Sunday, November 05, 2006

Mankind's Real Giant Step

'What can we gain by sailing to the Moon if we are unable to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves?'
--Thomas Merton

4 Comments:

At 1:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And before that, Kierkegaard, who said the same thing in dozens of different formulations, including:

"... the most horrible way of life: i.e. to captivate and astound the entire world with discoveries and ingeniousness, and then not to understand his own self."

From The Diary of Soren Kierkegaard

 
At 2:11 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Thanks for that, Miles. Kierkegaard--now there's a guy who could wield some heavy pen.

 
At 11:03 AM, Blogger Ron Copfer said...

One of my favorite quotes of the famous Protestant turned Catholic now buried at Gethsemane Monastery in Kentucky. It hangs on the wall inside the entrance.

 
At 3:43 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Ronnie,
I remember the day a few years ago that I learned you were a fellow Merton fan, enough of one, in fact, that you actually visited his old monastery. I had already known you for about a decade then, but instantly liked you that much more. After all, how often does one come across anybody in business or technology who happens to mention an affinity for Merton? When you do find them, it's an instant affinity builder.

 

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