posted August 29, 2008 03:22 PM            

quote:

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Just because one toils does not dictate that one gets paid for their genius. Van Gogh sold one painting in his lifetime.

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AG

The writings of the greats are full of reminders like this. It has been stated as a general rule, that the more exalted a man's contribution, the less likely he is to be appreciated for it within the space of his own lifetime. And the more original and independent the character of a man's mind and spirit, the more unlikely it is to discover in him the more common virtues. We should ask ourselves what we really need. Do we need more mindless drones, skilled at following orders, and towing the line, or, do we need just a few more men who are capable of true leadership and insight, even if they can't always take the advice which they are more naturally disposed to give?

Let us consider how rare it is to find in a single individual the qualities of structure and discipline coupled with profound insight into the abstract realms. We are so easily satisfied with the average man; provided he can carry a load from point "A" to "B", we will not dwell upon what he lacks, or expect anything more from him. And, indeed, this is, for the most part, how it ought to be. We should appreciate every man for what he contributes, and not demand that he give what is not in his nature to give. So, we ought to accord the same understanding to men of original thought in whom it is equally unlikely to find the common gifts of structure, discipline, and unconscious action. The very nature of a soul attuned to beauty is laziness, and the nature of a mind prone to originality and independence is that it will not fit into the rigid, square pegs with which other minds are relatively comfortable and familiar. A will independent enough to resist convention in thought is very unlikely to adapt itself to routine, conventional ways of doing things. This is just a fact. Exceptions to this rule are rare enough to be seen towering over the centuries.

Now, we happen to live in a world where material concerns are given such prominence that a man who is estranged from them is seen as a villain. The masses do not realize how lucky they are to be "the masses"; the majority. Imagine, if you can, for a moment, that you were born into a world where the majority consisted of philosophers and poets, and all you could do was parrot cliches, follow orders, push a plow, fax a document, or type in random information on a computer screen. Imagine that the philosophers and artists constantly ridiculed you and demanded that you produce original thoughts, and exquisitely crafted sentiments. Imagine that you were called a scoundrel on account of your unwillingness or inability to do these things. Are you even beginning to see the picture here?

It pleases Eleanore, juni, and TINK to exaggerate my position, and to stereotype me, rather than actually listen to what I really think, and what I'm really saying, -- and, no doubt, it is highly convenient for them to do so. But, in reality, I am not ungrateful, nor do I look down on the common man in every respect. I admire what is admirable in him, and I humbly recognize my dependence upon him. The very greatest expressions of affection and appreciation for the qualities of men whom we now think of as "the salt of the earth" have come down to us from the mouths of poets and dreamers. And I have also written such things. But I am capable of seeing also what the common man lacks, and of recognizing his subtle dependence on the dreamers, whose contributions are immaterial, and often difficult to spot. I do not place one above the other, as some have accused me of doing. Rather, this is precisely what they do, when they look down on me! Nor do I expect a man to be all things. I accept that the gifts I have are rarely found alongside the gifts of the common man; which is also to say that his gifts are rarely found coupled with my own. I think we all have our parts to play. And whether or not it is entirely fair, for one man to labor, and another to dream, I cannot be the judge. I only see that this is how God has ordered the world. Though, if I have been spared the pains of common labor, I have perhaps been compensated with more than my fair share of abuse and disrepute. If I am ungrateful for anything, it is for the ingratitude shown me.

Nevertheless, I do think that, if the contributions of the dreamers were properly honored and respected, the world might very speedily develop into a place where there is much, much less work to do; much less work that appears essential and meaningful; and that even the ones willing to do it, would instead find themselves with a lot more free time on their hands. So, in a sense, you may say that they are to blame for their own predicament. If they could but muster a little bit of vision, they could easily remake the world into a place where everyone is provided for with a bare minimum of effort. But I do not blame them, since I see that, for them, this effort of vision, is just as difficult as, for me, would be the effort of not envisioning. It is a terrible pickle we find ourselves in. Nevertheless, it is the way things are.

A heavy load may be placed on the back of a deer, but it is much better placed on the back of a horse. And a deer may be expected to pull the cart, and chided when he collapses in the dust, but what is the point of that; when there is already more than enough labor being done to satisfy the reasonable demands of every body and soul on earth? If you want someone to revile, look to the man who society celebrates for his material successes. He may have worked hard at one point in his life (no harder, though, than the average McDonald's employee), but, by some fortunate coincidence of events, he now spends more in a day than others make in a lifetime. And the excess income of men like this could feed and clothe the world many times over. They are the ones who ride on your backs, and fill your lives with toil. I am just a wandering poet who gathers up the crumbs that have fallen by the wayside, and accepts graciously the scraps that are freely given me. In exchange for a couple of your pennies, dear juni, TINK and Eleanore, I have provoked your minds to reflect upon matters of universal significance, and have, at times, lifted your souls into a moment's awareness of the most exalted beauty; and who here knows what that is worth? I believe I do.

