many people are. Few have the courage to speak up against it though they know it is wrong. We will not evade the consequences of evading reality if we continue this way. So, in my opinion, it is time we stop scrolling through instagram or facebook finding offense and defending our position, and start to learn and think and talk to each other again.
These 5 quotes correlate with one another, and can serve as some small way to look into our world today for how it really is and go from there. To get back to reality outside of our own biased views and start to value freedom, individuality, tolerance, and other Enlightenment values that are now being termed as racist. It is up to each one of us to do so.
Till next time
-Sensible.
