It is only possible to progress spiritually and maintain tranquility when circumstances seem to force the opposite, in the belief that man always has a choice, even if it is given as a psychological reaction or as an inner posture. Contrary to what it may seem at first, determinism does not tranquilize and can only generate anguish towards an uncontrollable future that will fall upon the one who considers it reasonable; therefore, the determinist feels impotent before forces alien to his will. Very different is the feeling of someone who knows that, no matter what happens to him, there will always be the possibility of a response.
Category: Notes
It Is Very Difficult Not to Get Carried Away…
It is very difficult not to get carried away by mysticism when it offers us plausible answers to phenomena that otherwise seem to have no explanation. There is, of course, always the simplest option: deny and forget about them. But for those either curious or attracted by a vital need for answers, there is no simple option. At first, it is the eyes open; and then the mind struggling to justify what the eyes see. Here the mysticism, since it is unacceptable to reject both eyes and reason. The hard thing is to see that, in some cases, the mystical solution is only temporarily reassuring…
It Is True That the Last Two Centuries…
It is true that the last two centuries have accustomed man to a workload unthinkable in other times. From this we can see that, as far as literature is concerned, the works of great authors have taken on greater proportions: today, the natural thing is for serious writers to be like typewriters and to produce, time permitting, dozens of volumes. What can we conclude? First, that perhaps fecundity has become vulgar, as it is almost a contemporary requirement; second, that, as a result, one can no longer associate fecundity with the old estrus, since the former has become as automated by the spirit of this time; finally, that perhaps one has to admit that such fecundity entails a vice—a vice which, more than ever, one must be careful to avoid…
Life Would Be Fairer…
Life would be fairer if it were possible to plan it, or better yet, if we knew in advance its length. Then it would be infinitely simpler to balance, with intelligence, prudence and daring, detaching once and for all a possible cowardice from the first and an irresponsibility from the second. This is, in any case, a childish dream… and we have to live in the dark, so that the very words prudence and daring often become meaningless when viewed in perspective: I mean, how can we call prudent, for example, someone who saves money on the eve of death? We must, again and again, live in the dark, and this means that our ignorance can simply cancel out the effects of our reason.