Epictetus comments on Rationality Quotes January 2015 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Gondolinian 01 January 2015 02:23AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (148)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: robot-dreams 08 January 2015 05:49:22PM 10 points [-]

Travelling is a fool's paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places. At home I dream that at Naples, at Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty, and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the stern fact, the sad self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from. I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated. My giant goes with me wherever I go.

Ralph Waldo Emerson on If You Demand Magic, Magic Won't Help

Comment author: Epictetus 11 January 2015 09:25:35PM 5 points [-]

This reminds me of Socrates' quip:

How can you wonder your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself around with you?

Comment author: gwern 02 February 2015 04:12:33PM 2 points [-]

It's a common enough classical remonstration; eg Horace's "Skies change, not cares, for those who cross the seas."