THE BLOG OF DISQUIET :Qweir Notions,an uncommonplace-book from the Armpit of Diogenes, binge-thinker jottings since2008.
Friday, 10 June 2011
Sébastien Roch Nicolas, commonly known as Chamfort
1741-1794 from his Thoughts and Maxims
"When you get to the bottom of things, the resulting removal of illusions brings death to the soul, that is to say a complete lack of interest in everything that affects and occupies others."
Every culture is composed of values, ideals, interpretations - which are now force-fed upon children, so that they grow up to maintain the culture. I - and perhapsd Chamfort - would call this corpus of belief and acceptance 'illusion'.
Self-interest is also illusion : how many selves does one person have ?
Illusion is language. We are imprisoned in its multiple labyrinths and there is no way out, because one cannot unlearn language.
4 comments:
What is your interpretation of "removal of illusions" as related to self-interest ?
Aren't we running on self-interest with or without the illusions ?
And if you show interest in others but it is not reciprocated,
Isn't it a waste ?
Chamfort also wrote:
« Ce que j'ai appris, je l'ai oublié ; ce que je sais, je l'ai inventé »
EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED I HAVE FORGOTTEN. EVERYTHING I KNOW I HAVE MADE UP.
Does that answer your question ?
(We run only partially on self-interest. Self-interest is one of the more beguiling illusions.
Unreciprocated interest in others is known as altruism, and is the common lot of dogs.)
Another quotation doesn't do it :(
My interest is in : what You think....
Maybe next time.....
Every culture is composed of values, ideals, interpretations - which are now force-fed upon children, so that they grow up to maintain the culture. I - and perhapsd Chamfort - would call this corpus of belief and acceptance 'illusion'.
Self-interest is also illusion : how many selves does one person have ?
Illusion is language. We are imprisoned in its multiple labyrinths and there is no way out, because one cannot unlearn language.
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