201222 What I learned in my studies this morning

Today's Tao:

From The Daily Stoic: 

Pass on what wisdom you have before it disappears forever with you.

From Eric Hoffer, Part III, Factors Promoting Self-Sacrifice, Make-Believe:

Deprecation of the Present, cont. 

Conservative like the present because it is a culmination of the past. Liberals like the present because is the most recent example of growth toward an improved future.

Radicals and reactionaries hate the present because it is wrong, deformed, guilty.

Radicals believe humanity is perfectable, if only we had the right people in charge. Change the environment and we can become perfect.  Since we aren't yet, now must be terrible and must be changed. Reactionaries want to restore a glorious, ideal (unreal and imagined) past.

For both, if violence is necessary to achieve their goals, then that's just what must be done.

(The True Believer, XII-52)