“After experience had taught me that all the usual surroundings of social life are vain and futile; seeing that none of the objects of my fears contained in themselves anything either good or bad, except in so far as the mind is affected by them, I finally resolved to inquire whether there might be some real good having power to communicate itself, which would affect the mind singly, to the exclusion of all else: whether, in fact, there might be anything of which the discovery and attainment would enable me to enjoy continuous, supreme, and unending happiness.” MindRealFactsMightSocialEnjoySeeingObjectsTaughtDiscoveryCommunicateSupremeVainAffectedUsualSurroundingsAttainmentSocial LifeExclusionUnending Book:How to Improve Your Mind Source: How to Improve Your Mind
“I think sometimes that it is almost a pity to enjoy Italy as much as I do, because the acuteness of my sensations makes them rather exhausting; but when I see the stupid Italians I have met here, completely insensitive to their surroundings, and ignorant of the treasures of art and history among which they have grown up, I begin to think it is better to be an American, and bring to it all a mind and eye unblunted by custom.” ThinkingMindArtSometimesEyeEnjoyStupidMetsTreasureIgnorantPityCustomsSensationsSurroundingsExhaustingInsensitive Author:Edith Wharton