A forum for discussing matters of moment, from a curmudgeonly perspective. (The ideas posted here do not necessarily represent those of any organization with which I am a part). Rude and insulting remarks will not be published, but civil disagreement is welcome.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Diversion
The only thing which consoles for our miseries is diversion, and yet this is the greatest of our miseries. For it is this which principally hinders us from reflecting upon ourselves and which makes us imperceptibly ruin ourselves. - Blaise Pascal.
"The only thing which consoles for our miseries" of being unable to find the perfect word for the perfect sentence or to unearth the argument clenching quote is the "diversion" of the blogosphere, "and yet this is the greatest of our miseries" this unending cycle of reading and posting and reading and posting. "For it is this which principally hinders us from reflecting upon ourselves" and the incoherent sentences sprinkled throughout our term papers "and which makes us imperceptibly ruin ourselves" for lack of sleep!
I do have a question for you as an expert on Pascal which deals with the subject of diversions: What were Pascal's views on alcohol? Being such a sober-minder individual, and critical thinker, what were his thoughts on our culture's largest consumable diversion?
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controled. I Thess. 5:6
ReplyDeleteDH: You are not a narcissist! I should know.
ReplyDeleteVery convicting!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a knack for reminding me "how to be" and I appreciate it.
Silence. No TV. Study. Meditative thought. Coltrane.
You are such a radical!
translated for May 2006:
ReplyDelete"The only thing which consoles for our miseries" of being unable to find the perfect word for the perfect sentence or to unearth the argument clenching quote is the "diversion" of the blogosphere, "and yet this is the greatest of our miseries" this unending cycle of reading and posting and reading and posting. "For it is this which principally hinders us from reflecting upon ourselves" and the incoherent sentences sprinkled throughout our term papers "and which makes us imperceptibly ruin ourselves" for lack of sleep!
I don't think Pascal looked hard enough for good diversions.
ReplyDeletePastor Terpstra, you are being glib! Too much TV, no doubt. Now I'm being glib.
ReplyDeleteGlibness must be contagious.
ReplyDeleteI do have a question for you as an expert on Pascal which deals with the subject of diversions: What were Pascal's views on alcohol? Being such a sober-minder individual, and critical thinker, what were his thoughts on our culture's largest consumable diversion?
Dave,
ReplyDeleteThis one is memorable:
"Too much and too little wine. Give him none, he cannot find truth; give him too much, the same." ~ Blaise Pascal
-Susan
Susan swings (this the jazz version of "rocks"), as does Pascal!
ReplyDelete