The Magus discussion

What was the second one? I feel as though I'm missing something terribly obvious.

The first one was about honesty, the second one about not causing unnecessary harm. I literally just finished the book an hour ago, so it is fresh on my mind. ;)

Hi, I also finished it recently and find myself remembering snippets at odd times during the day now. On some level, present day experiences - noticing how blue the sky is, or seeing someone who looks Greek - trigger sense-based associations from the book. Ever happen to you?

Thanks Alexis, I needed to look for this one as well!

The second guideline is not immediately given at the end of chapter 75, but Nicholas reflects upon it considering in chapter 76, thinking about Jojo: "Adulthood was like a mountain, and I stood at the foot of this cliff of ice, this impossible and unclimbable Thou shalt not inflict unnecessary pain."

What is interesting here is that both guidelines easily contradict each other: What if the truth is inflicting unnecessary pain?

I agree with Rui, the two guidelines contradict each other. But I found these contradictions well match the overall plot of the book which is filled with unexpected and sometimes illogical situations and events.
What I especially like about this book is that it makes you think from different angles and perspectives to admit that something exists that you are not aware