Palahniuk, Chuck -- Lullaby, ch. 3 (2002)

Dave — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:44:35 +0000

Experts in ancient Greek culture say that people back then didn’t see their thoughts as belonging to them. When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love.

Now people hear a commercial for sour cream potato chips and rush out to buy them, but now they call this free will.

At least the ancient Greeks were being honest.

Chuck Palahniuk (b. 1962) American novelist and freelance journalist
Lullaby, ch. 3 (2002)

Much of this is repeated in ch. 39.

Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas -- Satires, Satire 4, l. 37 (1716)

Dave — Wed, 25 May 2016 16:53:55 +0000

In spite of every sage whom Greece can show,
Unerring wisdom never dwelt below;
Folly in all of every age we see,
The only difference lies in the degree.

[N’en déplaise à ces fous nommés sages de Grèce,
En ce monde il n’est point de parfaite sagesse :
Tous les hommes sont fous, et, malgré tous leurs soins,
Ne diffèrenet entre eux que du plus ou du moins.]

Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (1636–1711) French poet and critic
Satires, Satire 4, l. 37 (1716)

WIST Quotations

Palahniuk, Chuck -- Lullaby, ch. 3 (2002)

Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas -- Satires, Satire 4, l. 37 (1716)