| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: to examine what he knows or does not know, and to see what others know and
think that they know and do really know; and what they do not know, and
fancy that they know, when they do not. No other person will be able to do
this. And this is wisdom and temperance and self-knowledge--for a man to
know what he knows, and what he does not know. That is your meaning?
Yes, he said.
Now then, I said, making an offering of the third or last argument to Zeus
the Saviour, let us begin again, and ask, in the first place, whether it is
or is not possible for a person to know that he knows and does not know
what he knows and does not know; and in the second place, whether, if
perfectly possible, such knowledge is of any use.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from King James Bible: priests and elders of the people.
MAT 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever
I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
MAT 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and
kissed him.
MAT 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?
Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
MAT 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out
his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's,
and smote off his ear.
MAT 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his
King James Bible |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Mother by Owen Wister: 'There,' said he. And I nearly understood them. 'Now I'm not here to stop
your buying that sort of petticoat and canary-bird wafer,' continued Mr.
Beverly. 'It's the regular trustee move, and nobody could criticise you
if you made it. It's what I call thoughtless safety, and it brings you
about 3 1-2 per cent, as I have already shown you. Anybody can do it.'"
These words of Mr. Beverly made me feel that I did not want to do what
anybody could do. 'There is another kind of safety which I call
thoughtful safety,' said he. 'Thoughtful, because it requires you to
investigate properties and their earnings, and generally to use your
independent judgment after a good deal of work. And all this a trustee
greatly dislikes. It rewards you with five and even six per cent, but
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