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Quote by Abu'l-Ala-Al-Ma'arri

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Abu'l-Ala-Al-Ma'arri

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“Evolution of mind was altogether another matter and belonged to another science, but whether one traced descent from the shark or the wolf was immaterial even in morals. This matter had been discussed for ages without scientific result. La Fontaine and other fabulists maintained that the wolf, even in morals, stood higher than man; and in view of the late civil war, Adams had doubts of his own on the facts of moral evolution:”

“Many think that a funeral, is a fortuitous event, without any rules. That's not true. A funeral is a high-society event par excellence. You must never forget that at a funeral you are appearing on stage. You must patiently wait for the relatives to disperse. Once you are sure that all the guests are seated... only at that point, may you offer your condolences to the family. In this way, everyone will see you. You take the mourner's hands, and rest yours on their arms. You whisper something to them, a comforting phrase, said with authority. For example: "ln the days to come, when you feel the void, I want you to know that you can always count on me." The public will ask... "What's Jep Gambardella saying?" You're allowed to retire to a corner by yourself, as if contemplating your sorrow. However, another matter must be approached with shrewdness. The chosen place needs to be isolated but clearly visible to the public. Besides, a performance is good when it is devoid of any superfluity. So, the fundamental rule: one must never cry at a funeral. You must never steal the show from the family's sorrow. That is forbidden. Because it is immoral.”

“Iconography aside, it is easy to see what someone is trying to communicate when he pairs a lady with a snake. Alexander the Great's mother - as murderous and maniacal a Macedonian princess who ever lived - kept serpents as pets. She used them to terrify men. Before her came Eve, Medusa, Electra, and the Erinyes; when a woman teams up with a snake, a moral storm threatens somewhere.”

“Herein lies a profound irony, the very faculties that distance us from nature also afford us the potential to rediscover it in new and meaningful ways. If human experience is folded into nature’s order, then so too must we regard our moral intuitions, our sense of beauty, and our quest for meaning as natural unfoldings. Might it be that through understanding and harmonizing these faculties, we may not only reconcile with nature but unlock deeper potentials?”