"Man is like a reed, the weakest thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed" is a profound statement by 17th century French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal. Human beings are indeed similar to reeds because they are not strong to all effects. This is due to their conditionings, complexes, naivety, jealousy, greed, and all the other forms of weakness that make them easy preys of unhappiness. The interesting side of Pascal's words is that, in spite of such frailty, human beings, differently from grass, are endowed with a mind. They can think. While a stalk cannot decide on how to react to blowing winds, a person can choose their behavior when faced by challenging situations. If they don't, it means that they see themselves as victims, and refuse to try to find a solution. Therefore, giving in to difficulties can only signify giving up the innate capability to "think" that belongs to each of us.
No comments:
Post a Comment