VI

Knowledge 

"And I declared that the dead, who have already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun."

Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 
 

The saying "innocence is bliss" proves to be true, doesn't it? Though a bevy of knowledge can be to our advantage, sometimes, it is better to not know all we possibly can. Sometimes, a surplus of knowledge leads to nothing but pain, confusion, and greed.

In the Garden of Eden, the tree was christened The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. When Adam and Eve both partook of eating the tree's fruit, they were searching for knowledge on how to be like God. However, their newly attained knowledge of sin caused nothing but harm.

According to Greek mythology, Pandora is given a box, which she is instructed not to open. Curiosity drove her to open the box, releasing the wrath of the gods onto the earth.  

Striving to attain knowledge on all facets of life could be our foible. Sometimes, it is better to live in ignorant bliss than to have a surplus of knowledge pertaining to the plethora of foreboding evils in existence.  

V

Sadness

It is a common misconstrued belief that, to have a good life, one must be happy. Caught in the whirlwind of happiness, we generally overlook the plethora of glorious intricacies life offers. Sometimes, a deep, reflective melancholy is exactly what we need. In our moments of sadness, we create new thoughts concerning others and come to understand ourselves better. It keeps us grounded and helps us appreciate the blessings life offers more fully. Sadness is a wonderful, necessary part of our lives. So why do we overlook the beauty of it? 

IV

Admiration

In Mortimer Adler's Some Thoughts on Beauty, he eloquently acknowledges the differences between beauty and admiration. Beauty, according to his definition, is relative to personal preference. However, admiration is given to works of masters requiring great skill, whether we find such an item personally pleasing or not. 

Classics stand the test of time, specifically in literature, art, and music. Shakespeare. Dickens. Michelangelo. Bernini. Van Gogh. Mozart. Beethoven. Led Zeppelin. Only the admirable survive in lasting glory, not the beautiful, so why not attempt to attain admiralty? 

 



III

Art

"It is a myth that art has to be sold. It is not like stocking a grocery store where people fill a pushcart. Art is a product that has no apparent need. The salesperson builds the need in the mind of the buyer."

 - Jack White III

 

Though art is unneeded, it serves a purpose far greater than useless frivolity. Unlike all else, art is not essential to our survival, yet it captivates us. Broken and evil, we are drawn to art's beauty, a concept opposite of our current state. Our souls, yearning to be beautiful and righteous, cling to the aesthetics art has to offer. Convinced we need art, we gather up paintings and immerse ourselves in melodious song. Focused on art's beauty, we ignore our brokenness.       

 

II

Darkness.

Within our souls, we perceive an overwhelming darkness and a prevalent evil, yet we choose to ignore it. Our own depravity we mask with narcissism. Ponder the depths of evil within your soul.

Daily, we see tragic news stories plastered on the Internet, newspapers, and TVs. Murder. Theft. Rape. Human trafficking. Shocked at the evil in our surrounding world, we convince ourselves we could never do that. Take a glimpse into the depths of your heart and soul. We are capable of producing the same evils. At the core, all of humanity is exactly the same. Depraved. Broken. Living in Darkness.   

  

I

An Introduction

I've always admired the author Charles Dickens for his ability to so eloquently introduce his novels. In the first few sentences, he both frames the path of the novel and establishes profound ideas. From his initial paragraph, flows the rest of the book. In the same way, the rest of my writing shall develop surrounding my initial idea regarding conversation:

I strongly believe the best conversation is that we learn from. Conversation contains the power to influence every belief we ever so strongly cling to. Therefore, if we must engage in conversation, why not make it worth while? We should converse in a way that causes people to reflect and inquire. Occasionally, through our conversations, we even attain the honor of inscribing a bit of wisdom on a person's soul or impressing an intelligent thought in their mind. Since we, as writers, thinkers, and creators, have such power, why not strive to make our conversations influential and insightful?