And, as for 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration...

It seems a rather imbalanced fraction to me, and I must wonder how much inspiration is sacrificed to so much unnecessary perspiration. Perhaps if the work of the visionary were not made so difficult to begin with, he would perspire less, and inspire more. But we place a thousand worldly hurdles in his path, and our own ignorance and muleheadedness are not the least of these. It is unfortuneate that the average man cannot really even begin to appreciate that 1% of inspiration unless it be surrounded on all sides by a laborious context. But the works of him whom many call the Messiah were not laborious. He was no simple carpenter, as some have called him; but a poet. And he did not weary himself to cram his vision into a dense literary tome, encumbered by ostentatious displays of vernacular ingenuity and excessive erudition; as many perspiring poets do. His natural spark of inspiration did not suffer by comparison with a host of strenuous efforts, but, shined all the more brightly for being unadorned, and given in a spirit of brave simplicity. He merely spoke the words of love and truth. And a handful of sayings, rather than a lifetime of sawdust, was enough to prove the incomparable value of this man. Perhaps, if we too only gave presidence to that "1%", we might follow more swiftly in the master's footsteps.

"Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; for my yolk is easy, and my burden is light." ~ Jesus of Nazareth

posted August 29, 2008 04:39 PM              

Real artistic genius doesn't insist on financial compensation, does it? Sometimes it gets it, but more often than not it doesn't. It seems the truly creative spirits among us are willing to pay the price. Did Vincent "toil"? I don't think so. Hard work? yes. Sacrifice? very much so. Toil? no. Toil denotes back-breaking, soul destroying drudgery. Van Gogh needed to paint. It was his passion. There's no toil. Maybe if he had kept that first job as an art dealer.

Vincent lived in terrible poverty. And I can't help but think of that wonderful bond between him and Theo and the encouragement, compassion and financial aid his little brother offered. They took care of each other. I haven't read all of their famous letters to each other, but the few I have read contained no nasty references to mindless Ants or lazy Grasshoppers. It was a love story really. One of my favorites.

Thanks for reminding us.

posted August 29, 2008 04:52 PM            

How can you be so close, and not see it?

Theo is a model for you, as Vincent is for me.

I'm sure if Theo's letters contained no alms,
but only indignant reproaches against Vincent
for his "selfish" pursuit of an aesthetic and spiritual ideal,
then Vincent's own letters would be full of defensive, self-justifying remarks,
and the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh would not exist today.
We owe them as much to Theo as to Vincent.
I have said nothing contrary to this.

And I would indeed live in poverty,
if my own family were not as understanding as Vincent's brother.
And I'm sure, if the government offered it,
Vincent would have accepted, as he deserved,
some minimal compensation for his madness and his genius.

I have never insisted on financial compensation,
but, have pursued my course undeterred, as he did.
Like Vincent, I have barely enough to support my necessities,
to purchase a book from time to time, as he purchased paints,
and to relieve my troubles for a moment with some herbs,
as he was wont to do with booze and absynthe.
Would that I could also afford prostitutes as he did, lol.

Now you praise Vincent and you praise Theo...

But the truth is, only history has vindicated them, for you.

Your hindsight is 20/20, but your forward vision is short-sighted.

If you met them today, you would condemn Theo as an enabler, and Vincent as a parasite.

You can't have it both ways, TINK. That is rightly called "hypocrisy".

posted August 29, 2008 05:16 PM            

quote:

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Did Vincent "toil"? I don't think so. Hard work? yes. Sacrifice? very much so. Toil? no. Toil denotes back-breaking, soul destroying drudgery.

---

Perhaps a poor choice of words. I haven't looked up "toil" recently.

posted August 29, 2008 05:18 PM            

As for "toil", why must you take refuge in semantics?

Call it what you will, the work you require of me
would indeed be soul-crushing to me, if not to you.
My soul breathes only in the open spaces,
where there is time and freedom to explore.

I have made various efforts to live as others do,
but the result was a loss of vitality equivalent to death,
and a depression which blotted out the desire for life.

