BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell

Subject: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Apr 24 - 02:37 AM

We can only live together in that way—and if we are to live together and not die together—we must learn a kind of charity and a kind of tolerance, which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 27 Apr 24 - 04:46 AM

He was a very wise man. I love lots of his quotes and there are too many to have a favourite but one that often springs to mind here is "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts"


:-)

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Joe_F
Date: 27 Apr 24 - 05:32 PM

"It is the custom to be shocked by [Machiavelli], and he certainly is sometimes shocking. But many other men would be equally so if they were equally free from humbug."

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Apr 24 - 03:41 AM

Men are born ignorant not stupid, they are made stupid by education,the world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Apr 24 - 04:53 AM

I don't think that generalising education as making people stupid is fair but, yes, some educational systems were built to stop questions. Luckily most education nowadays is pretty liberal and how to think is more important than what to think.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Apr 24 - 08:43 AM

He died,1970 so he is referring to education pre 1970

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Apr 24 - 09:02 AM

My full time education stopped in 1969 but I guess I was lucky to have a good schooling. Oddly enough, for Catholic schools in the 50s and 60s both my primary and secondary education were surprisingly free from the dogma that plagued other places. Which is why I thought the Russell quote about education making people stupid was a little unfair. Some eductional establishments discouraged free and original thoughts but not all. But, yes, some were downright awful and did more harm that good. I would not like to get into how many did what as I only experienced the good ones first hand. I heard about the bad ones later.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Apr 24 - 01:59 PM

Bertrand Russell Quote: And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt his existence

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Donuel
Date: 29 Apr 24 - 06:45 AM

Russel playlist

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: gillymor
Date: 29 Apr 24 - 08:08 AM

Enjoy life. It's a mistake not to.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Vincent Jones
Date: 29 Apr 24 - 03:27 PM

"A good way of ridding yourself of certain kinds of dogmatism is to become aware of opinions held in social circles different from your own ... If you cannot travel, seek out people with whom you disagree, and read a newspaper belonging to a party that is not yours ... This reflection should generate a certain caution."

After reading this I went out and bought a copy of the Daily Telegraph.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Apr 24 - 01:33 AM

I am sure BR was well aware that his statement was far too simple to describe the fate of the human race. And all to aware that explaining in detail looses the audience.

Even so, did BR envisage part of the problem was population size?

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 May 24 - 02:16 AM

Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature made them.

Subject: RE: BS: QUOTE Bertrand Russell
From: Donuel
Date: 01 May 24 - 02:23 PM

The stupid are generally more easily manipulated.
Clever or stupid is too small a sample size. People come in more flavors than just two. I have known clever stupid people.
I have been cleverly stupid more than once.