MONTAIGNE... KIERKEGAARD... SHOPENHAUER AND OTHERS

Some  meaningfull , serious  and  sober  quotations , that indicate sometimes  our  evolution and path  in  life .

Montaigne  once  said  " I  sometimes  get  others  to  say  what  I  cannot  put  so  well  myself  because  of  the  weaknesses  of  my  language , and  sometimes  because  of  the  weakness  of  my  intellect .....   and  sometimes  to  reign  in  the  temerity  of  those  hasty  criticisms  which  leap  to  attack  writings  of  every  kind , especially  recent  writings  by  men  still  alive ....   I  have  to  hide  my  weaknesses  beneath  those  great  reputations ."

Kierkegaard ,  " What  happens  to  those  who  try  to  warn  the  present  age ??
It  happened  that  a  fire  broke  out  backstage  in  a  theater . The  clown  came  out  to  inform  the  public . They  thought  it  was  just  a  jest  and  applauded . He  repeated  his  warnings , they  shouted  even  louder . So  I  think  the  world  will  come  to  an  end  amid  general  applause  from  all  the  wits , who  believe  that  it  is  a  joke ."

Kierkegaard , " The  clergyman , counselling  on  the  idea  that  God  is  love . But  after  several  attempts  the  clergyman  says :  Well  I  have  only  one  counsel  to  give  you , there  is  a  book  about  the  love  of  God  by  so  and  so , " read  it , study  it , if  that  does  not  help  you , no  man  can  help  you."  The  unknown  man  replies   " I  myself  am  the  author  of  this  book ."

Shopenhauer , "The  man  who  habitually  slams  doors  instead  of  shutting  them  with  the  hand ...  is  not  merely  ill-mannered , but  also  coarse  and  narrow  minded ."

--  When  they  asked  Socrates  where  did  he  come  from , he  did  not  say " from  Athens "  but    
  "from  the  world ."





As  usual  my  gratitude  for  your  time  and  patience , salamat .


 

THE OTHER VIEW ....

Many here in Lebanon , who are as concerned and worried of the expansion and overflowing of the Syrian situation , are considering  a  late development of the Iranian political  situation , in their  view  the expulsion of  the  moderate Iranian candidates  to  the upcoming  presidential  elections , means  that the actual  leader and his  hard  line  is  winning and is still very much in control .

They  assert  that  Iran  decided  to  go  full  blast  into  winning  Syria , it's  regime , and  securing  Iraq , and  consequently  securing  the  fate  of  Hezbollah , and  that  the  Russians  who  were  screwed  out  of  Libya  will not  accommodate  an American  or  Western  rescue  of  the  Syrian  situation ,  I'm not  sure  if  this  interpretation , will  further support  my  view  of an  American / Russian  understanding  or  not , and forcing  of  a  solution , or  as  apparently  things  are , in maintaining  the  status quo  and  a  slow  and  failing  reliance  on  A Geneva 2  type  conferences  . Further  allowing  and  giving   power  to  Iran  in  the  area  , such  innaction  could  prove  very  detrimental  to  US/western/ Arab/ even Russian  interests , and of course  to  the  future  of  Syria  and  it's  neighbours , Israel  and  Turkey  included .

I'm  still  in  the  camp  of  the "strategising  pragmatically  and  intelligently" , and thus  believe  that  American  interests  with  all  it's  allies , including  long  term  Russian  interests  will prevail , and  an  action , swift  actions , will take  place  instead  of  failed  diplomacy  and  total  inaction . Only  time  will  tell .



Again  thanks  for  your  time  and  patience.

TWO AND A HALF YEARS DOWN THE LINE .........

Two and a half years down the line of the Syrian situation and impasse , the only way out nowadays in my opinion , is a direct intervention of the west , the situation politically and on the ground  totally justifies a Libyan style intervention by the US. NATO and possibly a Russian  limited  intervention .

