We must stop wasting money and effort training people who don’t have a chance of ever using the skills they are being taught and start putting our efforts into teaching the things those particular people will need to succeed. That means discovering early what an individual’s potentially useful talents are and then training that individual to be really good at that particular thing. Discovering a child is brilliant in some particular thing and then not giving him the materials to develop that skill does a great disservice to that child and to him when he grows into an adult. The whole country, even the world, loses when a child is told he can do something, which is absolutely outside of his capacity. Why tell a kid he can be anything he wants to be, even an NBA basketball star, when he has only average stature and abilities? The problem is that he might believe an adult, just like the story, Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, and waste years of effort in aspiring to a futile goal. Teaching a kid inappropriate things only leads to a life of despair and distrust. Instead teach them something which they can succeed in and which will be socially useful. Teaching kids they can be artists, rock stars, TV personalities, star athletes is setting 999 of a 1,000 on a road to failure and disappointment.
Typically, it will be said that an intelligent child will do okay without any special help, and that is probably true if you define okay as graduating from high school, but with the right encouragement and support they might become a fantastic benefit to all humanity. I have a lot of personal experience with this issue, because it wasn’t until years after leaving college when I was departing the Air Force that I discovered I had above average abilities. The only time I remember in my entire academic career anyone ever giving me a single word of encouragement was from my high school buddy Orrin Pilkey when we were walking down the street in Pullman, Washington. It was so absolutely shocking I remember it clearly 57 years later. Every other comment ever made to me about my academic achievement was negative, I’m not kidding. There were some very strange events along the way, but when it came to grades, etc., it was always the same old litany “Charles, I know you can do better so I am giving you this low grade to encourage you.” What foolishness. I carry on with this, not because I feel sorry for myself; I had personality flaws which showed mostly as arrogance and sarcasm. The teachers hated that and hated me, but it was almost certainly a childish response to being mishandled.
My personality problem percolated up a few days ago, and I have been mulling over that rebuff.
Christopher Hitchens – (1949 – 2011) was a British/American leftist journalist, author, anti-totalitarian, and popularizer of anti-theism. Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.
Christopher Hitchens (1949 – 2011) was a British/American philosopher for the non-theist liberals.
Probaway maximizing on Christopher Hitchens
1. Human morality was bred into humanity by gossiping women, starting about 80,000 years ago, and the evolution of morality precedes religions.
Christopher Hitchens, a renowned intellectual and outspoken atheist, proposed that the origins of human morality lay not in religious doctrines but in the social dynamics of our early ancestors. According to him, about 80,000 years ago, women in prehistoric communities established social norms and expectations through gossiping. This exchange of information was a form of social control, highlighting behaviors considered beneficial or harmful to the group’s survival. Over time, these behaviors evolved into shared moral standards long before organized religions appeared. Thus, in Hitchens’ view, morality is a product of evolutionary processes and human social interaction, not a top-down directive from divine authority.
2. What can be asserted without evidence are basic axioms upon which workable ideas may be developed; however, assertions about facts without evidence being available should be promptly dismissed, even without contrary evidence.
This idea reflects the principles of critical thinking and scientific inquiry. An axiom is a statement or proposition that is self-evidently true without evidence. Axioms are starting points for developing more complex ideas or theories, like mathematics or philosophy. However, when it comes to asserting facts or claims about the real world, evidence is a fundamental requirement. Without evidence, such assertions can’t be validated or refuted. Therefore, dismissing any factual claim made without supporting evidence is prudent, regardless of whether there’s counter-evidence. This approach safeguards against misinformation and encourages rigorous, evidence-based reasoning.
3. Statements asserted must have proof, at least readily available proof, or be challenged as meaningless and ignored.
Christopher Hitchens, known for his critical and rigorous thinking, asserted the importance of evidence-based reasoning. He argued that any statement, particularly those claiming to represent factual truth, must be supported by proof or at least have readily available evidence. Without such verification, these statements hold little value and should be dismissed as meaningless. This idea reinforces the concept of intellectual integrity and skepticism, emphasizing the necessity to question, scrutinize, and seek evidence before accepting any assertion. By advocating for this level of rigor, Hitchens underscored the fundamental principle of scientific and logical discourse: the burden of proof lies on the one making the claim, not on the audience to disprove it.
4. Terrorism is intended to create anxiety by demanding impossible actions with threats against non-compliance.
Christopher Hitchens highlighted the essence and tactics of terrorism with this statement. The main objective of terrorism is to instill fear and uncertainty in a population, using violent or threatening acts to manipulate public perception and control. By demanding impossible or difficult actions, terrorists aim to create a perpetual state of anxiety, leaving people feeling helpless and desperate. The threats of noncompliance further escalate this fear, creating a vicious cycle of terror and chaos. The wisdom of Hitchens’s idea lies in recognizing these tactics, underscoring the need for resilience and unity in the face of such destructive strategies.
5. For people who prefer facing chaotic reality directly, atheism works, but for those who have hope for a better world by imagining a personal life after death, living in Heaven with God is more comfortable.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens, a known atheist, underscores a crucial difference in human perspectives towards life, reality, and the concept of death. Some people find comfort and meaning in engaging directly with the tangible, often chaotic, realities of the world without resorting to religious beliefs or the concept of an afterlife. Atheism, for these individuals, offers a framework that allows them to confront life and death as natural, finite experiences. On the other hand, some find solace and hope in the belief of a life beyond death, in heaven with a divine entity. This belief can provide comfort, purpose, and a moral structure, making the unpredictability of life more manageable. Hitchens’s statement doesn’t necessarily pit one view against the other but rather highlights the different ways people cope with the existential questions of life and mortality.
