201208 What I learned in my studies this morning

From Eric Hoffer:

Boredom invites recruitment to mass movement. In the earliest stages of the movement, often, those with fairly comfortable lives, relatively free of hardship and persecution, but without creative outlet who wallow in ennui, they are the earliest supporters.

In the joyless marriage, traditional women's roles without jobs outside the home, can lead to a lack of fulfillment.

"Embracing a holy cause and dedicating their energies and substance to its advancement, they find a new life of purpose and meaning.... Hitler was financed by the wives of some of the great industrialists long before their husband's had heard of him. Miriam Beard tells of a similar role played by bored wives of businessmen before the French Revolution."

(The True Believer, X-41)

From Cato the Younger:

Called Rome's Iron Man, Cato was, in a way, the opposite of his contemporary, Cicero: Cato was not a writer, but instead lived Stoic virtues in everything he did. Much like Antipater, he saw life as divided into that which is just and that which is unjust and never compromised.

He was also a foil to Caesar, contrasting his propriety, steadfast self-control, and conservatism to Caesar's desire for power, lavish generosity, and change. The immovable object standing before the unstoppable force.

His purity of purpose, and stringency of principle, served both to bring him honor (earned, as opposed to coveted as was Cicero's) and enemies.  (Caesar would sometimes imprison Cato to stop his interference with the workings of the Senate.)

... even though taking a shortcut or doing something bad may bring a few seconds of relief, 'the pleasure will quickly disappear, but the wicked thing will stay with you forever.'

(Lives of the Stoics, pp. 135-151)