Quotes – Bertrand Russell – One of my favourite people!
Bertie was a philosopher who spoke it like it was. What he said always made sense.
Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
That makes sense to me. Fear of death is the main reason people are religious – fear of hell – fear of god. Not for me. Our destruction of nature has a lot to do with our fear of creatures and natural events. We seek to tame it.
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
How true is that? The stupid always think they know while the clever know enough to be sure that it is never black and white.
Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.
The sheeple rule. Maybe people should have to sit a competency test before being allowed to vote? Most people do not want to think about anything. They would rather fill their lives with fun and distraction rather than deal with the real issues. They absorb propaganda and are manipulated by the establishment/politicians/manufacturers through the media lies. You can see it on my blog. If I put up challenging or thought provoking material it is less popular. Put up something light and daft it is really popular.
War does not determine who is right – only who is left.
He was a great pacifist.
Religions that teach brotherly love have been used as an excuse for persecution, and our profoundest scientific insight is made into a means of mass destruction.
The hypocrisy of religion, cruelty and stupidity of humans and misuse of funding and knowledge never ceases to amaze me.
I thought I’d end with one that is relevant to Trump and the way he has deliberately stirred up hatred in his campaign.
Why is propaganda so much more successful when it stirs up hatred than when it tries to stir up friendly feeling?
Why indeed?
Bertrand certainly had a way of putting things.