When you have five planets in the tenth house
(and two other planets ruling the signs on or in that house),
including the Sun, Mars, and Uranus, then, maybe,
you can teach me about sacrificing independence.
As far as I can tell, it is a requirement for me,
as vital as the very air I breathe and the water I drink.

posted August 29, 2008 07:54 PM              

I don't think it's just semantics. I think the difference is essential to the discussion, particularly in relation to the Biblical quotations of our earlier posts. By your own admission, you sit around all day smoking pot and watching tv. This is neither toil nor work. I would condemn no one to a life of endless toil, but work is necessary to the soul. By common definition I don't have a job. My "work" is taking care of my 2 year old. It's damn hard work, but it greatly benefits the soul. My husband gets up every morning and goes to a job he sometimes enjoys and sometimes doesn't, but it feeds me and his children, and so he does it gratefully and willingly. He's an immensely disciplined person - much more so than I'll ever be. This is what some of us call personal responsibilty. I don't belittle it. I don't think this makes him less than someone who sits around all day agonizing about the finer points of Cosmic law while someone else pays the bills.
I think that at its most basic, to work is to be active, to be useful, to labor and in so doing to contribute. The archtypical Grasshoppers in Jwhop's story do none of this. They take. They think only of feeding their baser desires at the expense of others. As Paul would say, they're thieves.

quote:

---

I'm sure if Theo's letters contained no alms,
but only indignant reproaches against Vincent
for his "selfish" pursuit of an aesthetic and spiritual ideal,
then Vincent's own letters would be full of defensive, self-justifying remarks,
and the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh would not exist today.
We owe them as much to Theo as to Vincent.
I have said nothing contrary to this.

---

Likewise, if, in an effort to exorcise his own inferiority complex, Vincent had repeatedly lashed out at Theo, calling him a mindless, visionless robot, I imagine it wouldn't have been too long before the checks started to bounce.

And if I thought you were a Van Gogh, I'd gladly send you a few care packages myself.

But it's clear how offended you are by all this. Return to the beginning of the thread, please. Jwhop posted an irreverant little story, which, if you care to reread it, most likely has no relevance to your situation. I don't think anyone was personaly attacking you. But you immediately flipped out and started bombarding the thread with such charming fare as "I never took no sh!t from nobody for no f*ckin paycheck. I never whored myself like no soulless automaton drone." Was this a necessary and appropriate response? This is the sort of empathy for the common man (implying strongly that you're somehow uncommon )that you pride yourself on? Your much ballyhooed sensitivity seems to extend to no one but yourself.

And you say you're idle and lazy? Maybe not. On the contrary, HSC, you are always so very busy comforting your perpetually wounded ego. So busy, in fact, you apparently haven't heard a damn thing most of us have said here.

quote:

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In exchange for a couple of your pennies, dear TINK and Eleanore, I have provoked your minds to reflect upon matters of eternal concern, and have, at times, lifted your souls into a moment's awareness of the most exalted beauty; and who here knows what that is worth? I believe I do.

---

Steve, you haven't. You've proven yourself to be an unwiting bit of sandpaper where my nafs are concerned, but in no way have you been a direct instigator for my moments of deeper reflection "upon matters of eternal concern". Although I think some of your poetry shows real talent, your philosophical sermons haven't touched me. But, you know, if believing that helps you sleep tonight, then it sounds great to me too. How's that for empathy?

Peace to you, HSC. As always.

posted August 29, 2008 09:57 PM            

quote:

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I have provoked your minds to reflect upon matters of eternal concern, and have, at times, lifted your souls into a moment's awareness of the most exalted beauty

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Nope. Though it's interesting to know that's how you view yourself.

******

Anybody who thinks artists don't work hard knows nothing about art. But artists actually are producing something. Whether or not they are compensated fully for it is another issue. And, still, someone has to pay for (provide) their canvas and materials, their room and board, etc. Maybe some un-heartless ant actually enjoys helping another bring their dreams to reality? No. Couldn't be.

I do wonder how much Van Gogh would be valued today if he had done nothing more than talk about what he would get around to painting one day.

posted August 29, 2008 11:47 PM            

I'm not taking refuge in astrological excuses, TINK. I'm giving evidence. When Eleanore thinks she can shame me by pointing to how other people are, the least I can do is respond, "Oh, and do those other people have five planets in the tenth house, etc.?" You think that is not relavent, but it is. The truth is, my Pisces South Node (for instance) is real, and not only does it correspond to many of my difficulties, but, it also corresponds to my ability to understand people in a way that you and Eleanore simply cannot. Have you ever sympathized with a serial killer? I bet the very notion fills you with indignant revulsion and judgments. Do you know what it is to accept people for what they are, no matter what they are?

