120 philosophical essays you must read in your life

Chapter 36

Chapter 2, Verse 14 All that is useful is life

[United States] Emerson

We must know that for those of us who live, it is only life that is useful, not the life that has passed.Once at rest, power has no trace, because it exists forever in the moment of transition from an old state to a new state, in the turbulence of the bay, in the projection to the goal... this is a fact repulsive to the world, but it is also a fact of soul formation, for it debases the past forever, reduces all riches to ashes, all honor to shame, confounds saints with villains, Jesus with Judas push all aside...

That being the case, what is the point of our nagging on self-help?Because, as long as there is a soul, there is power. It is not self-confidence, but force.Talking about helping others is not only useless, but also a missed opportunity, because it is just a superficial way of talking.Let's be realistic, let's get back to the thing that has dependencies because it exists and works.When I act as the master of my self, I can get the greatest obedience.Who else can do this but yourself?Although he did it without breaking a sweat.I have to turn around him with the help of mental gravity.When we speak of eminent virtue, we think it pompous, and that is because we do not see virtue as "the pinnacle," nor do we see that a person or a group of people, as long as they are adaptable or permeable to principles, are certain They will take advantage of the situation and use the laws of nature to conquer and control all cities, countries, kings, rich people and poets, because they do not have the ability to help themselves.

This is the ultimate point of view that we have cut through the clutter in this one, as we have done in all other topics, that we have no choice but to transform all into one eternally divine One.The survival of the self is the most fundamental attribute of this universe, and it enters into all the lower forms of life, in varying degrees, and according to this degree it sets the measure of goodness.Things are only as real as the virtues they contain.Commerce, farming, hunting, whaling, war, eloquence, personal influence, etc., are all important things and command my admiration as instances of self-existent existence and impure action.

Likewise, I see the same laws at work in nature for conservation and development.In nature, ability is the most basic standard, and those who are capable are the embodiment of justice.Nature weeds out all helpless children and does not allow anything helpless to stay in her world.The origin and maturation of a planet, its balance and orbit, the bent trees standing upright after the storm, the life force of every plant and animal...all of this is self-sufficient and therefore self-help manifestation of the soul.

And so it all came together: let us no longer drift about, let us stay at home with the almighty cause!Let us merely proclaim this sacred fact, and leave dumbfounded and speechless the mob of men, books, and institutions that break in like robbers!Let the intruders take their shoes off because God is here!Let our simplicity and purity judge them!Let our obedience to our own laws demonstrate natural poverty and wealth beside our natural wealth!

【Together with you】

In nature, survival is always the first priority.The same is true in human society.The competition law of the survival of the fittest restores the meaning of struggle of all creatures to the pure realm. "The origin and maturation of a planet, its balance and orbit, the bending of trees standing upright after a storm, the life force of every plant and animal ... all of this is in this self-sufficient and therefore self-help The expression of the soul.” Emerson’s words let us understand that the existence of life itself is a sign of success in the struggle.As long as life exists, the essence of existence will not change.As long as life exists, all hope exists!To enjoy life, we must pay attention to the method, and the size of the joy of life is directly proportional to the degree of concern for our life.

(End of this chapter)