Don Quixote

The version of Don Quixote that I bought is a formidable Harvard Classics edition which is more than 600 pages of compact writing. I took it on my recent trip to France and Germany and amazingly almost finished it. It turns out that there is good reason why this is such an influential piece of writing. Apparently it's one of the first popular novels out there. I have to admit that it was in fact an enjoyable read and Miguel de Cervantes has very imaginative and timeless observations. I think I'll gradually phase in some good quotes from the book, starting with this one- 

For he that can have good and evil doth choose,

For Ill that betides him, must not patience lose.

-Cervantes

Quite right really. How much more can one read into that than just "if it's your fault, i don't pity you". It's kind of like how Ice Cube could have just been happy with his music career but instead has chosen to put out a new "didn't make it to theatres" comedy-movie every three weeks. It was his choice so I won't lose sleep over that poor, decision! (though he's probably getting paid enough to not care)

Habits Create Character

"...it is from the same causes and by the same means that every virtue is both produced and destroyed, and similarly every art; for it is from playing the lyre that both good and bad lyre-players are produced. And the corresponding statement is true of builders and all the rest; men will be good or bad builders as a result of building well or badly. For if this were not so, there would have been no need of a teacher, but all men would have been born good or bad at their craft...This then is the case with virtues also...Thus, in one word, states of character arise out of like activities... It makes no small difference, then, whether we form habits of one kind or of another from our very youth; it makes a very great difference, or rather all the difference. "

- Introduction to Aristotle, edited by Richard Mckeon. Nichomachean Ethics [Bk. II: Ch. 1]

What an awesome passage! I think this one is pretty easy to understand so I won't bore you with a connect-the-dots commentary. This is a great argument against anyone who dares throw an "Unfortunately I wasn't born a chef (for example)" at you. Well hun, Bobby Flay wasn't born a chef either and he made do so you should probably find a different excuse mmkay?

Aristotle

This is Aristotle or at least his sculptured head. I'm currently reading the works of Aristotle. It's very hard to read, such that anyone who struggles with English or is not of a high level would not be able to read the translations. I'm doing it though, and if you can reach through the philosophic babble, there is a lot of valuable knowledge. Much of this knowledge has evidently shaped the way many people think to this day (whether they know it or not).

The Birth of "Let's Be Deep"

Coming Soon: Profound Wisdom and Obscure Relevant Knowledge