6. Why doesn’t God step forward and present himself for everyone to see and test with deep questions and give beneficial answers, like the principles of evolution, which do provide valuable answers?
As an atheist and a critic of religion, Christopher Hitchens challenges the idea of an all-knowing, interventionist deity with this statement. He argues that if such a God exists, why doesn’t this entity come forward and answer humanity’s profound questions, similar to how scientific principles like evolution have provided us with valuable insights about life’s origins and development. His argument underscores the value of empirical evidence, testable hypotheses, and demonstrable results, which form the core of scientific methodology. In essence, Hitchens juxtaposes the transparency and verifiability of scientific knowledge against the opacity and faith-based nature of religious beliefs. The wisdom of his idea lies in promoting skepticism, inquiry, and the pursuit of knowledge based on evidence and reason.
7. The seven major religions began before 400 BCE, seeking comfort and reassurance from those who knew little, and these religions formed when an understanding of natural phenomena was in its infancy.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens highlights that the major world religions originated when human understanding of natural phenomena was significantly limited. He suggests that these religions, emerging before 400 BCE, provided comfort, reassurance, and explanations to people grappling with the mysteries and uncertainties of the natural world. Hitchens implies that these early belief systems evolved out of a need to make sense of the world and human existence, filling the gaps left by a lack of scientific understanding. His statement embodies a critical perspective on the origins of religious belief, emphasizing the influence of our evolving knowledge on our interpretations of the divine and spiritual. The wisdom of this idea lies in its call for continuous questioning and learning and in recognizing the historical context in which religious systems arose.
8. Atheism is not a fixed belief, and it is open to new ideas and new interpretations of old ideas; it favors the scientific testability of tangible phenomena and encourages free inquiry into everything.
Christopher Hitchens, a notable atheist, saw atheism as more than just a denial of the existence of deities. In his view, atheism is not a rigid belief system but an open-minded perspective that encourages curiosity, questioning, and critical thinking. It embraces the principles of scientific inquiry, favoring empirical evidence and the testability of claims about the world over dogmatic adherence to unverifiable beliefs. This outlook not only allows for the reinterpretation of old ideas in light of new evidence but also fosters a continual quest for knowledge. The wisdom in Hitchens’s view is its promotion of intellectual freedom, critical thinking, and the relentless pursuit of understanding, underpinned by a commitment to evidence and reason.
9. If promoting known fabrications to a child as true was legally prohibited until adolescence, the world would enter a new renaissance of clear thinking.
Christopher Hitchens, an ardent critic of dogmatic belief systems, particularly religious indoctrination, advocates for a childhood free from the imposition of unverified beliefs in this statement. He proposes that if it were legally prohibited to promote known untruths to children as facts until adolescence, it would foster a generation better equipped for transparent and independent thinking. Hitchens’s argument emphasizes the importance of equipping children with the tools of critical thinking and skepticism instead of conditioning them with potentially misleading information. The wisdom of this idea lies in its aspiration for an enlightened society that values evidence, reason, and free inquiry, starting from a young age, ultimately leading to what Hitchens envisions as a new renaissance of clear thinking.
10. I try to avoid exposing myself to all false ideas and help others, especially children, to avoid them unless they are in a frame of mind where they can objectively evaluate contradictions.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and discernment when encountering potentially false ideas. He suggests that one should refrain from such ideas and aid others, particularly children unless they can mentally evaluate these ideas objectively and recognize contradictions. Hitchens’ perspective is rooted in the belief that people should be educated to analyze and question information critically rather than accepting it at face value. The wisdom of this idea lies in its advocacy for intellectual resilience, discernment, and the cultivation of a discerning mindset, especially among the younger generation, thus fostering a society more resilient to misinformation and dogma.
11. Of all the beliefs, faith, hope, and charity are the most overrated, for we are encouraged to give away our minds, emotions, and property to those authorities who proclaim they will redistribute them to the needy.
Christopher Hitchens’ statement critiques the traditional values of faith, hope, and charity, which he sees as tools often employed by authorities to exercise control and influence. He argues that these virtues, while seemingly noble, can lead to people relinquishing their autonomy in thought, feeling, and ownership, entrusting them to entities that promise to use them for the benefit of others. In Hitchens’ view, this can potentially result in manipulation and exploitation. The wisdom in this idea lies in its call for a discerning, skeptical approach to any form of authority, promoting individual autonomy and critical thinking over blind adherence to proclaimed virtues. Hitchens challenges us to reconsider how we relate to these ideals, encouraging us not to simply accept them as inherently virtuous but to scrutinize their implications and the motives of those who promote them.
12. An atheist will produce more honest and valuable ethical statements and actions than a true believer.
Christopher Hitchens, a known atheist, suggests that an atheist’s ethical actions and statements are more honest and valuable than those of a religious believer. The idea here is rooted in the premise that an atheist’s ethical conduct is not motivated by the desire for divine reward or fear of divine punishment but comes from an intrinsic understanding of right and wrong. For Hitchens, such ethical conduct has a higher degree of honesty because it arises from personal conviction rather than external coercion. The value lies in its authenticity and recognizing human responsibility for ethical behavior. This isn’t to say that religious believers can’t act ethically, but Hitchens argues that the context in which atheists operate can lead to a more genuine expression of ethical principles.
