Uncommon times call for 'Uncommon Wisdom'

I've been contemplating how and when to begin a new category of blog posts where I will spotlight words of inspiration and philosophical quotes that go beyond the common-quoted words of ancient philosophers, classic authors and modern authors, such as Aristotle, Shakespeare and Eckhardt Tolle, respectively.

Now is the time for Uncommon Wisdom.  In this new category of posts, I will share some of the greatest thoughts (accompanied by very few of my own) that I have found to be useful and applicable to life as we know it (or how we may potentially view it) from lesser known authors or lesser known words from well-known authors.

Given the gravity of uncertainty and the need for a foundation of strength at this time, I will post one entry to Uncommon Wisdom every day this week...

Without further ado, here is the first of Uncommon Wisdomfrom one of my favorite philosophers, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662):

Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.  There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him:  a vapour, a drop of water is enough to kill him.  But even if the universe were to crush him, man would still be nobler than his slayer, because he knows that he is dying and the advantage the universe has over him.  The universe knows none of this.

Thus all our dignity consists in thought.  It is on thought that we must depend for our recovery, not on space and time, which we could never fill.  Let us then strive to think well; that is the basic principle of morality.

To "think well" truly is the life preserver that only we can provide ourselves.  Do you agree?  What have you thought (or not thought) during the past several days that has given you comfort or guidance?

Perhaps it is our thought that makes us a reed, and only to "think well" allows us to bend in the force of even the most powerful of winds...

Comments

[Vered - MomGrind]

I thought a lot about my family. About what's truly important to me. About my priorities.

[Kent @ The Financial Philosopher]

I agree, Vered. Family is at the top of my priority list. Money, and its pursuits, are often distractions from our priorities, including family, health and general well-being....

Thanks for sharing your thoughts...

Kent

[Padre]

Should we think well or not think at all two conflicting opinions from wise philosophers? Remembering “... in every truth the opposite is equally true.”

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
- William Shakespeare

Stop thinking, and end your problems. —Lao Tzu

A person cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances." - As A Man Thinketh

Any thought, we consistently think, we create the experience of. It is therefore not possible to think one thing and produce something different. Rather "as within, so without". "If you want to control your circumstances for harmony and happiness, you must control your thoughts for them."

As in your previous post time to move on the father who has been told he has months to live is not concerned about the financial crisis because he is not devoting any thoughts to it.

[Kent @ The Financial Philosopher]

Padre:

You make a great point, which I believe deserves expansion:

"Thinking well" would include the allocation of our thoughts, much like the allocation of a portfolio of investments. It could even mean the minimizing or removal of thought...

I agree that allocating too much, if any, of our thoughts to the financial crisis is potentially harmful to both our mental and physical well-being.

As with most of my blog posts, everything returns to self-awareness: If you know your self, you will know how much of your thought, or attention, should be allocated to any particular thought or set of thoughts, or no thoughts at all!

As for contradicting words among philosophers and within themselves, such is the dynamic strength of philosophy!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts...

[Frank Farbenbloom]

Iasiah Berlin pointed out that "all great idea began as a thought in someone's head".

Rabbi Leo Baeck mobilized Jewish learning as a means of resistance to the Nazi effort to dehumanize the Jews. He is quoted as saying that "they could take everything from me but as long as I could think they couldn't take away my humanity"

Thanks for the new series.