By my own admission, TINK, I get high once or twice a week, and I dont watch much t.v. at all. But I dont expect that bit of news to change your assumptions in the least. I have already corrected so many misunderstandings between us, but you ignore my words and continue to think what you want. You think you have something to teach me about working class heroes? You don't. My heart fills up with humility and admiration for those "soulless automaton drones", but you clearly cannot understand how a single person could contain so much nuance and contradiction, since you constantly try to reduce me to your black and white version of my technicolor truth. Do I think that they are "less". No, not inherently. But, they are common. Sometimes, the rarity of a thing is what gives it its value. Not the most politically correct thing to say, but I'm sure there are plenty of geniuses who would agree with me on that one. Anyway, now that I know that all you do is babysit your 2yr old, its not hard to see the probability that you are simply projecting your own guilt onto me. I just hope you arent raising that kid to be as much of a narrow-minded bully as you are. That kind of contribution would be a real waste of all your "hard work". You know, if you really wanted to contribute, you could have pitched in and raised one of the billion orphans in the world, instead of creating more work.

TINK, you wouldnt recognize a Van Gogh in a million years. And, if I am lashing out, it might have something to do with the incessant judgements and intolerance a person like myself is fated to encounter on a daily basis. Your own version of the facts is so lopsided, I feel compelled to respond by exaggerating in equal measure at the opposite extreme. Now you have a taste of it, and you dont like it, do you? Your judgement of me is no kinder than the view I express to you when I am at my worst. The difference is that you are not exaggerrating for effect. You actually see me that way, and have no empathy or understanding of any other way but your own. I empathize with everyone, and I make that very clear in many of the thoughts I share here, but you just go on telling me that I only feel for myself. Whatever.

I didnt "immediately flip out". I responded to jwhop's story by posting a perfectly relavent revisioning of the Ant and the Grasshopper story. Both the things I posted in my first post reflected positively on Grasshoppers AND Ants. Then Eleanore posted her little smug dig. So I posted a few less diplomatic quotes myself. After that, jwhop responded with biblical rebukes and a whole lot of sarcasm. You followed with a host of skewed judgements (overt and implied) of your own. After that, and after I had pointed out a few choice words from some of the most brilliant and mystical minds the world has knonw, Eleanore made her reply, ignoring my quotes, and taking it to another level of cheeky, judgemental, sarcastic assumptions. You followed suit. But the fact is that many of the contributions of people who you consider upstanding members of society are in fact harmful to the social order, while many of those who you consider "freeloaders" have struggled and contributed more than you will ever know.

And if it looks to you like my "ego", or my self-esteem, is perpetually wounded, consider how you would feel living in a world where you are constantly judged and ridiculed for being the way that God made you. If you think I boast too much, consider how you would behave if you knew you possessed a very rare talent which was, at the same time, the most needful and the most underappreciated talent in the world; while also being repeatedly told that you have contributed nothing. Oh, wait, I forgot, you are determined not to even attempt that kind of empathy. I havent heard a damn thing you have said? On the contrary, I made a very thorough reply which you seem to have completely overlooked. I have taken your posts seriously in this thread and in the other one, giving well-reasoned responses, which you ignored or responded to with flippant irrelevancies and changes of topic. And dont unload a flurry of insults on me and then say "peace to you, as always", and ask me why I am so angry. Are you really that unconscious of your own aggression, and of the effect your slights are likely to have on anyone with a heart?

Eleanore, I am not simply talking about what I'm going to do someday. I have already produced more golden eggs than certain figures who are honored in the history books. This is not just my opinion, but I've heard others say the same thing about me. Your inability to be touched and inspired by my words reflects poorly on you, not me. I'm sure you find Heraclitus an absolute boor, and Proust a self-indulgent fop, as well. So be it. You are not my audience. Thank God, and good riddance.

quote:

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Whether or not they are compensated fully for it is another issue.

---

On the contrary, it is the very issue at hand.

quote:

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Maybe some un-heartless ant actually enjoys helping another bring their dreams to reality? No. Couldn't be.

