210224 What I learned in my studies this morning

Today's Tao:

Who has more than enough and gives it to the world? 

Only the wise.

From The Daily Stoic: 

 

“Keep in mind that it isn’t the one who has it in for you and takes a swipe that harms you, but rather the harm comes from your own belief about the abuse. So when someone arouses your anger , know that it’s really your own opinion fueling it. Instead, make it your first response not to be carried away by such impressions, for with time and distance self-mastery is more easily achieved.”—Epictetus, Enchiridion, 20

Most situations are not objectively bad. Lost $100k in the stock market? It's not the same thing to a person with $200k as it is to someone with $1B.

Did a coworker say something mean? It's not the same today as it will be when you look back on it in 15 years. 

Our reactions make up our world. 

From Eric Hoffer, PART 4 Beginning and End:  

The Fanatics 

Men of Words set the stage, set in motion the beginning of the turn, but they cannot set the flame which will burn the old order to the ground. Only the fanatic, with his reveling in disorder can sweep away the old and begin a renewal, a metamorphosis into something new. 

My only quibble with this passage is Hoffer's use of the common (and incorrect) definition of anarchy as violence and disorder. 

Properly understood, anarchy means 'without a ruler', not chaos. Just because there is no one giving orders with Authority™does not mean there are no leaders, voluntarily chosen, or rules people agree to follow (e.g. don't steal, don't murder), or organizations which modify behavior of their members (churches, social clubs, charities, etc.). 

Read about voluntaryism for more information. 

(The True Believer, XVI-110)

From Ward Farnsworth, Classical English Rhetoric, pp. 3-15, Chapter 1. Repetition of Words and Phrases:

1. Simple Repetition of Words and Phrases: Epizeuxis, Epimone, etc.

Repetition serves to emphasize points, increase drama, drive home important aspects of your point to the audience. 

It can be used to strengthen a statement, expand a statement to further define it, add explanation, suggest motion or sound, list demands and exhortations, and add beauty to your writing / oratory. 

Technical terms:

Conduplicatio - repetition of the same word

Epizeuxis - consecutive repetition 

— Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation!  (Othello, 2, 3) 

Diacope - repetition of the same word with a few words in between 

— Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo. (Romeo and Juliet, 2, 2) 

— A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men. . . . (Paine, The American Crisis , 1783)

Epimone - repetition of phrases 

— When you have to attend to things of that sort, to the mere incidents of the surface, the reality – the reality, I tell you – fades. (Conrad, Heart of Darkness, 1899)

Epanalepsis - repetition of the same word at the beginning and end of the sentence / paragraph. 

The king is dead. Long live the king!

"Lead on," said Scrooge. "Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!" (Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843)

===========

Edgar Allen Poe was a MASTER of repetition for effect. Everyone knows The Raven and its magnificent repetition and callbacks to earlier words and sounds and themes

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
               This it is and nothing more."

Not everyone knows The Bells. The constant consecutive repetition (epizeuxis) lends a marvelous onomatopoetic reverberation and acceleration to the words. Seriously. It's great. Go and read the whole thing.

Keeping time, time, time,
          In a sort of Runic rhyme,
            To the throbbing of the bells—
          Of the bells, bells, bells—
            To the sobbing of the bells;
          Keeping time, time, time,
            As he knells, knells, knells,
          In a happy Runic rhyme,
            To the rolling of the bells—
          Of the bells, bells, bells—
            To the tolling of the bells,
      Of the bells, bells, bells, bells—
              Bells, bells, bells—
  To the moaning and the groaning of the bells.