The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
-T.B. Macaulay
What would you do if you had unlimited resources, unlimited possibilities, and you were absolutely guaranteed that no one would ever find out? Never. You aren't going to answer something that you would want to tell everyone about afterwards. That would eliminate the point of secrecy existing in the first place. So you have to turn the question inwards, and look for your deepest, darkest desire. For some people, the answer might actually be not so dark. But human nature contains an element of evil within every person. For many people, the answer to the question would indeed be dark and, in some cases disturbing. I don't have an answer to this question. If I did, it wouldn't be something I would post here. I'm not entirely sure I want to know the answer at all. Because answering the question forces you to find out what you want, and consider what kind of person that makes you.
You should not live one way in private and another in public.
-Publilius Syrus
To some extent, everyone behaves differently in public and in private. When you are alone with your close friend, you are more outgoing, outspoken and relaxed. In a place of business, or at a formal event, it's only natural, and proper to be a little more polite and reserved. However, there comes a point when being polite crosses into being an entire other person all together. Every one knows, or has know someone like that. In private, they're funny, smart and enjoyable company. In public, they do a miraculous transformation into behaving like (a) a total prude or (b) a complete idiot. Then you have the people who are nice in public, only to treat you like dirt once there's no on around to see it. Sometimes it's a case of insecurity that causes them to behave in a manner they think others will find more desirable. Other times it's a public cover up for their inner asshole. Whatever the case, a lie is always found out eventually, so why begin it in the first place. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said. The only people worth being with are the ones who can accept you as you are. In a world where you can be anything, why not be yourself? The fact that some people can't understand this baffles me. You are you. If someone likes you in private for who you are, why wouldn't other people like you as that same person in public? You can't please everyone, so why even try.
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant. May faulty logic undermine your entire philosophy.
-Vulcan Curse
When asked if the glass is half empty, or half full, I answer: are you drinking or are you pouring? Today in art class, we started a projecy implementing text into a picture. We were supposed to use the quote: You can complain because roses have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses. Hence we received a lecture at least three minutes long on the benefits of being opptimistic. So, tell me Mrs.F, where is this bright side you speak of? Hence I feel the need for a less than opptimistic quote today, for a curse is less than opptimistic. Though expecting it to work is a whole other story.
Life: No matter what happens during it, or how it is lived, you will eventually have to give it back.
-Matthew Good,At Last There is Nothing Left to Say
Our lives do not belong to us. But they do belong to a greater force in the universe. No, I'm not talking about a creator. I am referring to Death. Death is more universal than life. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives. And everyone who lives dies anyways. So when a bunch of atoms got together and made a human being, it was only a temporary alliance. Nothing is forever, because whatever survives life is obliterated by Death. The morals and rules we set in this life are significant for only a mere glimmer in time. The only thing they serve to accomplish is to try and make living a tad more endurable. In the end, it doesn't even matter if you obeyed the rules, or if you broke them. It doesn't matter if you accomplished great things, terrible things, or nothing at all. You're still dead, and you aren't coming back, because our lives are on loan, and when our lease is up, you can bet that Death will be around to claim his property.
A man without religion is like a fish without a bicycle.
-Vique
For what does mankind use religion? The same thing for which a fish uses a bicycle. He doesn't live in an environment that requires it. He just keeps it around hoping it will come in useful someday. In the meantime, it clutters things up and gets in the way. In case no one has noticed, I'm an atheist. As far as I am concerned, believing in a creator is about as realistic as believing in a magic pixie in the sky. Hence my non-deity is the Magic Sky Pixie. I know exactly two other pixieists, but feel welcome to adopt my non-deity as your own!
This existence of ours is as transient as autumn clouds. To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance. A lifetime is of lightning in the sky. Rushing by, like a torrent down a steep mountain.
-Buddha
If you wanna know what's been on my mind lately, think like life, death, the whole shebang. People being born, people dying, people suffering. It can be depressing if you let yourself think about it too much. But who doesn't end up thinking about it at least once in a while. Really, our society is rather stupid about death. They don't want children to know about it, or be exposed to it. It never occurs to them that they're hurting the kid by not letting them see death as a natural part of life. Which it is. Yet everyone makes it out as something to be afraid of, to avoid thinking about and talking about. When I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to go to my grandmother's funeral. Or my grandma's. Or my uncle's. Or my other uncle's. Or my Grandpa Clarence's. Or my Granny Holly's. In fact, I don't think I have ever been permitted to attend a relative's funeral. So much for saying one's last goodbyes. How can you protect someone from something they will inevitably encounter? Would it not be better to prepare them to accept it rather than try and hide them from it? I suppose it all gets back to human beings being afraid of things they can't understand. And how is it possible to understand the pure nothingness beyond? From here stems the fantasy stories that are the religions of the world. I always sort of imagine it like before I was born. There's just nothing there because you don't exist. But I suppose that's a lot scarier after experiencing existance for a while. I suppose you might say that this isn't exactly directly connected to the quote, but really the quote was just what finally made me able to get this out.
So lets actually talk about the quote. I like the poetry of it; it make me wish I was that eloquent. Maybe a little bit flowery for the content. It's hard to think of life and death like a dance. Dancing has rhythm, is regulated; predictable. Everything is done with the music. Then of course you have the people who do it all better than everyone else, and the people who aren't with the rhythm at all. The more I write, the more I come to agree with what I was previously disagreeing with.
The next part of the quote I totally agree with. Life is a flash of lighting in the sky. Hard, hot, fast. Painful if it hits you the wrong way. And who really has more control of their life than a drop of water rolling down the mountain side with all the rest.
Grow up and get your bibles out of other peoples bedrooms.
-Matthew Good
Well, here is the first Matthew Good quote to grace my quotations journal. I'm sure my boyfriend is ecstatic. Anyway, here goes. There isn't a lot to say about this quote. It is fairly self explanatory, ne? However, I do think that Matthew Good has managed his famous--or maybe not, I don't know--eloquence yet again in managing to make this statement both concisely, humourously, and extremely well. Albeit maybe not with entirely correct grammar. I'm still debating that one.
Ladies and gentlemen, hobos and tramps, cockeyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants, I come before you to stand behind you and tell you of something I know nothing about. There will be a ladies meeting on Tuesday only for men,
the charge is free, pay at the door, pull up a chair and sit on the floor.
-Unknown
So you're sitting here looking at this, and you're wondering what the hell kind of drugs I'm on. Maybe you're even wondering where you can get some, because I must be on one hell of a trip. Well now you know how I was feeling 22 days ago. Very confused, but definately, not at all, in no way amused. The only question going through my shock paralyzed brain was: How can 58 MILLION people be SO STUPID!!