But, if we explore the literature of Heroism, we shall quickly come to Plutarch, who is its Doctor and historian. To him we owe th...e Brasidas, the Dion, the Epaminodas, the Scipio of old, and I must think we are more deeply indebted to him than to all the ancient writers. Each of his "Lives" is a refutation to the despondency and cowardice of our religious and political theorists. A wild courage, a Stoicism not of the schools, but of the blood, shines in every anecdote, and had given that book immense fame.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
There is an anecdote passed around in psychoanalytical circles, about a boy who for no apparent reason reached the age of six with...out ever speaking. One night he suddenly said, "Please pass the mashed potatoes." The boy had never spoken before because his mother had always met every one of his needs without him saying a word. This is the epitome of the too good mother.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Many people feel empty, a world that seemed so strong just collapsed. Forty years have been wasted on stupid strife for the sake o...f an unsuccessful experiment. The values gathered together have vanished, the strategies for survival have become ridiculous. And so forty years of our lives have become a story, a bad anecdote. But it may be possible to remember these adventures with a kind of irony.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Beautiful credit! The foundation of modern society. Who shall say that this is not the golden age of mutual trust, of unlimited re...liance upon human promises? That is a peculiar condition of society which enables a whole nation to instantly recognize point and meaning in the familiar newspaper anecdote, which puts into the mouth of a distinguished speculator in lands and mines this remark:M"I wasn't worth a cent two years ago, and now I owe two millions of dollars."LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
... [a] girl one day flared out and told the principal "the only mission opening before a girl in his school was to marry one of t...hose candidates [for the ministry]." He said he didn't know but it was. And when at last that same girl announced her desire and intention to go to college it was received with about the same incredulity and dismay as if a brass button on one of those candidate's coats had propounded a new method for squaring the circle or trisecting the arc.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
These native villages are as unchanging as the woman in one of their stories. When she was called before a local justice he asked ...her age. "I have 45 years." "But," said the justice, "you were forty-five when you appeared before me two years ago." "Señor Judge," she replied proudly, drawing herself to her full height, "I am not of those who are one thing today and another tomorrow!"LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »