Friday, September 17, 2010

Oh, human being, know yourself

This is an ancient teaching. It is also as imporant a teaching as any that may exist:

I must first know myself, as the Delphian inscription says; to be curious about that which is not my concern, while I am still in ignorance of my own self, would be ridiculous. And therefore I bid farewell to all this; the common opinion is enough for me. For, as I was saying, I want to know not about this, but about myself: am I a monster more complicated and swollen with passion than the serpent Typho, or a creature of a gentler and simpler sort, to whom Nature has given a diviner and lowlier destiny?

-- Socrates

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous2:43 PM

    As Shakespeare said,

    "To thine own self be true....

    And it shall follow as the night, the day,



    Thou canst not then be false to any man".

    too bad some people will inevitably call us "selfish" when we are true to ourselves.

    annie c

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