Thought For 2007 (836 hits)
Category: RomanceRating: 1 on 19 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Scott James (View user info) at 2006-12-30 07:40:46 EST
Events seem to grow more turbulent with each passing year. Next year it could be even worse. Bear this in mind as midnight draws closer this Sunday:
'Don't worry about genius and don't worry about not being clever. Trust rather to hard work, perseverance, and determination. The best motto for a long march is "Don't grumble. Plug on." You hold your future in your own hands. Never waver in this belief. Don't swagger. The boy who swaggers - like the man who swaggers - has little else that he can do. He is a cheap-Jack crying his own paltry wares. It is the empty tin that rattles most. Be honest. Be loyal. Be kind. Remember that the hardest thing to acquire is the faculty of being unselfish. As a quality it is one of the finest attributes of manliness. Love the sea, the ringing beach and the open downs. Keep clean, body and mind.'
- Sir Frederick Treves, September 1903, Boy's Own Paper, quoted in The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden
User Reviews
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2007-01-11 11:08:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-12-30 11:57:33 (#)
Ranking: 1
Cool quote.
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2007-01-02 19:09:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-01-02 18:52:36 (#)
Ranking: 1
also, keep spare batteries for your vibrator"
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I have a plastic vibrating vagina and I still don't know where I got it from.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-01-02 18:52:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
also, keep spare batteries for your vibrator
Submitted by dexpaxas (user info) at 2007-01-02 16:22:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
The big yellow one is the sun!
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2007-01-02 15:56:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I think I disagree with 3/4th of that quote.
First and most importantly, not worrying about intelligence? What a ridiculous notion! Humanity and its very survival depended solely upon intelligent, rational thought. To say that since now that we have built such a civilization based upon it, we can just abandon it is ridiculous. That quote is a simple and outright piece of crap from the bourgeoisie, "For what I always hated and detested and cursed above all things was this contentment, this healthiness and comfort, this carefully preserved optimism of the middle classes, this fat and prosperous brood of mediocrity."
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I think context is necessary.
The writer was a scholarly and reputable surgeon who was Serjeant Surgeon to the Royal family, an original founder of the Red Cross and was the author of many books, including 'The Elephant Man and other reminiscences' and 'Surgical applied Anatomy'. This is no idle quote from what you would describe as the "bourgeoisie". Treves was not into a life of luxury but rather was the son of an upholsterer in Victorian London. On an unrelated note, in the David Lynch film The Elephant Man, Treves is played by Anthony Hopkins.
Anyway, Treves does not dismiss intelligence, but rather encourages the reader not to 'worry about genius' and there is a staggering difference. However, the mere notion that you believe "civilisation" has been made possible by the human capacity for rational thought indicates a startling lack of insight as well as narrow vision of thinking that only people under the age of twenty one can enjoy.
Trust rather to hard work, perseverance, and determination. The best motto for a long march is "Don't grumble. Plug on." You hold your future in your own hands. Never waver in this belief. Don't swagger. The boy who swaggers - like the man who swaggers - has little else that he can do. He is a cheap-Jack crying his own paltry wares. It is the empty tin that rattles most. Be honest. Be loyal. Be kind. Remember that the hardest thing to acquire is the faculty of being unselfish. As a quality it is one of the finest attributes of manliness. Love the sea, the ringing beach and the open downs. Keep clean, body and mind.'
- Sir Frederick Treves,
Submitted by Timmaaaaah (user info) at 2007-01-02 06:11:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
what's worse a small bank robber or a tall bank robber.............
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2007-01-02 05:51:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-12-30 18:21:29 (#)
Ranking: -2
Here's another thought for yo0u to digest:
Go fuck yourself. This was garbage.
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I'm not gay or anything but I would probably jerk off to the sight of seeing you being violently raped by your cell mate when you are eventually imprisoned for the dead child rapist that you are.
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2006-12-30 19:17:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2006-12-30 18:19:47 (#)
Ranking: -1
I think I disagree with 3/4th of that quote.
First and most importantly, not worrying about intelligence? What a ridiculous notion! Humanity and its very survival depended solely upon intelligent, rational thought. To say that since now that we have built such a civilization based upon it, we can just abandon it is ridiculous. That quote is a simple and outright piece of crap from the bourgeoisie, "For what I always hated and detested and cursed above all things was this contentment, this healthiness and comfort, this carefully preserved optimism of the middle classes, this fat and prosperous brood of mediocrity."
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bob,
I have to say that I find your interpretation of this quote rather limited.
First and even MORE importantly it says nothing about not worrying about intelligence.
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'Don't worry about genius and don't worry about not being clever.'
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I think it is fair to stipulate that there are few genius-types running around this here planet of ours and perhaps equally rare are individuals who are truly clever. Most of ye huddled masses are fairly normal folk - who are all various degrees of intelligent / dumb and amusing / boring.
So my feeling is this quote is speaking to the majority of the people who occupy the vast middle. The workers. The 'normal' people whose participation in society is vital and often goes ignored or unappreciated.
I do find the subliminal notion to just keep your head down and "Plug on" a titch patronizing - but considering the follow up line: "You hold your future in your own hands. Never waver in this belief." and "Be honest. Be loyal. Be kind. Remember that the hardest thing to acquire is the faculty of being unselfish. As a quality it is one of the finest attributes of manliness. Love the sea, the ringing beach and the open downs. Keep clean, body and mind." it certainly doesn't stray too far from being at least somewhat inspirational.
Of course you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I just think your reaction is a bit confusing.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-12-30 18:21:29 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Here's another thought for yo0u to digest:
Go fuck yourself. This was garbage.
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2006-12-30 18:19:47 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
I think I disagree with 3/4th of that quote.
First and most importantly, not worrying about intelligence? What a ridiculous notion! Humanity and its very survival depended solely upon intelligent, rational thought. To say that since now that we have built such a civilization based upon it, we can just abandon it is ridiculous. That quote is a simple and outright piece of crap from the bourgeoisie, "For what I always hated and detested and cursed above all things was this contentment, this healthiness and comfort, this carefully preserved optimism of the middle classes, this fat and prosperous brood of mediocrity."
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2006-12-30 18:08:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Indeed.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-12-30 11:57:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Cool quote.
Submitted by cshape (user info) at 2006-12-30 10:12:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
It's a nice quote.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2006-12-30 10:10:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It likes me well. Never read it before.
Submitted by fclo002 (user info) at 2006-12-30 09:38:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'll drink to that.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2006-12-30 09:12:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Hear, hear!
Submitted by LittleMonster (user info) at 2006-12-30 09:04:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Newty (user info) at 2006-12-30 08:56:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2006-12-30 08:23:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
These are the lines that led to the Boy Scout Law and Motto.