209.超然于世俗的愚蠢
超然于世俗的愚蠢。这是一个特别的策略。这些愚蠢因为常见而有特别的力量,许多人不被个别的愚蠢误导,但无法摆脱普遍的缺陷。其中包括那些常见的错误:没有谁会对自己的财产感到满足(不管他多么富有),也没有谁会对自己的才智不满(无论他多么愚蠢)。人们不满足于自身的幸福,总是嫉妒他人的幸福。说得更远一点,现在的人总是赞美过去的事物,这里的人总是赞美别处的东西——似乎逝去的事物总是最美好的,遥远的东西都是那么有价值。对一切嗤之以鼻的人和对一切都抱着悲观态度的人,一样愚蠢。
209.Keepyourselffreefromcommonfollies
Keepyourselffreefromcommonfollies。Thisisaspecialstrokeofpolicy。Theyareofspecialpowerbecausetheyaregeneral,sothatmanywhowouldnotbeledawaybyanyindividualfollycannotescapetheuniversalfailing。Amongthesearetobecountedthecommonprejudicethatanyoneissatisfiedwithhisfortune,howevergreat,orunsatisfiedwithhisintellect,howeverpooritis。Oragain,thateach,beingdiscontentedwithhisownlot,enviesthatofothers;orfurther,thatpersonsoftodaypraisethethingsofyesterday,andthoseherethethingsthere。Everythingpastseemsbestandeverythingdistantismorevalued。Heisasgreatafoolthatlaughsatallashethatweepsatall。