13. When you create original thoughts and express them, you will find more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom available to you than when watching TV or a spiritual leader.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens advocates for the power of independent thought and self-expression over the passive consumption of media or religious teachings. He suggests that true happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom are more accessible when one creates and expresses original thoughts. This active engagement stimulates critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth, leading to deeper insights and fulfillment. Conversely, passive consumption, whether of television or spiritual leaders’ teachings, may not provide the same level of intellectual stimulation or personal satisfaction. The wisdom of Hitchens’s idea lies in its emphasis on intellectual independence, critical thinking, and the pursuit of personal understanding as keys to meaningful experiences and insights.
14. Seek friendly disputation because it will clarify your thoughts, but walk away from the irrational and seductive, prefer dignity over compassion for yourself and others, and keep a balance in give-and-take situations.
Christopher Hitchens’ statement encapsulates his belief in the power of intellectual discourse, self-respect, and balanced reciprocity. He advocates for friendly disputation, or respectful debate, to sharpen and clarify one’s thoughts. Yet, he advises disengaging from irrational and seductive arguments, implying the importance of discerning when discussions become counterproductive. Hitchens also emphasizes preferring dignity over compassion for oneself and others, suggesting that while empathy is essential, it shouldn’t compromise a person’s self-respect or the respect owed to others. Lastly, he underscores the importance of balance in give-and-take situations, an echo of fairness and reciprocity in relationships. The wisdom in this idea lies in its promotion of intellectual growth, personal dignity, and equitable social interactions.
15. The cure for female poverty is empowerment over their bodies and reproduction.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens addresses a crucial aspect of gender equality: a woman’s autonomy over her own body and reproductive rights. He proposes that the key to alleviating female poverty lies in women gaining control over these personal aspects of their lives. Empowerment in this sense, involves the right to make decisions about their health, including contraception, family planning, and reproductive health services. This control can lead to better educational and economic opportunities, as women can choose when and whether to have children. Moreover, it can reduce the risk of health complications associated with unplanned pregnancies. The wisdom in Hitchens’ assertion underscores the link between reproductive rights and socio-economic equality, asserting that true empowerment and poverty reduction can only happen when women have full control over their bodies and reproductive decisions.
16. Emancipate yourself from slavery to a celestial dictator claiming to solve all of your life problems that you should be solving with your efforts, and you will become in charge of your destiny.
Christopher Hitchens, a vocal critic of religious dogma, suggests that people can become masters of their own destiny by breaking away from the belief in a celestial dictator, or God, who allegedly has the answers to all life’s problems. He argues that such reliance can inhibit personal growth and agency, as it can encourage passivity and abdication of personal responsibility. In Hitchens’ view, genuine emancipation and control over one’s destiny come from actively engaging with life’s challenges and seeking solutions through personal effort. The wisdom in this idea encourages self-reliance, critical thinking, and personal responsibility, fostering an approach to life that values autonomy and individual agency over deference to an external authority.
17. The only hope for change isn’t by becoming part of the herd but by analyzing problems yourself, creating workable alternatives, and then enthusiastically promoting the best one.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens champions critical thinking, innovation, and advocacy as catalysts for change. He suggests that meaningful transformation doesn’t come from conforming to the majority, or ‘herd,’ but from independent analysis of issues, devising viable alternatives, and passionately promoting the most effective solution. Hitchens underscores the value of individual thought and action in driving progress, asserting that change often comes from those willing to challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for better alternatives. The wisdom in this idea lies in its call for active engagement, creativity, and conviction as means to bring about change, advocating for the power of the individual in shaping the future.
18. Marx and Engels filled the 1848 Communist Manifesto full of awe and respect for capitalism’s innovative spirit and dynamism.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens acknowledges Marx and Engels’s nuanced perspective towards capitalism, as outlined in the Communist Manifesto of 1848. While they were critical of capitalism for its exploitation and class disparities, Marx and Engels recognized its revolutionary power to transform society, its dynamism, and its capacity for innovation. They saw capitalism as a necessary stage in societal development, which could ultimately pave the way for a communist society. The wisdom in Hitchens’ observation lies in recognizing the complexity of Marx and Engels’ views, reminding us that critique does not preclude acknowledgment of specific merits and that comprehensive understanding often requires such nuance.
19. Giving Obama a Nobel Peace Prize before he entered office was like rewarding your dog before he performed the hoped-for trick.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens critically assesses the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama early in his presidency, arguing that such recognition should be based on actions and achievements rather than anticipation of them. Hitchens likens the decision to give a dog a reward before it performs a desired action, suggesting that the award was premature and perhaps unwarranted at that stage. The wisdom in this argument lies in emphasizing the importance of evidence-based recognition and the need for accountability in matters of achievement and accolades. This approach encourages us to value proven actions and results over good intentions or hopeful expectations.
20. Atheists don’t believe in a God giving believers help to perform terrible deeds because atheists must take responsibility for their actions, so they hesitate to injure others who disagree with them.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens contrasts the moral accountability of atheists with believers who might use their faith to justify harmful actions. As an atheist, Hitchens argues that because atheists don’t believe in a divine authority that could condone or forgive their misdeeds, they must take full responsibility for their actions. This awareness, he suggests, makes atheists more cautious about causing harm to others, even those with differing viewpoints. The wisdom in this idea lies in its emphasis on personal responsibility and moral caution. It suggests that an absence of religious belief does not equate to an absence of morality, but instead, it might inspire a heightened sense of personal accountability.
