I was reading Jean-Paul Sartre's "Existence Precedes Essence" and it struck me quite precipitously, where had this philosopher been all my life?
Here was a man, a soldier like myself, one that had lived and learned; and regretted. Here was a war-weary reflector on humanity. He was not speaking from an airy perch without connection to the mucky ground below. He had pulled himself from the muck and after attaining that perch considered how it was he was fortunate.
After all that he had done; he arrived upon a deep introspective viewpoint on mankind. Man was responsible and accountable to no one or thing other than mankind.
Man is nothing in his dreams. Does he wage war or paint his feelings in reality, it is by his decision alone. There may be probability involved in the outcome but he alone casts the die to start.
The answers do not lie outside oneself in determination.
Quietism as he calls it, is the abrogated chance to change the outcome.
To accept the rules, to accept the status quo, to stay silent is a decision against one's own best interests. No matter what the reasons behind that decision are. It is acceptance of defeat a priori.
When you die, no one will remember your beautiful corpse. They will reflect on your actions. They will consider your corpus.
Go, there is time. Time enough to vouchsafe a lasting legacy.
Here was a man, a soldier like myself, one that had lived and learned; and regretted. Here was a war-weary reflector on humanity. He was not speaking from an airy perch without connection to the mucky ground below. He had pulled himself from the muck and after attaining that perch considered how it was he was fortunate.
After all that he had done; he arrived upon a deep introspective viewpoint on mankind. Man was responsible and accountable to no one or thing other than mankind.
Man is nothing in his dreams. Does he wage war or paint his feelings in reality, it is by his decision alone. There may be probability involved in the outcome but he alone casts the die to start.
The answers do not lie outside oneself in determination.
Quietism as he calls it, is the abrogated chance to change the outcome.
To accept the rules, to accept the status quo, to stay silent is a decision against one's own best interests. No matter what the reasons behind that decision are. It is acceptance of defeat a priori.
When you die, no one will remember your beautiful corpse. They will reflect on your actions. They will consider your corpus.
Go, there is time. Time enough to vouchsafe a lasting legacy.
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