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“They that see the Real in the midst of the unreal,
They that behold Life in the midst of death,
They that know the One in all the changing
Manifestation of the Universe,
Unto them belongs eternal peace,
Unto none else, unto none else.”
―
They that behold Life in the midst of death,
They that know the One in all the changing
Manifestation of the Universe,
Unto them belongs eternal peace,
Unto none else, unto none else.”
―
“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and the most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never.”
― The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
― The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
“Loka Samstha Sukhino Bhavanthu
Ayamathma Brahma
Pranjanam Brahma
Aham Brahmasmi
Tatwamassy”
―
Ayamathma Brahma
Pranjanam Brahma
Aham Brahmasmi
Tatwamassy”
―
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny. - Upanishads”
―
―
“The America of my time line is a laboratory example of what can happen to democracies, what has eventually happened to all perfect democracies throughout all histories. A perfect democracy, a ‘warm body’ democracy in which every adult may vote and all votes count equally, has no internal feedback for self-correction. It depends solely on the wisdom and self-restraint of citizens… which is opposed by the folly and lack of self-restraint of other citizens. What is supposed to happen in a democracy is that each sovereign citizen will always vote in the public interest for the safety and welfare of all. But what does happen is that he votes his own self-interest as he sees it… which for the majority translates as ‘Bread and Circuses.’
‘Bread and Circuses’ is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure. Democracy often works beautifully at first. But once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader—the barbarians enter Rome.”
―
‘Bread and Circuses’ is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure. Democracy often works beautifully at first. But once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader—the barbarians enter Rome.”
―
Matt’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Matt’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
68 books
|
101 friends
1 book
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37 friends
2 books
|
52 friends
2 books
|
22 friends
102 books
|
29 friends
76 books
|
32 friends
4 books
|
62 friends
0 books
|
19 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Art, Cookbooks, Ebooks, Fantasy, History, Horror, Music, Non-fiction, Paranormal, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Science, Science fiction, Self help, Spirituality, and Travel
Polls voted on by Matt
Lists liked by Matt