21. Those friends who offer routine false consolation for your sufferings are false friends.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens defines a criterion for evaluating the authenticity of friendships. He suggests that those who offer routine, insincere comfort during suffering are not genuine friends. These ‘false consolations’ could be platitudes or empty reassurances that don’t address or acknowledge the depth of the person’s pain. The wisdom in Hitchens’ idea lies in its call for sincerity, empathy, and honesty in friendships. He argues that a true friend can confront and acknowledge the reality of your suffering rather than gloss over it with meaningless comfort. It serves as a reminder to appreciate and seek out friendships based on authenticity and genuine empathy.
22. Because atheists don’t believe in an afterlife, they put their time, effort, and resources into making their journey on Earth as meaningful as possible.
Christopher Hitchens, a renowned atheist, postulates that the disbelief in an afterlife inherent to atheism encourages individuals to maximize the value and meaning of their earthly existence. In his view, the absence of belief in an eternal afterlife compels atheists to invest their time, effort, and resources into enriching their current lives, enhancing their experiences, and contributing positively to the world. The wisdom in Hitchens’ idea lies in its emphasis on focusing on the present and actively striving to make life as fulfilling and impactful as possible. It’s a reminder that, regardless of one’s beliefs about what comes after, our actions and choices in the present moment have immediate consequences and should be directed toward creating a meaningful and productive life.
23. An extraordinarily heinous crime is lying to children about the natural world they are living in and how they should love their spiritual guardians and eagerly submit to their sexual predation.
In this statement, Christopher Hitchens expresses his strong condemnation of adults who deceive children about the nature of the world they inhabit and manipulate their trust and innocence for abusive ends. He singles out those who use religious or spiritual authority to perpetrate sexual abuse as committing an exceptionally reprehensible crime. The wisdom in Hitchens’ view lies in its advocacy for protecting children’s physical and psychological well-being, their right to accurate knowledge about the world, and their freedom from exploitation. It strongly denounces those who misuse authority and trust to harm the most vulnerable members of society. It underscores the importance of transparency, integrity, and safeguarding in adult-child relationships.
24. Religions arose in the barbaric period and held contempt for women and children, even though they depended upon them for their present and future existence.
Christopher Hitchens, an avowed critic of religious institutions, highlights the historical origins of major religions during times when societal norms were less egalitarian, often marginalizing women and children. He notes the paradox inherent in these systems that, despite relying on women and children for their continuity and future propagation, often held contemptuous or dismissive attitudes towards them. Hitchens’ wisdom lies in challenging us to critically evaluate the foundational principles of religious institutions, questioning whether they reflect outdated societal norms or genuinely universal moral truths. His argument encourages reevaluating and potential reform of institutional beliefs that perpetuate inequality or harm, even as we acknowledge their historical and cultural significance.
Ideas for creating a graphic for Christopher Hitchens.
2. What can be asserted without evidence are basic axioms upon which workable ideas may be developed; however, assertions about facts without evidence being available should be promptly dismissed, even without contrary evidence.
3. Statements asserted must have proof, at least readily available proof, or be challenged as meaningless and ignored.
9. If promoting known fabrications to a child as true was legally prohibited until adolescence, the world would enter a new renaissance of clear thinking.
23. An extraordinarily heinous crime is lying to children about the natural world they are living in and how they should love their spiritual guardians and eagerly submit to their sexual predation.
Unfortunately, every Christmas is accompanied by a lie told to children. It is called, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” Many kids believe the lie, and their relationship with reality and adults is distorted forever.
Hypatia of Alexandria (370 – 415) was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher in Roman Egypt. Her murder, by a Christian mob, whose leader Cyril was later sainted, marked the end of Classical philosophy and the beginning of the Dark Ages. Fables should be taught as fables, myths as myths, and miracles as poetic fantasies.
Hypatia (370 – 415) was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher in Roman Egypt.Hypatia of Alexandria (370 – 415) in a fanciful 19th-century drawing.
The first quotation suggests that we should teach fables, myths, and miracles as the creative expressions they are rather than as literal truths. Instilling superstitions in young minds can have lasting negative effects, as they might carry these beliefs throughout their lives, potentially causing pain and suffering when they confront reality. By teaching children to distinguish between fact and fiction, we help them develop critical thinking skills that will serve them well in the future and ultimately foster a healthier relationship with the world around them.
2. Reserve your right to think for yourself, for to think clearly with wrong facts is better than not to think at all.
The second quotation emphasizes the importance of independent thought, even if the facts at our disposal may be flawed. It is better to engage in critical thinking with imperfect information than to blindly accept the beliefs and opinions of others. By maintaining our right to think for ourselves, we are more likely to question the information we receive, refine our understanding, and eventually arrive at more accurate conclusions. This quote highlights the importance of embracing intellectual curiosity and skepticism rather than passively accepting what we are told.
3. Men will fight for a superstition quite as quickly as for a tested truth, and generally more so since a superstition is so intangible you cannot get at it to refute it, but the truth is, from a point of view, founded on clear facts, and so is changeable with the view.
The third quotation explores the powerful hold that superstitions can have over people, sometimes even more so than tested truths. This is because superstitions are difficult to disprove, as they often lack a basis in tangible facts. However, the truth can be challenged and updated as new information and perspectives become available. By recognizing the vulnerability of our beliefs to manipulation and the allure of superstitions, we can take steps to prioritize evidence-based reasoning and make better decisions.
4. All formal dogmatic religions are founded on believing the unverifiable and must never be accepted by thinking persons as final.