Justification for such an act , after a long stale mate between the different powers involved , would be to first , finish the old Assad regime and get him out , second , pressure and finish the ultra  salafist and alquaida influenced  factions and get them out as well , the direct help of Turkish troops would make it easy , plus the political and monetary consent of all Arab countries including Saudi Arabia , Qatar and the Arab golf , Israel of course would go along without saying .

A third  objective  would be to rid the area of a very dangerous and quickly expanding war , that will engulf all of Syria's neighbours , ie.  Lebanon , Jordan , Iraq  and eventually Turkey itself , Israel is not out of such scenario .

Weakening Iran  and it's ally  Hezbollah  to an almost  stand still , is a sure  and clear advantage  to Israel , the Arab countries  and  strategically  to  the  US. and  the west in general .

Another  reason and  for  fairness sake , is  the establishment  of  a  sort  of  democratic power  sharing system , to govern  and  slowly  rebuild  Syria , such a regime  that  has  better chances than  actual  Iraqi's  faltering  democracy . Thus  returning  some  of  America's lost  credibility in the world  after the  fiasco of  the  Iraqi  adventure .

The Russian side could , if not already , be convinced//pressured  of having a secure  share in the intervention itself and the following  political  and  economical  sharing  in the  future  Syria . Something  denied  to them  in  Libya .  China  has  no  real  power  or  saying  in  this  part  of  the  world .

Iran itself  will be  totally  cornered  with  an  Israeli  watch dog  threatening  and  keeping it in check , even  happy  for  an Iranian  miss-calculation  to  strike  and  destroy .

Clearly  a  win -win  situation  to  all  sides  and  parties , including  the  Russian  and  Iranian  axis  who , even  though  looks as if  holding well behind  the  Assad  regime , know  that  time  and the future  is  not  to  their  advantage .  The  West  will  prove  to  itself  and  to  world  opinion  to  be  more  fair  and just  in policing  the  world  and  it's  affairs .

The  Arab  countries  and  their  populations , who  classically  and for  long  decades , have  been systematically  denouncing  American  and  western  imperialism and  interventions  in  various  forms  in the  Middle East  , are  nowadays  begging  for  such  an  intervention .  US.  military  and  the  public  opinion  manipulating  machines in the US. and  Europe  will be  very  happy  to  oblige . Again  a  win-win  happy  situation  and  outcome .




A month  and a  half  in  the  middle  East  , my  observations  made  me totally convinced  of  what  I believe  is  the  only  way  out  of  this  quagmire  and  potentially  ticking  bomb  to  the  area and to world  safety .  Thanks   for  your  time , and  salamat.

WE ARE ALL WITNESSES .......

At  least  no  one  can  say afterwards  that  we  didn't  know , that nobody  told  us .

There  is  something  we  can  all  do  to  procure  ourselves  a  better  conscience , tell  the  world  repeatedly , record  the  massacres  of  the  innocent , which  might  lessen  the  chances  of  the  next  massacre . That  sometimes  being  neutral , fair  and  unbiased , on  the  side  of  those  who  suffer  is  also  a  noble  and a good  thing .

The  Syrian  war  is becoming  more  lethal  by  the  day , shells  and  rockets  are bigger , more  destructive , more  bullets  fill  the  air and  more  knives  to  butcher  innocent  people  from  all ages  and  walks  of  life .  Ethnic  cleansing  is  becoming  more often  than  not  the  rule  of  the  game .

Some  of  these  people  flee  to  safer  areas  within  the  country  or  to  neighbouring  countries , some  are  simply  unable  to  go anywhere , they  stick  to  their  lands  and  ancestral  homes , fearing  every day  the  death  of  their  loved  ones  and  themselves , no  horizon  for  them , unless they  die .

But  this  situation  has  in  itself  the  dangers  and  risks  for   those  who  manage  to  flee  as  well  as  for  those  who  receive .  Lebanon  comes  to  mind  immediately , as  it  hosts  now  an  estimated  2  million  Syrians , divided  equally  between  rich  people  who  can  afford  a  good  standard  of  life  to  people  living  humbly  with  friends  and  relatives , to  very  simply  starving  kids  and  moms  generally  unattended  and  not  helped .

