Ralph Waldo Emerson: Don't Be a Hobgoblin!
Inspired by: Ralph Waldo Emerson
From: Self-Reliance
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"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall..."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century Transcendental philosopher
I love that.
Let's concern ourselves with a little more than our "shadow on the wall," shall we?
Speak what you think today in hard words, and speak what you think tomorrow in hard words—even if it contradicts everything you said today!!
Please!
Be willing to EVOLVE!
Think change.
Think growth.
Think Arete.
…
The Complete Passage from Self-Reliance:
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today. - 'Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' -- Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."
Inspired by: Ralph Waldo Emerson
From: Self-Reliance
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I also have in mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all, who have accumulated dross, but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or silver fetters.
~ Henry David Thoreau
Quotes on: Henry David Thoreau, David, Mind, Gold, Thoreau, Now
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