a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by JakobVirgil
JakobVirgil  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How can I be a better single guy?

    If I am not for myself, who will be? -Hillel

Is not a complete philosophy it is not even Hillel's complete philosophy he also said

    "Don't trust yourself until the day you die.

and

    "Your house should be open wide, and you should make the poor members of your household."




OftenBen  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    "Your house should be open wide, and you should make the poor members of your household."

Can you elaborate on this bit? I don't quite understand it.

JakobVirgil  ·  3932 days ago  ·  link  ·  

He was 1st century BCE. I think it is just a general endorsement of charity and humanizing the poor.

OftenBen  ·  3932 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Gotcha, I read that all the wrong way.

lil  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·  

and he also said, "If I am only for myself, what am I?" -- some translators put it like this: If I am only for myself, what am "I"?

There has to be some balance between self and others.

You are most able to effectively help and consider others, the more you understand yourself. If you feel no kindness from the world - it is hard to give kindness to others.

Hillel's quote ends with "If not now, when?"

As for the question, OftenBen about being a better single guy - whatever the "right" answer is -- I have a feeling that it is the same answer to the question "how can I be a better married guy?" or "how can I be a better human being?"

I wonder if it's the same answer to the question, "What does it mean to be mature?"

JakobVirgil  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The answer to the question "What does it mean to be mature?" is easy just don't giggle when people say butt.

I don't know to fix what is wrong with humans but I am pretty sure the answer is not we need to become more selfish.

supasmasha  ·  3925 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I actually passed this test. I think I may be a robot...

user-inactivated  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I failed your maturity test. Damn. Better drop out of college.

JakobVirgil  ·  3933 days ago  ·  link  ·  

nah no one expects you to pass until you are 40.

protip you can giggle inside