Deep Spirits

1. "We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the way in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us."

2. "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."

3. "I counsel you, my friends: Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."

4. "A politician divides mankind into two classes: tools and enemies."

5. "We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."

1. I agree. This makes emotional intelligence seem so very important, and it is. The ability to express a thought or an idea in a way which will allow the other to accept it.

2. I agree. This is why two people can either part or remain together but be unhappy, even though they love each other very much.

3. I loved this quote... loved it.

4. How simple and extra-ordinarily well said! If you can't be a tool then all you can be is an enemy. Heh...

5. This quote about dance matches his quotes about music: "Without music, life would be a mistake." To make music and dancing, both, a part of our daily life... to physically express and live joy... beautiful!

1. "We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the way in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us."

2. "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."

3. "I counsel you, my friends: Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."

4. "A politician divides mankind into two classes: tools and enemies."

5. [i]"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once

Numbers ! and 5 appeal directly to me Sabina.
Presenting an idea to someone whilst being unsympathic is not skilful, bringing the question or idea forward should be done with empathy as a guideline......its human nature to want to feel considered?
Joy often seems to be a choice that people overlook in ignorance of its availability. What a waste!

2. ....could also be 'understanding' ?

3 and 4 are clever and illuminating.

d

Sabina wrote:1. "We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the way in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us."

Always the king of aphorism I like to believe that he was communicating something more than a simple point of teaching or expression with this one.

And given his oft belligerent persona and his thoughts on what he personally coined the Übermensch - which to me seems like a transcendental philosophy; all of which makes me think that this quote was a comment on the listener, not the speaker. Perhaps criticising society's tendency to get incorrectly, emotionally invested in ideas and to reject and refute based on personal feelings instead of reason.

dermot wrote:Numbers ! and 5 appeal directly to me Sabina.

Cool...
What exactly is the significance of number 5 for you Dermot?

ThePermster wrote:...which to me seems like a transcendental philosophy; all of which makes me think that this quote was a comment on the listener, not the speaker. Perhaps criticising society's tendency to get incorrectly, emotionally invested in ideas and to reject and refute based on personal feelings instead of reason.

That may well be that number 1 was intended for the listener rather than the speaker as Dermot and I took it. It's interesting to look at the same quote from a different perspective.

Sabina wrote:1. "We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the way in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us."

My understanding of this quote goes close to ThePermster’s. Although it is important to be able to express thoughts in the appealing way that will make them acceptable (which is not necessarily the talent of many), it shouldn’t be the reason for the true listener to turn back to the idea. The thought should be more important than the way of expression, as the idea is more important than the form.

Sabina wrote:2. "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."

I am not sure about this one. I would be curious what is that is common for love and friendship, and if that lacks, well any relationship would be unhappy. It could be respect, understanding…

Sabina wrote:3."I counsel you, my friends: Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."

Oh, this one is good, very good.

Sabina wrote:4. "A politician divides mankind into two classes: tools and enemies."

If only politicians. But, unfortunately not only them.
Treating others as a tool is a characteristic of manipulators, and many people are manipulative.
Unfortunately, it is quite common to look at people in a polarity way, friend or enemy. Otherwise we would live in a quite different world.

Sabina wrote:5. "We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."

This one is brilliant and I love it. Without dancing life would be senseless. This is a life’s ritual that makes feel we are alive. And dancing has many forms…