bramstokerdoesntapprove

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

When two men are travelling, their relative progress might differ so much that, on a journey of 200 stadia, 2 one will be 100 stadia ahead of the other, because, even though both of them are young and fit, one is walking to reach a goal, while the other has a casual attitude and stops to gaze around by streams and in places sheltered from the sun, and looks for routes where balmy breezes blow. It makes a great deal of difference to the end-result when people do the work they’ve been given, rather than finding excuses for not working and being allowed to take it easy. So making sure that the work is done well rather than badly tips the scales no less than the work being done rather than left undone.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

Is questioning an educational process, Ischomachus? I’m asking because I’ve just understood your method of questioning me. You take me through points that I know, you show me that these points are no different from points I’d been thinking I didn’t know, and thus you convince me, I think, that I do know the latter points too.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

Human beings can be made more obedient just by force of argument, by proving that it is in their interest to obey.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

There are two ways in which the rest of the animal kingdom learns obedience – by being punished when they attempt to be disobedient, and by being rewarded when they willingly do what they’re supposed to do.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

For the ability to make people good at wielding authority obviously entails the ability to teach them mastery.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

Anyone who wants to make people capable of being responsible must be capable of supervising and scrutinizing the work, must be prepared to show gratitude for work performed well, and must not be afraid of administering punishment when irresponsibility demands it.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

It’s difficult to learn to do something well when your teacher is giving you bad lessons; and it is difficult for a servant to learn responsibility when his master is giving lessons in irresponsibility.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

People who are obsessed with a lover are incapable of being taught to take responsibility for anything except the object of their infatuation. It isn’t easy to find a source of more pleasant anticipation or effort than attending to a loved one! And when the sexual act is imminent, it isn’t easy to find a worse punishment than being kept from one’s lover!

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

Isn’t it obvious that almost everyone is loyal to himself, but people are still often not prepared to make themselves responsible for getting the good things they want to have?

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

You’re saying that exercise and practice and training increase a person’s chances of success.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

One thing I think I understand is that the gods have ruled out success for people who don’t know either what they ought to do or what steps they should take to achieve what they ought to do. Nevertheless, prosperity is given to only some of those who do have this knowledge and do take the proper steps.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

There is nothing in human life as useful or as fine as orderliness.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

It is certainly unsatisfying not to be able to use something you need; but not being able to have something you’re looking for is less distressing than not looking in the first place because you know you haven’t got it!

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

God guarantees retribution for stupidity and punishes it.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

A useless possession only becomes a piece of one’s property if one sells it!

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

A false reputation is soon exposed when put to the test, but, unless a god interferes, true manliness by its actions always helps to make renown more glorious.’

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon

[bramstokerdoesntapprove]

The most vital jobs are always urgent.

Conversations Of Socrates, Xenophon