There's a delightful image in Plato, which explains why a sensible person is right to steer clear of politics. He sees everyone else rushing into the street and getting soaked in the pouring rain. He can't persuade them to go indoors and keep dry. He knows if he went out too, he'd merely get equally wet. So he just stays indoors himself, and, as he can't do anything about other people's stupidity, comforts himself with the thought: 'Well, I'm all right, anyway.'
-Raphael Hythloday in Utopia by Thomas More
3 comments:
sweet :)
Is this referring to politics in general as in what bored people stir up to give some excitement to their otherwise meaningless lives or are you talking about like politics as in government etc?
Because if you are talking about the latter then isn't it true if you stay "indoors" and not get invovled then you are giving up a liberty that hundreds of thousands of people over the years have died for?
And "Well, I'm all right, anyway." A bit selfish no? What about the good of society as a whole? Even if you thought that wouldn't it be better to keep it in your head rather than say it out loud and give it a whole new dimension of reality?
How about if you know Aleph teach Aleph? How about if you see someone doing something wrong, never the less detrimental to themsleves that you have the obligation to set them straight?
Yes, it true you shouldn't get so involved in their stupidity that you forget why you stepped into the rain in the first place, but we have a tremendous obligation to each other that should not be forgotten.
I'm sorry Plato, Thomas More, Faj, and whoever else I'm dissagreeing with, but the whole thing doesn't sit right with me. Maybe SF finally got to me... Good Night and Good Luck
Totally selfish:) duh.
(though i do like chillin in the rain. ill jsut walk far away from the dum guys getting wetand pretend im all dry- or just get wet, and know I'm alright anyways:-p)
and what's with the wishes of good nights with good lucks? tov, sheyihye:D
ah gutteh nacht e v e r y one!
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