My Belief Is That Happiness Is Necessarily Transient. The Natural State Of A Reflective Man Is One Of

“My belief is that happiness is necessarily transient. The natural state of a reflective man is one of depression.”

— H. L. Mencken

Bruno Barbey, Portugal

Hiroshi Sato ~ “Blue and House”

Of Myths and Men

Watching the Matrix made me think, perhaps the common thing between great stories and myths is they satisfy this human need to see purpose, everything happens in these stories for a reason, they follow an outline. People have their roles, and if they follow their roles properly, they will be rewarded in the end. Whereas in our real lives, we’re not sure of why we’re doing anything at all, and we’re not sure of the outcomes. The chaos of it all is too frightening, so we seek our solace in these myths and stories, in which everything is neat. There is a beginning, a middle, an end. There is, even when there are twists, a certain level of predictability.

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson (via wordsnquotes)

Garfield - 2020-03-23