Individuality
There is in American society a mad rush to distinguish oneself, and, as soon as something has been accepted as distinguishing, to package it in such a way that everyone can feel included.
— Alan Bloom, Closing of the American Mind
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Practicing What You Preach
ByHeatherI don’t practice what I preach, ’cause I’m not the kind of person I’m preachin’ to.
— J. R. “Bob” Dobbs, founder, Church of the SubGenius
What, me crazy?
ByHeatherAnswer me this: If I’m so “crazy,” then why did they choose me to be their spokesperson to the people of Earth?
Commonplaces of Existence
ByHeatherMy life is spent in one long effort to escape the commonplaces of existence.
— Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, spoken by Sherlock Holmes in The Red-Headed League
Ditto.
Creating Opportunities
ByHeatherA wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
— Sir Francis Bacon
Problem of Evil
ByHeatherIs God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
— Epicurus, philosopher (c. 341-270 BCE)
Years ago I struggled deeply with the Problem of Evil, i.e. the reconciliation of the existence of evil and suffering with the existence of a benevolent and omnipotent God. At the time, I found Dostoyevski’s novel The Brother’s Karamozov to be a great comfort and insight on the dilemma. I wish I had found Epicurus’ quote earlier in my life. The logic is compelling and impeccable.
What is a Poet?
ByHeatherWhat is a poet? A poet is an unhappy being whose heart is torn by secret sufferings, but whose lips are so strangely formed that when the sighs and the cries escape them, they sound like beautiful music. . . . And men crowd about the poet and say to him, “Sing for us again;” that is as much to say, “May new sufferings torment your soul, but may your lips be formed as before; for the cries would only frighten us but the music is delicious.”