The fourth quotation challenges the idea that those who value critical thinking should reject dogmatic religions without question. These belief systems often rely on unverifiable claims, which makes them difficult to scrutinize. By acknowledging the limitations of such religious systems, we can maintain our intellectual integrity and continue to seek answers that withstand rigorous examination. This does not mean that one should entirely dismiss the value of religion in providing moral guidance and personal meaning, but rather that we should approach these beliefs with a discerning mind.
5. Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel, the more truth we can comprehend. Understanding the things that are at our door of perception is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond.
Finally, the fifth quotation asserts that life is a process of continuous growth and understanding. As we move through life, we gain new insights and truths that help us make sense of the world. Embracing this journey of self-discovery and knowledge expansion prepares us to tackle more complex ideas and questions that lie ahead. By recognizing the evolving nature of our understanding, we can stay open to new perspectives and experiences, fostering a lifelong pursuit of truth and intellectual growth.
6. Neoplatonism is a progressive philosophy and does not expect to state final conditions for men whose minds are finite. “Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel, the more truth we can comprehend. Understanding the things at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond.” wrote Elbert Hubbard in part of a lovely fictional, idealized statement by Hypatia.
The sixth quotation delves into the philosophy of Neoplatonism, which encourages continuous intellectual and spiritual growth. Neoplatonism acknowledges the limitations of human understanding and accepts that finite minds cannot grasp all aspects of reality. This quote reiterates the idea that “life is an unfoldment,” emphasizing that as we journey through life, we gain deeper insights and truths. By focusing on understanding the world immediately around us, we build a strong foundation for exploring more abstract and complex concepts. Neoplatonism’s progressive nature serves as a reminder that the pursuit of truth is an ongoing process and that there is always room for further growth and understanding.
Reserve your right to think for yourself.
To think clearly with wrong facts is better than not thinking at all.
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) was an English aristocrat who was a philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth.
Bertrand Russell, philosopher
Probaway maximizing on Bertrand Russell
0. The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:
1. Nothing is inevitable, so don’t pretend that it is.
2. Don’t conceal evidence, for evidence will reveal itself.
3. Don’t discourage thinking, even faulty thinking.
4. Challenge opposition with argument and never with authority, for it’s a form of raw power, which will be rebelled against at every opportunity.
5. Have no respect for authority, especially second-hand authorities; there are many contrary authorities for every authority.
6. Don’t suppress opinions with authority, or those opinions will arise and choke you.
7. Don’t hesitate to express an eccentric opinion, for all common opinions arose out of eccentric ones.
8. There is more to be learned from clearly stated dissent than from passive agreement.
9. Be devoted to truth, even when the truth is painful.
10. Believers in false suppositions live in an unnatural utopia that brings them real pain and shorter lives.
11. Men fear well-reasoned creative thoughts more than they fear death.
12. Thought is revolutionary; it threatens authority, privilege, and most threatening of all, every man’s comfortable routine habits.
13. Thought sees men as feeble specks crawling on the dot we call Earth in the cosmos of meaningless silence, pretending there is meaning where it sees none.
14. Man’s thinking about the natural world, and foreseeing its probable behaviors, is the most astonishing evolution of the Universe.
15. Grown men would rather die than think about the deeper meaning of things, so most think about what is familiar to their daily lives.
16. We have an inborn tendency to believe the world is, as it reacts to us in our daily lives, and will continue to conform to our prejudices.
17. When people begin to philosophize, they force themselves to believe preposterous ideas and act artificially stupid and succeed.
18. Philosophy is a hopeless activity, finding nothing but words to fill an utter vacuum.
19. Mathematics is a pure fabrication projecting meanings on things that have nothing relating to the meaning being projected.
20. Mathematics is worse than philosophy because it’s like God and won’t love us in return for our efforts to find its meaning.
21. To believe in God supposes there is an existing entity that possesses the qualities being inferred.
22. The entity named God must be very different from an entity that could perform the actions ascribed to it.
23. Belief is different in kind from sensation and action, and those are different from hallucination.
24. Hallucination is not an error of the mind, but it is an error of judgment to base judgments and actions upon hallucinations.
25. Experiment is the basis of science, but science is typically the last generation’s experiments, and those are now more like fables based on science.
26. Exact science is just adding refinements to approximations.
28. Anyone who asserts he knows the exact truth about anything is stretching the truth beyond reason, as happiness is a simple yes or no.
29. Science cannot decide value questions because there is no deniable experiment to separate truth from untruth.
30. Whatever is to be known must be subjected to scientific trial, and if that is impossible, then the knowledge assembled has a random quality.
31. Lying to children integrates the lies into their core being, which they will suffer forever, and they are justified in returning lies to their parents.
32. The world we live within is created by muddle and accident, or if directed by an all-controlling being, that being is a fiend.
33. It’s evident that the only way to save humans from a war of extinction is by having a democratically controlled world military.
34. Men develop beliefs that suit their character, and cruel men create a morality that supports cruelty, and kind men create a kind morality.
35. I cannot prove that I am not dreaming, but I feel like I am now having real writing experience, even if it’s a dream.
36. Okay, the Universe is just here! Okay!
37. If God or Bertrand Russell ever existed, it is doubtful either would complain to me for doubting his existence.
38. Begin meaningful discussions with, “What are the facts, and what truths will the facts support?”
39. Get the facts first, and never be diverted by what you wish to believe, and if in doubt, verify the facts are accurate.
40. The greater the passion with which a person commits an act, the weaker the reason, and the more it’s based on simple inertia of his world view.
