The Greeks, in a way of life in which great perils and upheavals were always present, sought in knowledge and reflection a kind of security and ultimate refuge. We, in an incomparably more secure condition, have transferred this perilousness into knowledge and reflection, and calm ourselves down with our way of life.- Nietzsche
The history of curiosity testifies to society’s strong influence in determining whether neophilia is a virtue or a vice. Even the philosophical Greeks and Romans were wary of inquiring too deeply into the way things are. Christianity only intensified this wariness...Like individual rights, the concept of curiosity as a laudable urge is an innovation from the Age of Reason.
The wild beasts that lurk in the shadows of life in the developed world have morphed and become insubstantial; we've banished lions, wolves and dragons, only to fall prey to depression, angst and ennui as our passion for exploration became more interiorized.
1 Genuflecting Supplicants:
Remember the studies on therapeutic halloucinogens? That's interior exploration. Can be really fun. Vigorous exercise works for ennui, too. Should I open a clinic/gym?
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