Category: Citations & Paraphrases

Yet another theory

E.H.Erikson divided life into eight linear and chronological phases, with the final, eighth phase being the most important, when one’s summarizing his or her life. Poles in that phase are Despair and Integrity. If the man in this phase is leaning towards Integrity, he can say that he didn’t live in vain. I’d like to see those who are well-adjusted while dying, unless they’re some kind of fanatics.

Monkey business

M. Houellebecq, again: “Let’s put a chimpanzee in a tiny cage fronted by concrete bars. The animal would go berserk, throw itself against the walls, rip out its hair, inflict cruel bites on itself, and in 73% of cases will actually end up killing itself. Let’s now make a breach in one of the walls, which we will place right next to a bottomless precipice. Our friendly sample quadrumane will approach the edge, he’ll look down, remain at the edge for ages, return there time and again, but generally, he won’t teeter over the brink; and in all events, his nervous state will be radically assuaged.”