Saturday, February 11, 2006

Ancient Wisdom II



There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.


Plato
427 - 347 BC

8 comments:

neal said...

That about covers everything. I ought to show that to my son. I need to show that to my immediate supervisor at work. He stresses and gets mad about everything.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Ah so, grasshopper... ;o)

Bar L. said...

I don't get angry easily but when I do it reallmy messes me up because I internalize it. Will you be my therapist?

Lee Ann said...

I love this. I just know if we were sitting down over a nice cup of coffee or a hot tea, that we would be able to talk for hours.

Ellen said...

...and such a waste of time when people turn their anger into negative regrets.... it never solves anything, does it?

neal said...

saurActually grasshopper learned a mix of buddhism and Taoism. If you get ahold of the Tao Te Ching and watch alot of the old Kung Fu episodes you will see the teachings of Taoism in the series.

I still internalize and hold in alot of my anger but I have found that bonsai relaxes me enough to were it doesn't build up to the point where I explode anymore. I think anger needs a form of release and everyone needs their own form of release. Some people use exercise some meditation. I use whacking up and wiring small trees.

Michael K. Althouse said...

neal ~ ya, there's not much else. What's amazing is that these thoughts were recorded almost 2500 years ago. In some respects, we haven't advanced all that far...

saur ~ Kung Fu... I loved that show.

bar bar a ~ Well, it is apparent that knowing this logic and behaving accordingly are two completely differentg realities. I'd consider being a therapist, just as soon as I'm all better myself. Don't hold your breath! ;-'}

lee ann ~ I'd dig that. Who knows what the future may bring.

ellen ~ no, it doesn't. We, as the human race, just seem to be wired that way. ;-'{

Kathleen Callon said...

Love Plato. Three more from him:

"He was a wise man who invented beer."

"Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul."

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another."