More On Truth, Beauty, and Nakedness

    

 

 

Tucson Weather Today

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Truth that is naked is the most beautiful, and the simpler its expression the deeper is the impression it makes.
--Arthur Schopenhauer

 

Arthur Schopenhauer also said: "There is nothing an author should guard against more than the apparent endeavor to show more intellect than he has; because this rouses the suspicion in the reader that he has very little, since a man always affects something, be its nature what it may, that he does not really possess. And this is why it is praise to an author to call him naive, for it signifies that he may show himself as he is. In general, naivete attracts, while anything that is unnatural everywhere repels. We also find that every true thinker endeavors to express his thoughts as purely, clearly, definitely, and concisely as ever possible. This is why simplicity has always been looked upon as a token, not only of truth, but also of genius. Style receives its beauty from the thought expressed, while with those writers who only pretend to think it is their thoughts that are said to be fine because of their style. Style is merely the silhouette of thought; and to write in a vague or bad style means a stupid or confused mind."

I could not have said it better.

I am not certain that I know what the concept of 'intellect' actually is. When I listen to the conversations (in TV interviews) of supposedly intellectual giants or read the often incomprehensible works of authors of great reknown I am prone to adjudge that my intellect is apparently inferior to those of most of the educated people currently living alongside me on Planet Earth.

But then, after a series of mighty struggles, when to my satisfaction I finally decipher the words of these highly admired worthies, and come to understand what insights they are offering, I find that I usually disagree with their complex conclusions, sometimes wholeheartedly.

Many of their perceptions and judgments are slightly erroneous, others glaringly incorrect, often (in my opinion) being discerned from preconceived notions and beliefs, especially those based on the influence of a misguided acceptance of religious dogma.

Let me say that I agree with some of what Schopenhauer seems  (to me) to be expressing. Such as: There are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the subject’s sake, and those who write for writing’s sake. The first kind have had thoughts or experiences which seem to them worth communicating, while the second kind need money and consequently write for money.

I must admit though, that much of Schopenhauer's actual (not merely probable) meaning continues to elude me. But as always, I intend to persevere.

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Did You Know . . .?

There is a building in London that reflects the sun so perfectly, it literally melts cars.

(Note: Even I find this hard to believe.)

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HISTORICAL EVENT

On this day in 1967, The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., led a march of 5,000 antiwar demonstrators in Chicago. In an address to the demonstrators, King declared that the Vietnam War was "a blasphemy against all that America stands for." King first began speaking out against American involvement in Vietnam in the summer of 1965. In addition to his moral objections to the war, he argued that the war diverted money and attention from domestic programs to aid the black poor. He was strongly criticized by other prominent civil rights leaders for attempting to link civil rights and the antiwar movement.

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WORD FOR TODAY

flocculent
adjective
1.  Having a fluffy or woolly appearance.
2.  Chemistry Made up of or containing woolly masses.
3.  Zoology Having a soft, waxy, and wool like covering, as certain insects.

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CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

 

 

Elton Hercules John
(born March 25, 1947)

Elton John is an English singer-songwriter, composer, pianist, record producer, and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date. In his five-decade career John has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world.

Sarah Jessica Parker
(born March 25, 1965)

Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress. She is known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City (1998–2004). She played the same role in the 2008 feature film based on the show, Sex and the City: The Movie, and in its sequel, Sex and the City 2.

Bonnie Bedelia Culkin
(born March 25, 1948)

Bonnie Bedelia is an American actress known for her roles in the action films Die Hard and Die Hard 2, as well as the courtroom drama Presumed Innocent. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe award for Heart Like a Wheel. As of 2010, she is starring in the NBC series Parenthood.

Gloria Marie Steinem
(born March 25, 1934)

Gloria Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. A prominent writer and key counterculture era political figure, Steinem has founded many organizations and projects and has been the recipient of many awards and honors. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. magazine.

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Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.
--Arthur Schopenhauer

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