Wisdom

 

On Page 137 of his book, The Passionate State of Mind, Eric Hoffer writes three entries which I quote and then comment on.

 

 

 

Hoffer: “          265

 

Wise living consists perhaps less in acquiring good habits than in acquiring as few habits as possible.”

 

My response: I think we need to acquire good habits, and to avoid or curtail our bad habits, but Hoffer is correct that we do not want to be so filled with meeting daily rituals, habits, and elaborate processes, that we cease to function, let alone leaving time and opportunity to be spontaneous, to try new things, to just enjoy life.

 

 

 

Hoffer: “          266

 

The beginning of thought is in disagreement—not only with others but with ourselves.”

 

My response: Later in other books of his, Hoffer often remarks that creativity and individual originality grow out of the clash of contrary, even contradictory ideas and forces working on the individual.

 

This outer and social disagreement and inner and private disagreement of the self-conversing with the self can be spark artistic outburst and original thinking in the interested, committed thinker that encounters the disagreements directly, and struggles to find answers to the dilemmas and puzzles he is wrestling with.

 

Hoffer the ontological moderate declares that without the disagreement occurring in the social and private lives of humans, there can be no advancement, no artistic production or gain, no intellectual evolution of ideas and technology.

 

 

 

Hoffer: “          267

 

It is waiting that gives weight to time.”

 

My response: It is not only the busy life that makes time fly by, but a life of purpose and dedication, sacrificing ease and pleasure in exchange for hard work and maverzing, a gift to the self and to the Good Spirits, or a life spent in service to others.

 

For those with no activism, no plan, no willingness to act and work to make some contribution, each day is but an easy, near-identical, boring repeat of the day before.