41. “Does philosophy contribute to happiness?” No, because few are good at it, and what pleases people is achieving something worthwhile.
42. Much of philosophy starts with a statement so simple it’s not worth mentioning and making it into something paradoxical that can’t be understood.
COMMENTS on Bertrand Russell
I should say that the Universe is just there, and that is all. Russell wrote this nearly a hundred years ago, but there seem to be meaningful speculations about how the Universe came into existence since then. And there is precise experimental knowledge about the energy states of the first seconds of our Universe. We live totally within the physical Universe, and its properties are understood with ever-increasing accuracy.
Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on Earth – more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority. I have observed this quality about people nearly every time I am in public, but why shouldn’t everyone be fearful of new thoughts roughly all the time? Almost all new thoughts are wrong, and it takes much effort to find workable ideas; thus, following a new train of thought will probably bring about a problem. Of course, new thoughts revolutionize the world into a much better place for all of us to live. Most people must realize they can’t discern worthwhile new ideas and are safer just rejecting everything new.
Most people would rather die than think; many do. Most people are more likely to come into difficulties if they think, so they reject thinking and reject those they encounter who appear to be thinking. But there is no excuse for deceiving children when they are seeking their place in the world. And when, as must happen in conventional families, they find that their parents have lied, they lose confidence in them and feel justified in lying to them.I have been personally horrified by this ongoing trend in our society and wrote a critical blog several years ago on the perennial Christmas story, Yes, Virginia; there is a Santa Claus. Beneath this cute story is vicious malice that ruins children’s chances for ever becoming fully functioning human beings.
When you tell people that happiness is a simple matter, they get annoyed with you. This is a slightly veiled critique of William James’ theory of assuming a quality so that you will soon possess that quality. It appears that Bertie had tried the experiment a few times, as I have, and discovered telling people how they should improve their lives gets a surprising quantity of blow-back.
The world in which we live can be understood as a result of muddle and accident, but if it is the outcome of a deliberate purpose, the purpose must have been that of a fiend. For my part, I find accident a less painful and more plausible hypothesis. The problem resides in good human intentions, for themselves and toward those they care for; this love creates out-groups, and the more vigorously the good intentions are held, the more violence the out-group is likely to suffer.
If there were a God, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt his existence. It becomes apparent that Russell is referring to Pascal’s Wager, “It is in one’s rational self-interest to act as if God exists, since the infinite punishments of hell, provided they have a positive probability, however small, outweigh any countervailing advantage.” What seems obvious is that an omnipotent God would instantly perceive the attempt to work a simple confidence trick on him, and he would then send the perpetrator into the deepest and hottest Hell.
When asked, “Does philosophy contribute to happiness?” Russell replied: Yes, if you happen to be interested in philosophy and good at it, but not otherwise, so does bricklaying. Anything you’re good at contributes to happiness.Seeing real progress resulting from one’s efforts is satisfying, but it generates happiness only if the goal is a worthy one toward which one wants to be striving.
I was in an extended conversation about truth, the BIG TRUTH, lies, social lies, silent lies, and I came out of it with some change of opinion. The thing that became most apparent to me was that any form of lying is always internal to a conscious person. When a lie is out in public it’s no good if it isn’t a good lie. A good lie is a bad lie because it is effective; it’s effective because it is believed to be true. A lie is a conscious act to gain some kind of benefit. Sometimes the benefit is thought to be for protecting another person and not for oneself. Such things as marital infidelity that is known about a friend’s relationship. The silent lie is intended to avoid hurting the feelings of the friend. Although nothing is said it is a straight-out lie because the silence is a conscious distortion of the truth intended for the liar’s personal benefit. In the case of this kind of silent lie, not hurting the friend’s feelings is still an intentional lie for one’s personal benefit because it avoids being involved in an emotionally upsetting situation.
I discovered that some people preferred to live in a world of illusion, to live in a world where everything feels good even if it includes some or even many social lies. They claim it feels better. They claim no one knows what truth is, and it doesn’t matter because whatever the truth is, it changes all the time and is totally dependent on the point of view, and since it is so flexible there isn’t any reason to be particularly careful with the truth. To them lying is okay, even a good thing, because it makes it easier to live with other people.
There was some discussion of the big TRUTHs but those appeared to be totally personal concerns about death and the fact that we, as living beings, either vanish into the cosmos or are to be elevated into some other place, but a place where we are still conscious of ourselves as unique entities. There was some stated belief that one’s personal I, their identity, would exist forever. The people who held that made-up belief seemed to be more worried about losing their identity than those who said they were comfortable to return back to the universe from which they came and simply vanish as an identity.
I argued, perhaps too vehemently, that an individual must never, never, never lie. A lie is an intentionally created distortion of the liar’s personal reality that sometimes is directed outward, but with practice is more often directed toward their own fears. A lie is the kind of reactive karma that forms into a habit and when the liar tells lies unknown even to themselves they corrode their relationship with reality. As the lies become more and more embedded in their conception of reality they automatically lose touch with real relationships between things and people, and they must, therefore, have a growing distortion of how to relate effectively with their entire world. It may not be apparent to themselves and others right away, but the growing distortion of reality, in a short-term attempt to avoid pain, must eventually bring them to things not working well and thus eventually to live in a world of personally felt pain.
It seems obvious that to see objective facts as clearly as possible and then to present those facts to oneself and to others as clearly as possible will function best in the long run. In the short run, it may be necessary to speak in such a way as to assure the others and oneself that what they are discussing is subject to revision as additional facts come into view. But, at every instant they are stating the truth as best they can.