---

Um... YEAH! That is sort of my whole point. Jesus Christ.

posted August 30, 2008 01:29 AM            

1) I didn't even read what you wrote when I responded to the first post. If you perceived that as a dig at you then I'm sorry you saw yourself in my words. I don't really know much about your personal issues, nor am I really interested. All I know is that there is always some drama going on which I mostly haven't got the time to delve into. Surprising perhaps but I don't actually follow your posts or your history around this site or what you've said or what planetary whatevers you've got. What I have learned and have retained are from the few encounters we've shared here and that's the end of it for me. You know, you might want to consider that sometimes it really isn't all about you.

2) There are plenty of people in the States (highly likely the world) who mooch off others ... whether family or friends or the government or whatever. Those are my idea of "grasshoppers" as per the revised edition jwhop posted. Not the people who sometimes fall on hard times or the people who start off at a relative disadvantage. Lots of folks work hard to get up and out of whatever hole they find themselves in and those "ants" often have my respect and encouragement. Certainly I don't see the need for derision for working hard to make a life for yourself. But there are also those who literally give nothing of themselves to the world and want everything handed to them because they believe themselves to be potentially great ... if only ____. Maybe you've never met one, but I have. The excuses and guilt trips for their behavior are legion. And though I figured it would be obvious and unnecessary to point out ... the world is not divided into only two groups, is it? In short, it is possible to relate to a topic from personal experiences outside of LL.

3) You have very little knowledge about me as an individual. Though your assumptions about me are mildly entertaining they are nevertheless far off base. Perhaps you believe that you somehow "know better" ... and if so, well, what worthwhile things are there left to say? Stay blessed.

*added*

quote:

---

After that, and after I had pointed out a few choice words from some of the most brilliant and mystical minds the world has knonw, Eleanore made her reply, ignoring my quotes, and taking it to another level of cheeky, judgemental, sarcastic assumptions.

---

PS

Lol, I hadn't read all through the thread yet. FYI, although this forum is designed to look like one conversation in a linear fashion ... you do realize that it is possible for people to respond only to certain posters and not along the format of the page? Just because a post of mine came after a post of yours doesn't mean it is a reply to your post or that it at all references anything you wrote. If it seems like I ignored your fabu quotes there's a reason for that. I don't really read much of what you write. Make of that what you will but, for the record, it's really not a big deal or some kind of attack.

posted August 30, 2008 08:46 AM            

Its quitting your job and heading on over to Iraq to waste tax dollars... and civilians.

So, what are those good-for-nothings costing us over there every day anyway?

God, it makes me feel like such a loser in comparison.

I never shot any kids' faces off, or blew their arms or legs off or nothin'.

All I've done is write a whole bunch of aphorisms worthy of immortality,
illucidating a lot of profound universal truths in a fast, inspiring, and fun way,
and write a whole bunch of soul-stirring poems and mystical devotionals and things like that.

Other than that, I just listen to, comfort, advise, and encourage a lot of people,
and show them how things can be looked at from multiple angles,
so they learn not to jump to judgemental conclusions all the time.

Man, what a wasted life.

I never tried to sell anybody a coke.

I never contributed to overpopulation.

I never followed a corrupt president into war against a poor and innocent nation.

I'm just making all the wrong moves, aren't I?

Oh, man. Everyone has it all figured out but me.

Guess I'll just go back to working on my immortal masterpiece,
which even literary people have been astounded with,
and accused me of pilfering and plagerizing from the classics,
until they were thoroughly convinced of my originality.

Who knows, maybe someday it will get published,
like several hundred people keep telling me it should.

Seems like kind of a waste of time, though.

Articulating great and noble truths about love and human nature.

Crafting arrows of light that pierce through the fog of our modern malaise.

And trigger subtle and profound changes in the outlooks of others.

Fascillitating deeper understanding of ourselves, eachother, and God.

I know, I know, I should give it up and go kill some brown-skinned children somewhere.

At least that would be putting your tax dollars to good use.

And, who knows, there might be some oil in it for the power elite.

Or, hey, maybe I could get a job clogging people's arteries with the corpses of gentle-hearted animals.

At least its an honest living, right?

Accentuate the positive

Or sell some cokes already.

People always need cokes.

Honestly, I dont know whats wrong with me.

posted August 30, 2008 10:45 AM            

juni

------------------
~
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is immortal"~

posted August 30, 2008 11:29 AM              

Yes, I have sympathy for serial killers and pedophiles and even worse. I don't know what's in my astrological profile to account for that but I do. I know dark waters and I understand just how strong the riptide can be. When God chooses to veil a man's eyes, nothing can make him see.

