Chapter 5 reality

1 Truth is the hardest, for it one may have to give up many good things: reputation, position, property, family.But the truth is the easiest. In the world, it is the only thing that a person can always get and keep as long as he wants. 2 People cannot always be true, nor can they always be false.A little falsehood in many truths, or a little truth in many falsehoods, is moving.The most tiresome is 50/50. 3 A person can admit that he has various shortcomings, but he will never admit that he is hypocritical and insincere.Admitting that you are insincere requires a great deal of sincerity in itself.Sometimes a person seems to dare to admit that he is not sincere, but at the same time he derives great satisfaction from this admission, feeling how sincere he is in his essence, more sincere than others: You dare not admit it, but I admit it!So, while admitting it, he wiped out his insincerity in one stroke.In the final analysis, it still does not admit it.The admission of hypocrisy is itself a hypocrisy.

4 The emotion that really touches people is always unpretentious, it is silent, unassuming, and buried deep.Silence has a special power. When all the hustle and bustle has quieted down, it is still working, penetrating the visible or invisible gap, and reaching the deepest part of the heart. 5 If you can't do it purely, the next best thing is to be true.If you really can't do it, the next best thing is to be confused.But Zheng Banqiao said: It is rare to be confused.Still too pure. 6 In order to realize the self, a person must first wander in the world of not-self.But there are many who get lost in this wandering, complacent about their small successes in society, and don't want to go back to themselves.Success takes them farther and farther from their ego, until they become drifters.There is another class of souls, who are constantly restless at being away from home, and who become more homesick the longer they wander, and who alone, whether successful or unsuccessful, can return to their selves with a rich harvest.

7 There is a voice in my heart, it is tenacious, no power can suppress it.But amidst the bustle and bustle of everyday life, it is neglected, forgotten, and finally muted. On the stage of life, each of us is busy playing our own roles, busier than real actors, and has less time to exit.For example, I sit at this desk all day and write non-stop, for publications, as editors, as readers.I secretly harbor a wish that one day I will be able to spare some time and write what I really want to write, the voice in my heart.However, there is always no time.When the vacuum comes down, I will find that I don't know what I really want to write, the voice in my heart is silent, and I don't know where to go.

Don't keep thinking about it, you will write it someday.The ego is not a squire at your disposal, you keep pushing it back, it gets impatient, it's gone forever. 8 I want to set a principle for myself: every night, every weekend, every year at the end of the year, belongs only to myself.During these hours, I don't do any contractual tasks, but only read the books I want to read and write what I want to write.If I don't want to read or write, I do nothing, preferring to be idle than to deal with errands.The errands are endless, and the only way is to artificially limit them to ensure their free time.

9 The one who is pursuing on the endless path is lost.The man who was searching in the pathless wasteland was lost.Who is to blame?Who told him to pursue, who told him to seek! People who have nothing to pursue and seek will never have a sense of confusion and loss, and they live wisely and fulfillingly. 10 I don't want to know what you have, just what you're looking for, and you are what you're looking for. 11 Our inner experiences are often silent.Talking about yourself is not an easy task that can be done anytime and anywhere. It requires a certain situation and emotional trigger, which is rare in a lifetime.Those who like to talk about themselves are mostly talking about the roles they play.On the other hand, no matter what we talk about, we always talk about ourselves in a tortuous way.

12 It's not easy for people to get out of roles.Sometimes, deliberately getting rid of the accustomed role is itself involuntarily playing another role.An anti-character is also a kind of character. 13 A kind of person unconsciously wants to appear sincere, and impress others and himself with his sincerity.He himself was really moved by himself.A man deliberately appears cunning, charms and charms himself with his cunning.He really doubted himself. 14 Chic is natural but not artificial, not restrained.However, in reality, as long as it is natural and unrestrained, it is often regarded as unrestrained.Nowadays, being unrestrained has become a fashion, and living unrestrained has become a slogan.People compete to make a natural gesture, which just proves how unnatural this is.

15 What is false?To be false is to be untrue, or, deliberately true. "I must be true!"--but you are already false.What is affectation?To be pretentious is to be insincere, or, deliberately sincere. "I must be sincere!"--but you are already pretending. 16 For some people, sincerity is always just a role he likes to play.He entered the character so sincerely that he became one with the character, believing that the character was his true self, and couldn't help but be moved by his sincere performance. If sincerity is inherent in a man, out of his natural way of behaving, he will never be easily moved by his own sincerity.Just like blood type and breathing, you can't even be aware of it, who would feel sorry for your own blood type and breathing? (Writing here, I find this metaphor is inappropriate, because since pamphlets such as "Blood Type and Personality" and "Blood Type and Love" became popular, some people really feel sorry for their own blood type. Let's just say it.)

