Perhaps the main reason for modern atheism is that man today spends his life in a controlled environment, feeding a false sense of security, which takes the place of what he lacks most: the experience of extreme helplessness, of total dependence on his condition. It would not be difficult to cure him of his disbelief: it would suffice to put him in a small boat, on the open sea, in the middle of a storm, or alone, at night, in a dense forest, and he would certainly make peace with religion and return from the experience transformed, reciting a handful of prayers from memory.
Category: Notes
Something That Stands Out in Humanity’s…
Something that stands out in humanity’s most recent great achievements, many of which are related to technology, is that none of them possess a grandeur comparable to the great achievements of the past. This is noticeable because they are predominantly isolated feats of intelligence, for which no greater virtues were required. In contrast, we have the madmen of previous centuries, whose exploits always begin with an inalienable personal risk. It is true that, using different parameters, it is possible to choose the former, because they bring about more pronounced transformations. But there is perhaps none of these new luminaries whose mere idea of embarking on a sailboat and venturing out into a stormy sea with precarious equipment, or exploring unknown territory on foot, does not provoke the utmost terror.
The Most Common Thing Is to Misjudge…
The most common thing is to misjudge a personality simply because it seems out of place. However, it is difficult to notice this, because it is impossible to immediately understand someone’s essence. This is only revealed under favorable conditions, which are often not possible to produce. That’s when the contrast becomes possible: the same man, in one environment, can display impressive qualities, while in another he can prove to be below average and make a pitiful impression. No matter how difficult it may be, one must strive not to be this man, recognizing that what is shown is exactly what, at that moment, is being cultivated.
The Benefits That Solitude Brings…
The benefits that solitude brings to the intellectual are well known. It could even be said that an unusual dose of solitude is indispensable to him. However, sometimes not enough importance is given to the true blessing that good company is. There are those who have never been able to enjoy it and, in response to this impediment, have had to break down. Because one thing is clear: personality is strengthened when it enjoys the regular presence of peers; and it tends to weaken if it can only assert itself in solitude. The difference is whether or not there is an environment capable of welcoming it, and such an environment can only be created with a great deal of luck. He who allows himself to live a double life in order not to abandon social interaction entirely is therefore at a tremendous disadvantage: his inferior side, however long he lives, strives to destroy the last remnant of that noble part whose greatest possible glory in existence is to succeed in manifesting itself.