A  very  risky  and  dangerous  situation  for  the  country of  Lebanon  and  it's  people , it  is  indeed  a  ticking  bomb , as  many  if  not  most  Syrians  might  one  day , and  maybe  sooner  than  later , revolt  as  a  result  of  any  accidental  injustice , or  even  some  feud  between  rival  young  begging  gangs , or  due  to  those  upper  scale  power  recipients  of  the  Syrian  regime  not  used at  all  to  behaving  and  being  treated  as  normal  citizens , risking  to  start , trigger , and  fuel  a  new  civil  war  in  Lebanon  between  Lebanese  and  backed  by  different  Syrian  factions .

It  all  happened  literally  in  the  early  seventies  with  less  Palestinians  around  who  triggered  and  fueled  back  then  a  merciless  civil  war  for  20  years , the  same  scenario  could  repeat  itself  anytime now .

There  are  no  set  rules  to  the  war  in  Syria  and  no  easy  solutions  either ,  both  factions  are  as  criminally  involved  and  both  conduct  their  daily  business  in  the  utmost  barbaric , vicious  and  savage  way .  The  regime , it's  armies  and  ethnic  militias  ,  as well  as  the  different  opposing  Musslem  factions , conduct  the  same  killing  and  ruling , the  former  for  survival  purposes  of  himself  and  his  immediate  family  and  surroundings , the  later  with  grandiose  visions  of  a  nation  of  Islam under  false  views  mirroring  their  stupid  versions  of   life  under  the  Musslem  prophet  and  his  friends some  1400   years  ago .

There  are  so  many  good  and  decent  thinkers , politicians and  philosophers  in  Syria  who , unfortunately , are  being  systematically  marginalised  under  the  mottoes  of  both  factions , ""You're  with  us  or  against  us , you're  from  our  race  or  theirs ""  killing  and  massacring  the  other  generally  follows , and  comes  so  very  naturally .        




From  LA LA  lands , I  thank  you  all  for  your  patience  and  time .

MIHALY'S FLOW ....!!!

" Enjoyment  appears  at  the  boundary  between  boredom  and  anxiety , when  the  challenges  are  just  balanced  with  a  person's  capacity  to  act ."
                                                  
                                                       -- Mihaly  Csikszentmihalyi --


Flow  is  an  optimal  state  in  which  one  feels  totally engaged  in  an  activity . Whether  long  distance  cycling  or  blog  writing , sumo  wrestling , reading  or  sex  for  some . In  a  state  of  flow  one  is  neither  bored  nor  anxious , and  one  wouldn't  question  his  own  adequacy , hours  pass  without  your  noticing .

The  psychologist  "Mihaly  Csikszentmihalyi"  coined  the  word  "flow"  for  this  type  of  situations . Flow  often  occurs  , he  writes , in  conditions  in  which  people  become  independent  of  the  social  environment  to  the  degree  that  they  no  longer  respond  exclusively  in  terms  of  its  rewards  and  punishments ,  to  achieve  such  autonomy , a  person  has  to  learn  to  provide  rewards  to  himself .

The  fulfillment  that  comes  from  deep  absorbtion  in  an  activity  outside  oneself ,  activities  that  are  not  about  approach  or  avoidance , gain  or  loss , but  about  something  greatly intense .

Psychological  theories  usually  assume  that  we  are  motivated  either  by  the  need  to  eliminate  an  unpleasant  condition  like  hunger  or  fear , or  by  expectation  of  some  future  reward  such  as  money , status , or  prestige . Csikszentmihalyi  though  argues ,  that  in  flow , a  person  could  work  around  the  clock  for  days  on  end , and  for  no  better  reason  than  to  keep  on  working  fulfilling  his  vigor  and  interest .

So  every  person  should  be  true  to  oneself . If  one  really  desire  something , one  should  go  all  the  way  to  get  it . One  ought  to  stay  true  to  his  own  nature , being  relatively  unmoved  by  rewards  gives  one  a  great  amount  of  power  to  go  his  own  way . It  would  be  up  to  the  individual  to  use  that  independence  to  good  effects .




