| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from War and the Future by H. G. Wells: answer varies with my mood. There are moods when it seems to me
that nothing of the sort is happening. This war has written its
warning in letters of blood and flame and anguish in the skies of
mankind for two years and a half. When I look for the collective
response to that warning, I see a multitude of little chaps
crawling about their private ends like mites in an old cheese.
The kings are still in their places, not a royal prince has been
killed in this otherwise universal slaughter; when the fatuous
portraits of the monarchs flash upon the screen the widows and
orphans still break into loyal song. The ten thousand religions
of mankind are still ten thousand religions, all busy at keeping
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: speaking. . . . To make a statue needs skill: to view a statue
aright needs skill also."
"Admitted."
"And I think all will allow that one who proposes to hear
philosophers speak needs a considerable training in hearing. Is
that not so? The tell me on what subject your are able to hear
me."
"Why, on good and evil."
"The good and evil of what? a horse, an ox?"
"No; of a man."
"Do we know then what Man is? what his nature is? what is th
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Z. Marcas by Honore de Balzac: polar zone of Luxembourg. So he determined to put insurmountable
obstacles in the way of his Mentor's advancement, and hid his purpose
under the semblance of the utmost sincerity. Like all mean men, he
could dissimulate to perfection, and he soon made progress in the ways
of ingratitude, for he felt that he must kill Marcas, not to be killed
by him. These two men, apparently so united, hated each other as soon
as one had deceived the other.
The politician was made one of a ministry; Marcas remained in the
opposition to hinder his man from being attacked; nay, by skilful
tactics he won him the applause of the opposition. To excuse himself
for not rewarding his subaltern, the chief pointed out the
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