I became rather vocal that the story “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” is an evil thing to tell a child who is honestly asking about the truthfulness of that myth. Is it true or is it just a story? The original report is of a girl sincerely asking and being lied to by her parents, then her teachers and finally the local newspaper. It is done by these adults for their personal merriment at seeing the girl’s confusion and wonderment at such a fantastic thing being reality. A hundred years later it is still routinely told at Christmas and it makes it an okay thing to lie to children about Santa Claus. I insist that when anyone, but especially a child, asks for the truth, give it to them as clearly and honestly as possible. To lie to a child is to distort their possibility of growing up to be a fully functioning person.
Never lie! Never lie to another person. Never ever lie to a child. Never ever lie to yourself. And always keep your promises to yourself.
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) was an English aristocrat who was a philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth.
Bertrand Russell, philosopher
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Quotations from Bertrand Russell
The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:
1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
3. Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed
4. When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
5. Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found
6. Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
7. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
8. Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent that in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
9. Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
11. Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth – more than ruin, more even than death.
12. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority, careless of the well-tried wisdom of the ages.
13. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. It sees man, a feeble speck, surrounded by unfathomable depths of silence; yet it bears itself proudly, as unmoved as if it were lord of the universe.
14. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.
15. Most people would rather die than think; many do
16. We all have a tendency to think that the world must conform to our prejudices. The opposite view involves some effort of thought, and most people would die sooner than think – in fact they do so.
17. When people begin to philosophize they seem to think it necessary to make themselves artificially stupid.
18. Philosophy seems to me on the whole a rather hopeless business.
19. Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true.
20. I like mathematics because it is not human and has nothing particular to do with this planet or with the whole accidental universe – because, like’s God, it won’t love us in return.
21. People are said to believe in God, or to disbelieve in Adam and Eve. But in such cases what is believed or disbelieved is that there is an entity answering a certain description.
22. This, which can be believed or disbelieved is quite different from the actual entity (if any) which does answer the description.
23. Thus the matter of belief is, in all cases, different in kind from the matter of sensation or presentation, and error is in no way analogous to hallucination.
24. A hallucination is a fact, not an error; what is erroneous is a judgment based upon it.
25. The most essential characteristic of scientific technique is that it proceeds from experiment, not from tradition. The experimental habit of mind is a difficult one for most people to maintain; indeed, the science of one generation has already become the tradition of the next…
26. All exact science is dominated by the idea of approximation. When a man tells you that he knows the exact truth about anything, you are safe in inferring that he is an inexact man.
28. When you tell people that happiness is a simple matter, they get annoyed with you.
29. While it is true that science cannot decide questions of value, that is because they cannot be intellectually decided at all, and lie outside the realm of truth and falsehood.
30. What ever is attainable, must be attained by scientific methods; and what science cannot discover, mankind cannot know.
31. There is no excuse for deceiving children. And when, as must happen in conventional families, they find that their parents have lied, they lose confidence in them, and feel justified in lying to them.
32. The world in which we live can be understood as a result of muddle and accident; but if it is the outcome of a deliberate purpose, the purpose must have been that of a fiend. For my part, I find accident a less painful and more plausible hypothesis.
33. It is entirely clear that there is only one way in which great wars can be permanently prevented, and that is the establishment of an international government with a monopoly of serious armed force.
34. Men tend to have the beliefs that suit their passions. Cruel men believe in a cruel God, and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly God, and they would be kindly in any case.
35. I do not believe that I am now dreaming, but I cannot prove that I am not. I am, however, quite certain that I am having certain experiences, whether they be those of a dream or those of waking life.
36. I should say that the universe is just there, and that is all.
37. If there were a God, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt his existence.
38. When you are studying any matter, or considering any philosophy, ask yourself only: What are the facts, and what is the truth that the facts bear out.
39. Never let yourself be diverted, either by what you wish to believe, or what you think could have beneficent social effects if it were believed; but look only and solely at what are the facts.
40. The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holder’s lack of rational conviction.
41. [When asked “Does philosophy contribute to happiness?”] Yes, if you happen to be interested in philosophy and good at it, but not otherwise – but so does bricklaying. Anything you’re good at contributes to happiness.
42. The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it.
COMMENTS on Bertrand Russell
I should say that the universe is just there, and that is all. Russell wrote this nearly a hundred years ago, but since then there seem to be meaningful speculations about how the Universe came into existence. And there is precise experimental knowledge about the energy states of the first seconds of our universe. We live totally within the physical universe and its properties are understood with ever increasing accuracy.
Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth – more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority. I have observed this quality about people nearly every time I am in public; but why shouldn’t nearly everyone nearly all the time be fearful of new thoughts? Nearly all new thoughts are wrong, and it takes a lot of effort to find the workable ideas; thus to follow a new train of thought will probably bring about a problem. Of course it is new thoughts that revolutionize the world into a much better place for all of us to live. Most people must realize they don’t have the ability to discern worthwhile new ideas and are safer just rejecting everything new.
Most people would rather die than think; many do. Most people are more likely to come into difficulties if they do think, so they reject thinking and reject those people they encounter who appear that they might be thinking. But there is no excuse for deceiving children when they are seeking their place in the world. And when, as must happen in conventional families, they find that their parents have lied, they lose confidence in them, and feel justified in lying to them. I have been personally horrified by this ongoing trend in our society, and wrote a critical blog several years ago on the perennial Christmas story, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Beneath this cute story is a vicious malice that ruins children’s chances for ever becoming fully functioning human beings.