From this I have obtained a reliable standard of sincerity, which is whether a person is moved by his own sincerity.Once moved, it will inevitably contain elements of acting and affectation. 17 A truly unique individual does not try to be unique; he is not afraid of appearing to be the same as others.Those who always want to show that they are different are often mediocre people full of vanity. 18 Simplicity is the least easily deceived, not even success. 19 "Exchange sincerity for sincerity!"--But, in such an exchange, don't both parties lose their sincerity? 20 Sincerity will become ridiculous if you don't talk about the object and proportion.Sincerity is played with as embarrassingly as hypocrisy is exposed.

twenty one The most difficult problem for literati to get rid of is showing off.To be fair, the words themselves tempt them to do so.Their habit of expressing themselves in words, and words always have to be read, can easily turn their expression into a performance, and their monologue into a speech.They approached the text as if they approached a window facing the public, and they couldn't help but pose.Sometimes they draw the curtains, but deliberately keep the lights on in the room, in order to properly cast their loneliness, sorrow, pain, etc. on the curtains, forming a beautiful silhouette.Even if they refrain from ostentation and are determined to be truthful, there is no guarantee that this verbal truth will not be another ostentation.

twenty two Here is a sentimental author who knows he is sentimental, is moved by his own sentimentality, and becomes all the more sentimental.He saw the readers' moved tears in his imagination, and he couldn't help but also shed moved tears, and signed his name on the manuscript paper with tears in his eyes. twenty three There is a beginner who is artificial, but he still does not lose his true nature, he is only imitating artificiality.When it comes to being artificial and not knowing that it is artificial, and when you are moved by the true feelings, artificiality becomes your nature. This is the master of artificiality.