My gratitude  to miss Cain , for pointing out some  of  the  different  aspects  of  Mihaly's  psychological  studies , thanks  to you  all for  your  time  and  patience , salamat.

A SENECAN PRAEMEDITATIO ......

The  wise  will  start  each  day  with  the  thought ...

Fortune gives us nothing which we can really own ."

"Nothing , whether public or private , is stable ; the destinies of men , no less than those of cities , are in a whirl ."

"Whatever structure has been reared by a long sequence of years , at the cost of great toil and through the great kindness of the gods , is scattered and dispersed in a single day . NO , he who has said ' a day' has granted too long a postponement to swift actions and misfortunes , an hour , an instant of time , suffices for the overthrow of empires and tyrants ."

"How often have cities in Asia , how often in Achaia , been laid low by a single shock of earthquake ? How many towns in Syria , how many in Macedonia , have been destroyed and swallowed up ?? How often has this kind of devastation laid Cyprus in ruins ."

"We live in the middle of things which have all been destined to die . Mortal have you been born , to mortals have you given birth ."

" Reckon on everything , expect everything ."

"The  wise  will  start  each  day  with  the  thought ...

The  same  could  naturally  be  conveyed  in  other  ways  and  for  other  times , our  actual  times , and  state  of  affairs .  We  do  not  know  what  will  happen  next ; we  must  expect  something  in  the  early  morning  every  morning .

We  should  undertake  what  Seneca  termed  a  praemeditatio , a  meditation  in  advance , on  all  the  sorrows  of  mind  and  bodies , the  sorrows  of  nations , of  peoples , of  wrong  doings  which  the  gods  have  and   may  subsequently  subject  us .




Seneca , a  first  century  Roman  philosopher ,  as to  me ,  my  usual  thanks  for  your  time , salamat.       

MONTAIGNE'S PHILOSOPHY .....

Montaigne said :  " to  learn  that  we  have  said  or  done  a  stupid  thing  is  nothing , we  must  learn  a  more  ample  and  important  lesson ; that  we  are  at  times  foolish  and  blockheads ."

"And  the  biggest  blockheads  of  all  beings  are  those  who  had  never  suspected  they  might  even  be  such  things ," misplaced  confidence  in  reason  could  be  the  ultimate  idiocy , and  indirectly  also  of  inadequacy ."

We  take  pride  in  our  fair  and  orderly  reasoning  and  our  capacity  to  fairly  judge , and  to  know , and  say  the  truth , but  to  live  with  such  rules , we  have  to  pay  a  price ,  which  is  generally  expensive  and  sometimes  excessive .

It  often  pays  to  be  quiet  and  gracious , to  listen  more  than  talk . And  to  have  an  instinct  for  harmony  rather  than  conflict . With  this  style , one  can  fake  advantages  and  be  more  persuasive  with  certain  positions  without  inflaming  your  counterpart's  ego . We  should  all  realise  that  in  most  conversations  and  arguments , most  people  priorities  are  to  be  liked , rather  than  to  speak  the  truth .

To  attain  wisdom , argues  Montaigne , is  by  learning  not  to  aggravate  the  state  of  affairs  through  our  own  responses , through  spasms  of  rage , self  pity , anxiety , bitterness , and  self-righteousness  and  paranoia . We  must  reconcile  ourselves  to  the  true  dimensions  of  reality  and  so  spare  ourselves  of  harsh  frustrations  and  the  accompanying  destructive  emotions .

That  we  are  ultimately  still  adequate  in  our  own  distinctive  half-wise , half  blockheadish  ways , should  not  keep  us  from  distinguishing  and  accepting  our  frailties , and  prevent  us  from  claiming  a  mastery  we  do  not  have .  That  is  what  Montaigne's  philosophy  teach  us .





As  usual  my  gratitude  for  your  patience  and  time , salamat .