Quotes from J.D. Salinger
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.
You're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior... Many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now.
I'm not trying to tell you that only educated and scholary men are able to contribute something valuable to the world. It's not so. But I do say that educated and scholary men, if they're brilliant and creative to begin with-- which, unfortunately, is rarely the case-- tend to leave infinitely more valuable records behind them than men do who are merely brilliant and creative. They tend to express themselves more clearly, and they usually have a passion for following their thoughts through to the end. And-- most important-- nine times out of ten they have more humility than the unscholarly thinker.
The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them.
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.
You're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior... Many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now.
I'm not trying to tell you that only educated and scholary men are able to contribute something valuable to the world. It's not so. But I do say that educated and scholary men, if they're brilliant and creative to begin with-- which, unfortunately, is rarely the case-- tend to leave infinitely more valuable records behind them than men do who are merely brilliant and creative. They tend to express themselves more clearly, and they usually have a passion for following their thoughts through to the end. And-- most important-- nine times out of ten they have more humility than the unscholarly thinker.
The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them.
posted by T.S. Idiot at 4:08 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home