Yes, I've always felt like an outsider. I've never spoken the language of the land. I've felt this so strongly, that I suffered from a case of agoraphobia for a few years.

Yes, I know what it's like to fight suicidal desires. During the worst of it, the one thing that stopped me was the understanding that physical death wasn't sufficient. I was after total annihilation. Thankfully, I never did figure out how to accomplish this.

I hold no guilt for quitting my job last year and staying home to raise - not babysit. was that your experience? - my son. I take it very seriously and it is by far the most important thing I have done. I'm grateful to the point of tears for the time I have with him. When the baby is a little bit older, and my husband is given a clean bill of health, we hope to become foster parents.

My reason for sharing these very personal revealtions, which you certainly do not deserve to hear and I absolutely don't trust you with, is the hope that you might come to understand that you are not as different or alone as you wish to think. Even clueless philistines such as myself have walked the same lonely paths. Figuring out this little truth is a comfort for some and a further annoyance for others.

quote:

---

All I've done is write a whole bunch of aphorisms worthy of immortality,
illucidating a bunch of profound universal truths in a fast, compelling, and fun way,
and write a whole bunch of soul-stirring poems and mystical devotionals and things like that.

---

HSC if you do, in fact, possess such rare wisdom perhaps you might apply it to your own life. Physician, heal thyself.

Now, despite the shameful way you've treated some LL members - Lialei, Mirandee, fayte and 26 come to mind - I've ignored good counsel and continued to nurture feelings of compassion and sympathy for you. Because I tend not to think of others as "bad", but rather as decent people who, for various reasons, sometimes commit "bad" acts, I've dismissed the suggestion that you're a heartless, judgemental, self-centered bully with an uncommonly nasty cruel streak and a tendency to lie and stab people in the back. But your posts lately, so very full of bile and venom as to be almost unreadable, have begun to give me pause and forced me to reconsider.

posted August 30, 2008 02:21 PM            

The Ant and the Grasshopper was intended to inject some humor on this forum...while also sticking a thumb in the eye of the entitlement society. The gross exaggerations in act II are parody and not intended to be taken literally or seriously..I'm guessing here since I didn't write it.

Who would have believed anyone here...or anywhere would use it as an excuse to climb up on their hobby horse and take offense?

Who knew Grasshoppers were such deeeep thinkers? I'm going to have to be more careful. I usually just squish them, run over them with my lawnmower or spray them with insecticide when I find them eating the leaves of my Hibiscus and Gardenias.

posted August 30, 2008 10:52 PM              

Well I did find the story amusing BTW.

Lovies,
Amanda

------------------
The truth is ... everything counts. Everything. Everything we do and everything we say. Everything helps or hurts; everything adds to or takes away from someone else. ~ Countee Cullen

We are weaving character every day, and the way to weave the best character is to be kind and to be useful. Think right, act right; it is what we think and do that makes us who we are. ~ Elbert Hubbard

posted August 31, 2008 01:34 AM            

The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To them... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create -- so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, their very breath is cut off... They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency, they are not really alive unless they are creating.
~ Pearl S. Buck

What keeps most people from suffering very much is lack of imagination.... Everything great that we know has come to us from neurotics. It is they and only they who have founded religions and created great works of art. Never will the world be aware of how much it owes to them, nor, above all, what they have suffered in order to bestow their gifts upon it."
~ Marcel Proust

In the psychopathic temperament we have the emotionality which is the sine qua non of moral perception; we have the intensity and tendency to emphasis which are the essence of practical moral vigor; and we have the love of metaphysics and mysticism which carry one's interests beyond the surface of the sensible world. What, then, is more natural than that this temperament should introduce one to regions of religious truth, to corners of the universe, which your robust Philistine type of nervous system, forever offering its biceps to be felt, thumping its breast, and thanking Heaven that it hasn't a single morbid fibre in its composition, would be sure to hide forever from its self-satisfied possessors?
If there were such a thing as inspiration from a higher realm, it might well be that the neurotic temperament would furnish the chief condition of the requisite receptivity.
~ William James

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The power of fortune is confessed only by the miserable, for the happy impute all their success to prudence and merit.

When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign: that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.

~ Swift

Sometimes I know so well what I want.
I can very well do without God both in my life and in my painting,
but I cannot, ill as I am, do without something which is greater than I, which is my life - the power to create.
And if, defrauded of the power to create physically, a man tries to create thoughts in place of children,
he is still very much part of humanity.
~ Vincent van Gogh

A wise man acts because he has something to do, not because he has to do something.