Sotiria

“The great milestones of civilization always have the whiff of utopia about them at first. According to renowned sociologist Albert Hirschman, utopias are initially attacked on three grounds: futility (it’s not possible), danger (the risks are too great), and perversity (it will degenerate into dystopia). But Hirschman also wrote that almost as soon as a utopia becomes a reality, it often comes to be seen as utterly commonplace. Not so very long ago, democracy still seemed a glorious utopia. Many a great mind, from the philosopher Plato (427–347 B.C.) to the statesman Edmund Burke (1729–97), warned that democracy was futile (the masses were too foolish to handle it), dangerous (majority rule would be akin to playing with fire), and perverse (the “general interest” would soon be corrupted by the interests of some crafty general or other). Compare this with the arguments against basic income. It’s supposedly futile because we can’t pay for it, dangerous because people would quit working, and perverse because ultimately a minority would end up having to toil harder to support the majority.”
― Rutger Bregman, Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There – from the presenter of the 2025 BBC ‘Moral Revolution’ Reith lectures

“What a fine weather today! Can’t choose whether to drink tea or to hang myself.”
― A.P. Chekhov

“-Πώς πήγε το σχολείο;
-Πολύ καλά. Έμαθα να μιλώ, να απαντώ, και να σκέπτομαι με συλλαβές.
-Τότε γιατί κλαις;
-Είναι οι συλλαβές. Πονάω, όταν κόβω τις λέξεις στη μέση.
-Θα συνηθίσεις, μου λέει η Φανή. Θα συνηθίσεις.

ΤΕΛΟΣ”
― Μαργαρίτα Καραπάνου, Kassandra and the Wolf

“Well, personally, I've seen enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned that it can be murderous. What interests me is living and dying for what one loves.”
― Albert Camus, The Plague