twenty four The soul of the sincere is often divided into a judge and a criminal.When the judge and the criminal come to terms, the souls of the sincere are saved.The author's soul is often divided into an actor and an audience.When the actor and the audience tire of each other, the writer's soul is saved. 25 The line between where a character ends and an authentic self begins is often blurred.Some characters are just costumes, and some characters have grown with our bodies. If they are peeled off layer by layer, the result is not much better than peeling an onion. When actors still have to take off their makeup, we cannot live without the social stage.Under the watchful eye of others, even seclusion and suicide can be playing a role. Perhaps it is only when we play a role that we are exposed that we get a glimpse of who we really are. 26 Those who deliberately seek truth still pay too much attention to their own image, and those who have achieved truth just live freely. 27 In the pursuit of the spiritual realm, not to mention worldly success, the success recognized by society and history, even the success of spiritual pursuit itself, is not the main goal.Here, the goal lies in the process, and the pursuit of spiritual value itself becomes the way of life. The more persistent this pursuit is, the more it transcends the so-called success or failure.An unknown sage may be even more a sage, and a ruined saint may be even more a saint.If success or failure is a matter of course, isn't a great loser more entitled to be considered a success than a small success? philosophy 1 I cut off the obscurity of philosophy and grafted it with poetic connotation. 2 Some people like to express their daily experience in philosophical terms, but I like to express my philosophical experience in everyday terms. 3 People are tired of big, inappropriate systems, and long articles that say nothing. Fresh feelings have a lively life, but if you insist on nailing it to the framework of the system, you will only become a dead specimen.Profound philosophy has the beauty of connotation. If you insist on dissolving and diluting it in a long speech, only a glass of plain water remains. The philosopher walks and meditates by the sea, picks up pearl shells and keeps them home, but leaves the gray beach to the readers. I heard the sea shouting: Give me back the pearl shell! 4 Whether Eastern or Western, the oldest philosophical works are aphoristic or poetic.Since when has philosophy assumed the stereotyped face of a treatise?In ancient Greece, there were hermit philosophers, the Peripatetic School, and the Garden School. Philosophers thought about the universe and life outdoors and in nature.I guess that the complete academicization and systematization of philosophy is something that happened after the rise of theology in the Middle Ages. As the "absolute" inquired by philosophy was imprisoned in the four walls of the church as God, philosophers were also imprisoned as servants of God. Into the four walls of the academy, specializing in the construction of systems to demonstrate the authority of God.God is dead, but servants die hard, always have something to argue. 5 I am partial to those philosophers who write in prose forms such as essays, aphorisms, and notes. I like to be in the world of philosophical prose.There are less dogmatic arguments and preaching here, more simplicity and nature, more intuition and insights.There is no bed of Proclustes here, no need to lengthen or shorten living feelings and thoughts to the needs of the system. If the giant structure of the system is like a towering Gothic church or a modern skyscraper, then a good philosophical prose is like a fresh field. When I step from the former to the latter, I suddenly feel refreshed and fresh air blows my nostrils . I work all day.My job is to study philosophy, that is to say, to collect, organize, analyze, and comment on other people's thoughts, and to write "papers" that conform to the norms.Now that I'm tired, I've decided to keep the night to myself and take a relaxing break.So, I opened Montaigne's essays and read a few pages, or opened my little notebook and wrote down my own thoughts.It's certainly not studying philosophy, but I feel like I'm more of a philosopher than I was when I was studying philosophy during the day... 6 I have always been a tourist for idlers in philosophy, whenever I see a serious place with a sign saying "no entry for idlers" and "stop for tourists", I will avoid it wisely.I feared that the atmosphere there would be unfavorable to my health and my philosophy. 7 Some people are accustomed to deduce a large piece of mysterious philosophy from a small feeling.It is a pity that in this philosophical labyrinth he created, he himself often lost his way, and could not find the little feeling that served as his guide. 8 New philosophical theories emerge in endlessly.In my opinion, there is very little philosophy in it, and most of it is academic.With the evolution of civilization, academics have become more and more complicated, while philosophy has always been simple. 9 I firmly believe that philosophers and artists are connected.Can the soul of a poet be separated from the mind of a philosopher?Doesn't a strong sense of life necessarily lead to a search for its secrets?Is not art the answer to the riddle of life?Artists and philosophers are people with similar temperaments. They are both unrealistic and unsophisticated. What enters their field of vision is the big problems of life and the universe. 10 Art and sex, philosophy and death, all have an indissoluble bond.Art uses aesthetics to purify sexual troubles, and philosophy uses wisdom to purify fear of death.However, on the one hand, sexual madness gives people the experience of individual disintegration or death, and on the other hand, it is the only means for the continuation of life of the race, that is, to resist death.Therefore, sex is both death and salvation from death.So, is art also philosophy and its salvation? 11 Poetry captures eternity through the moment.Philosophy wants to grasp eternity directly, but cannot do so, and finally has to turn to poetry for help. 12 Spring is the season of poets, autumn is the season of philosophers. 13 Philosophers live in eternity, poets in the moment.None of them grow old. 14 When a sensitive mind, wounded by fundamental doubts, seeks therapy, it turns to philosophy.Philosophy is the therapy of one passion unearthly, which the frail mind of man cannot bear.But healing does not mean extinguishing passions and paralyzing the mind.Poetry vents passion, while philosophy turns passion to deep thinking. 15 A little girl was sitting on the sunny steps, squinting her eyes, and a vague question circled in her little head: "How did I come into this world?" I quietly walked by her and returned to the In the house, all the philosophy books are hidden. 16 Faulkner wrote in the year of Camus's sudden death: Camus could not help throwing his life to explore the questions that only God can answer.In fact, philosophers and poets are like this, dedicated to unraveling the mystery of life that has no answer, so they are unwise.Perhaps, for man, the limit of wisdom lies in recognizing the unsolvability of the mysteries of life, and is content to declare like the American writer Mencken: "All I know about life is that it is always very interesting to live." " 17 Normal people only pay attention to things that can be imagined, while philosophers always pay attention to things that cannot be imagined. This is the difference between the two. 18 A tragic wisdom that avoids life has no right to be called wisdom, but shrewdness in living. 