"In individuals insanity is rare........
but in groups, parties, nations and epochs .....
it is the rule"
I may not agree with everything this man said but I found this statement both.... sadly amusing....and sadly true.
Frederich Wilhelm Nietzsche...1844-1900... German Philosopher
14 comments:
I love Nietzsche statements like this. Unfortunately, it hasn't done anything to keep nations like mine from going insane. He died in 1900, and the 20th century was the worst century of them all.
Strange that we cannot learn from the tragedies of the past...
Are you familiar with the term "meme"? (I don't mean the blog ones.) I hear it constantly in my English department, but since I'm not an academic I had to find out what it means.
Wiki says a meme "consists of any unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that gets transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another. Examples include thoughts, ideas, theories, practices, habits, songs, dances and moods and terms such as race, culture, and ethnicity. Memes propagate themselves and can move through a 'culture' in a manner similar to the behavior of a virus."
I think this concept (created by Richard Dawson, I believe, author of The God Delusion) has to be why we keep making the same mistakes. Someone keeps repeating a statement until many start believing it.
Hello,
From a wildly insane country!
Oh... my Caleb would eat this stuff up. He love philosophy.
The book Ruth mentioned (The God Delusion) sound like Caleb's kind of book.
I believe this is so true from the start of man... we have been easily persuaded to believe in "anything" from the mass of one's culture. It takes a independent thinker to stand strong to their true beliefs!
Hey Anet and Ruth... you may find the book "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris very thought-provoking too. I heard and interview of his last year and had to immediately get the book..
From yet another American living neck deep in insanity I'd have to agree with Nietzche.
The quick version Larry always gives people for "why we home school" is that when in a group humans always gravitate to the lowest common denominator.
Tell Larry ... he is so right!!! We are always referring to the "lowest common denominator" factor!!! ... or our other sad but common phrase... "the Dumbing-Down of society!!!
Well actually its' the opposite for me!
It's only when I get in groups I get sane from their presence. Otherwise, I'm a fright to live with.
Sure found the thread of comments interesting. I just never quite fit in, haha!
But I am left handed.
You're not alone Sandy, I have a friend who is just like that too!
good thing there a few of us that don't fit in.....
as per being left handed... I'm not.. but... I am positively the worst when it comes to naming the left hand and the right hand.. it's always "the Other right hand"
i never know my right from my left!!! sad case!!! How's that for simple...
I have the right-left confusion syndrome as well.
I have noticed that there are personality types in the work place. From the nice person, the food bringer, the complainer, to the creep, etc., and it seems that if one of those types leaves, someone evolves to take his/her place.
Thanks for the rec for "Letter to a Christian Nation." From the title I already think I'm gonna like it.
About the group mentality, and Sandy's comment, I guess it all depends on the group too. Now this little group here in blogland (not to exclude anyone who isn't on this page at this particular moment) is one that inspires me to be better. I'm lovin' that.
I thought I was the only one who had the left/right confusion..
Glad to know it's not just me.
s
You guys are all pretty fun and just what i need..
and don that is a really sadly funny but sadly true statement!!!! You are right on...
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