When you tell people that happiness is a simple matter, they get annoyed with you. This is a slightly veiled critique of William James’ theory of assuming a quality so that you will soon possess that quality. It appears that Bertie had tried the experiment a few times, as I have, and discovered telling people how they should improve their lives gets a surprising quantity of blow-back.
The world in which we live can be understood as a result of muddle and accident; but if it is the outcome of a deliberate purpose, the purpose must have been that of a fiend. For my part, I find accident a less painful and more plausible hypothesis. The problem resides in human good intentions, for themselves and toward those whom they care for; out-groups are created by this love, and the more vigorously the good intentions are held the more violence the out-group is likely to suffer.
If there were a God, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt his existence. It becomes apparent that Russell is referring to Pascal’s Wager, “It is in one’s rational self-interest to act as if God exists, since the infinite punishments of hell, provided they have a positive probability, however small, outweigh any countervailing advantage.” What seems obvious is that an omnipotent God would instantly perceive the attempt to work a simple confidence trick on him, and he would then send the perpetrator into the deepest and hottest Hell.
When asked “Does philosophy contribute to happiness?” Russell replied: Yes, if you happen to be interested in philosophy and good at it, but not otherwise – but so does bricklaying. Anything you’re good at contributes to happiness. Seeing real progress resulting from one’s efforts is satisfying, but it generates happiness only if the goal is a worthy one toward which one wants to be striving.
Michaelangelo - Thoughtful cherubs in the Sistine Chapel - 1920x1200
The modern world provides so many good choices and so many bad ones that our minds are totally swamped – we dither, we temporize, we postpone because it’s so difficult to make any decision. The problem is we are exposed to far too much over-hyped information telling us things that are claimed to be important, some of which are not, but how can we know what is the good stuff?
Yesterday at the super market I was with my spouse and wimpishly followed her down the toilet paper aisle; it was a long one and there were many brands to choose from and within the brands there were specially labeled ones, some with designer embossing, and beneath it all a blizzard of price tags. As if that wasn’t over-choicing enough there were an abundance of sizes to choose between, single rolls and huge boxes of rolls. Do I need a gross of toilet paper?
Why didn’t I bring along my Consumer Reports to help me with these life-enhancing decisions? Suddenly, a question pricks my guilt-nerve. Am I a crappy under-informed consumer? I am confused, and further deepening my distraught state, why is the photo on the package of a beautiful young mom wiping her smiling baby’s face with the ass-wipe paper? My mind goes into a warp and I wonder about flipping the bird. If the hand is held up with palm facing the person is that gesture an insult, a greeting or showing off how clean my finger is after using this or that toilet paper? Grocery shopping is stressful for me so I palm it off as much as possible.
Grocery shopping is easier for me when I’m alone. I walk into the store, spot the most distant corner and immediately head for it, walking around the nearest edge. I know from past experience that the real food is located in the most difficult-to-reach places in a supermarket. If you don’t believe me, try the experiment and when returning walk back around the other periphery of the store while seeking out the rest of what you actually should be eating. It’s there in the furthest reaches of portability. The easily visited center aisles have the stuff you shouldn’t eat, like sugar, booze, soap, motor oil, and toilet paper.
Should I run right out and reread Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less? He claims we can’t cope with the modern world because we have too many choices, and that when we do make a choice it is made with the knowledge that when we start using whatever item we happened to get, it will not work very well. Also, when we get home we will then see a pretty young thing on TV using a similar product who is obviously so happy with her purchase that she is just oozing with enthusiastic hormones. Even when buying a big ticket item, like the most expensive car we can afford, after a couple of weeks it affords no inner smiles and becomes just transportation. It seems that everywhere we look someone else has something a little better in some way than everything we have. Is it engineering trade-offs, or is it really better, or are we really inferior? All comparisons are odious! But toilet paper? Give us a break.
Only evil people would lie to children seeking truth.
I have been lied to and punished this way so many times in the past by the media that now my mind freezes when it comes time to buy anything, even to get some toilet paper. “Geez, I should have bought more Google stock when it was $85” springs spontaneously to my flustered mind, swamped with irrelevant but sometimes important data.
One mental trick I tried when trying to get our ass wipe was to cruise the bottom shelf and look for the store brand; that way I get down the aisle quickly and get a satisfactory product for bottom dollar. On the other hand if you want in-group prestige keep your eye at horizon level and choose the biggest, most carefully designed package with the smallest item inside. Of course that will cost a lot more but look at the ego-bennies you will reap in the privacy of your own poopy place. Ah, the cheruby smile you will feel, knowing you’ve got the best ass wipe in the world.
So, it would seem, you can achieve happiness by pursuing a reasonable goal at any time, no matter how mundane the momentary goal happens to be. But happiness is so transitory and gone in an instant that perhaps seeking contentment would be a wiser policy. And what is contentment but being satisfied with what you have at your disposal?
Having a reasonable and meaningful goal is great; it gives you purpose and organizes your activities and keeps your mind occupied. Progressing toward these goals keeps every moment filled with temporary happiness; the downside of course is that when you get what you seek and stop striving a chasm of emptiness opens up and threatens to swallow you. On the other hand, contentment doesn’t require much in the way of struggle. Just pay attention to what’s presently happening and accept it as is. You are what you are and I am what I am. If it works for God, why shouldn’t it work for you and me too?
Contentment is had when not pursuing any goal and just accepting what’s at hand.
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