Sunday, January 17, 2010

A Quote


*Life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.*

Horace Walpole

How do you see life?



I came across this quote while reading "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman
(I'm still in Chapter 2)


16 comments:

MBH said...

Comedy? Seriously? The more you think, the more you realize how awful life is with all the morons & greedy people in it!

Or maybe that's because I both think AND feel?!

My take on life? I don't ... I used to be pessimistic; I don't know about now -- all those whom I used to debate life with have disappeared :p

Nemo said...

if deeply think about life (with no feelings involved), u'll find that its a comedy .. life repeats itself as if it's trapped in this infinite loop ..

MBH said...

I fail to see the comedy part of life.

Nemo said...

one day u will :p

Haider said...

When I read vague/obscure quotes like that, I like to think of the many different meanings they can carry and explore these ideas, to see what I can come out with.

I don't have to agree/disagree (and sometimes I can't, because it's unclear what the author meant by them).

It seems Horace associates thinking with objectivity and detachment, whereas feelings are more subjective and involved. You can think about something and not feel involved. But if you have feelings towards it, then you can't help but feel involved.

As a spectator (i.e. thinker), a lot of what goes on in the world seems very irrational (inconsistent with our expectations) and, therefore, comical.

Nemo, you already started reading the book? That was quick! (I'm sure you have the Kindle to thank for that! :P)

Nemo said...

Thanks for your thoughts :)

*I would also have to thank the public library :p*

B & D said...

its more of comedy less of tragedy ;) its all about how u see your life..positivity keeps u going nno matter what :)

Haider said...

Public library? What's that? :P

I went to Salwa's public library, but didn't find any books I'd find interesting. Their English section was ridiculously small.

Hope said...

don't quite agree with the 1st part .. not so sure abt the comedy thing
nah no comedy .. thinking can sometimes B tiring & so is feeling

Nemo said...

B & D: i agree :)



Haider: jam3a :p



Hope: when u mix it with feelings its tiring

Bashar said...

I see a lot of comedy in how we live our lives, and think of our selves. I mean think about it... we're the outcome of a mere stroke of luck, started so tiny and weak, and yet we grow a bit older, learn few more things, and see our selves top of the pyramid, immortal in our way of living, and keep talking like we know it all, when in fact, we're all children struggling to make our way in life, just so that we live a little more time happier, before we're all forgotten.

Marriage? For some reason two opposite sides are attracted to each other, think they can overlook all their differences, and tell their parents we're moving out. Their parents feel happy about it. They make big fuss and spend thousands of KD in a party telling the world about it.

We see lions and sharks as evil, and yet, how many cooking channels, books, restaurants do we have? We eat chicken for dessert to eat chicken.

We spend billions of dollars on an observatory that is sending aimless signals into space hoping there are other life forms somewhere else on the planet who have made similar discoveries, and thought it's wise to spend those similar millions to beam signals into space, in a hope to one day interact with other life form. And what do different life forms do when they meet? One wants to dominate the other, and take advantage of him.

Religion: Most people have an idea about how we and all this universe was formed. And if someone else thinks different, we might be welling to kill to prove it! What's more funny is how despite about belief, we don't actually live like there is heaven and hell. And the other people who don't care are more ironic. They just live, without a single thought how was I created?

I see lot of comedy when I just sit back and observe the most intelligent animal of all (or so we think). Human being.

hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is the best way to understand it :)

MBH said...

Comedy in life, is when Bashar pulls a Haidament & Haider didn't!

Haider said...

Bashar, I'm impressed by your Haidament (content and length)!!

The student outdid his teacher.

Bashar said...

No MBH, haidament has no point and this is my point about the subject. Nice try though ;)

Mr. Mo said...

Is that emotional intelligence book any good?

Nemo said...

im currently reading papers for work ;( so I'm not done yet with any book. I liked the idea/concept but I'm still in chapter 2, will let you know once i'm done