Written by: Kevin Lee
1. “We
are learning, against all prevailing wisdom, that human nature is not to seek
autonomy – to become an island to oneself – but, rather, to seek companionship,
affection, and intimacy.”
a.
Rifkin pg. 182
b.
This quote needs to be heard more amongst
college students and adults working in whatever industry they are in right now –everyone
today is so busy with their own doings, trying to hurriedly get somewhere, that
we forget some of the most important aspects of living in the first place.
Rifkin speaks to my heart tremendously here, mainly because it is a message
that I try my best to pass to everyone else I know. No matter where we come
from or what culture raised us, we as human beings desperately need each other.
Instead of seeking our own happiness, we should start by planting that
happiness inside others first. Only then can we be stronger and wiser than
before.
2. “[…]
Make sure your goal is not focused on having
this or that, such as a mansion by the sea, your own company, or ten million
dollars in the bank. An enlarged image of yourself or a vision of yourself having this or that are all static goals
and therefore don’t empower you.”
a.
Tolle pg. 230
b.
This quote practically works in parallel to the
Rifkin quote I chose earlier –both of them have subtle implications that humans
are not meant to think “selfishly.” If Rifkin is the one talking about the big conceptual
ideas, then Tolle here is giving explanations and/or suggestions to the reader
on what kind of action to take, like a wise counselor. Here, after talking
about living in the present and not the past or future, he pinpoints what
should motivate a person. This specific quote is one that I myself can relate
to, without a doubt, for the reason that I myself make several static goals in
life, but I came to realize about two years ago that none of my static goals
are truly the ones that push me. The
ones that really push are smaller
goals, ones that are happening now, things that I have control over and things
that I know what to do about. Once again, like in Rifkin’s case, I
wholeheartedly agree with Tolle’s words.
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