19 Anyone with a good philosophical understanding must have had a secret experience and painful awareness of death.This understanding is essentially the source of all metaphysical thinking, and thinking that does not flow from this source is by no means truly metaphysical.Thus, the experience of death can almost be regarded as a measure of one's philosophical understanding.Some people are very smart, very understanding, and even very sincere, but without an understanding of death, it is difficult for you to have an in-depth philosophical dialogue with him. 20 It is often said that philosophy is the concentrated expression of the spirit of the times.In fact, the relationship between philosophy and the times is by no means so simple.Sometimes, philosophy happens to be anachronistic (eternal) and anti-epochal (criticism). It is based on the root of eternity and criticizes the misguided tendency of the era to neglect the basics and seek the end. twenty one Philosophy is not a public enterprise, but a matter of private souls.The core of any kind of philosophy is non-political, and the political color is only an attachment.Absolute, ultimate, eternal, -- how can it be political? twenty two Philosophy is a maternity from whose womb springs the concrete sciences.Every birth of philosophy seems to announce its own doom, but philosophy is eternal, and this prolific mother sent her children away again and again, as if only to be free from their disturbance, and to be able to relax in quiet solitude Miss your eternal lover - wisdom. twenty three The benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom.There have always been two types of philosophers: "benevolent" and "wise", so the philosophies they "see" have always been "benevolent" (humanism) and "wisdom" (scientism).Since human nature cannot be uniform, why must philosophical tendencies be uniform?I advocate philosophical tolerance.But tolerance is the recognition of the other party's right to exist, not confluence. twenty four Opposite understanding of philosophy: one kind of people regards philosophy as generalized logic, whose object is thinking; the other kind of people regards philosophy as generalized aesthetics, whose object is the experience of the soul.Attempts have been made to combine these two understandings, but the results have always been unsuccessful. 25 Rational people study nature, pursue truth, and become scientists.People with strong will study society, pursue goodness, and become politicians.People with strong emotions study people, pursue beauty, and become artists.Philosophers are nothing more than divided into these three categories. How can there be pure philosophers? 26 There are artists and there are philosophers.There are craftsmen, but no philosophers.If performance and painting are not art, they are at least crafts; if philosophy is not philosophy, it is nothing.People with mediocre talents make a living by playing and painting, which is still self-sufficient, but making a living by philosophy is completely parasitic. 27 The so-called philosophers include four distinct types: politician-type philosophers regard philosophy as a means of gaining power; philosophers regard philosophy as their life.But are there really politicians or philistine philosophers?Round square! 28 Poor those who have no philosophic literacy, once they fall into the quagmire of philosophy, they can't extricate themselves, so they have to stir the muddy water in the pit to prove that they are also engaged in philosophy. 29 I don't want to discuss philosophy with professionals who make a career out of philosophy. I'd rather talk to laymen who love philosophy -- but not philosophy either. 30 Philosophy and religion are shelters for tormented souls.Many people have finally found their sustenance in philosophy and religion, with the unstoppable anguish of life. However, if someone decides to devote himself to philosophy because of this, it is a misunderstanding.This is like a patient who thinks he is qualified to be a doctor because of his illness.What's more, eating philosophy has nothing to do with the soul, it's just the kind of business that talks the most empty words and earns the least money in society. I know that devotion to religion is possible, but it has nothing to do with those in society who eat religion. 31 There is a kind of person who is good at getting close to famous people but not good at getting close to ideas. The way he engages in philosophy is to make friends with famous people in philosophy, and the result is a string of brilliant names.I couldn't help wondering: Even if these famous people were not famous, wouldn't their philosophies be as contagious as typhoid fever? 32 People often ask: Can China produce great philosophers?I think what China especially needs now is a free soul unfettered by tradition, custom, public opinion, and dogma, a sincere explorer of life and social issues, and a great philosopher is the next best thing. 33 The prevalence of irrationalist philosophy has perhaps corrupted human irrationality even more than rationalism.In the era of rationalism, people's intuition, instinct, emotion, and experience were not valued, but they were not violated.This is a virgin forest, maintaining an irrational natural appearance.Since the rise of irrational philosophy, philosophers have broken into this field in droves, analyzing, dissecting, and cutting down endlessly, making irrational feelings lose their uniqueness of the individual moment and the originality of life, Symbolized, that is, rationalized.May I ask which era has so many philosophical poems, novels, plays, paintings, and music like today? 34 What is known about modern Western philosophy?Some people are muddle-headedly influenced, while others muddle-headedly criticize, it's really a mess.Therefore, guidance should indeed be given—not only to young students, but also to young mentors.In fact, the great thinkers of the modern West are precisely the serious critics of the modern Western society. Their introspection of Western civilization shows that "total Westernization" is not advisable.Therefore, there is no need to feel nervous about the introduction of modern Western thought. 35 "What is intuition? Intuition is creative thinking..." Many times, by substituting one similar noun for another in this way, people think they have explained and understood. 36 Being a philosopher and studying philosophy are two completely different things.Philosophy can only be taught by oneself in essence, and philosophers must be self-taught.If there is a teacher, it is only a great philosopher in history. He directly teaches them without any intermediate links.Among the students of the philosophy department, less than one tenth have this self-study ability. 37 Ordinary people pursue things that can be expected and can be achieved, poets pursue things that cannot be expected and cannot be achieved, and philosophers pursue things that cannot be expected and cannot be achieved. 38 Personal thinking is like human thinking, walking the road from chaos (sensibility) to differentiation (intellect) to integration (rationality).However, not everyone can go to the end.Some people stay in the first stage all their lives. Those with low abilities become ridiculous old children, and those with high abilities become artists.Most people stop at the second stage and become half-educated or scientists, depending on their talents.Those who have reached the third stage must be philosophers. 39 Philosophers, poets, musicians, painters all have their own jargon.Sometimes different lingoes mean the same thing.Sometimes the same jargon means different things. Interlacing is like a mountain, but there is no mountain that cannot be overcome, and the gap between souls is insurmountable. We talk jargon to our peers and confide our hearts to our friends.The deepest distinction between people is not in occupation, but in heart.