gnothe seauton.... or look like a fool

[fpb]

This was meant to look a bit weird. The opening two words are the famous Greek motto "know thyself", in the possibly less famous Greek original. I just thought it might catch a reader's eye. Because the point is not exactly a novelty. Make an effort to know yourself. Seek to be aware of the kind of thing you are. Try and have at least a little understanding of how you react and of the way you do things. Or else you will, if you are lucky, become matter for mirth. I know it's tough. I know I'm not a particularly good example. But good Heavens, there are worse than me.

Take inverarity. Every now and then I poke my nose in his LJ, mainly to see whether the next Alexandra Quick novel is coming along. (So far, bad news.) And just now I had the experience - I guess these things must sooner or later happen - of finding out that, after the way he had treated madderbrad and me, and probably others too, inverarity still imagines that he could find someone to debate him on fundamental issues and challenge his views.

Comments

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

A while ago I proffered the notion that our Western society's values are based on Christianity, something with which I'm fairly comfortable. I think the overall topic was on the separation of church and state. The person to whom I was speaking was insistent that religion had nothing to do with society's values. I've forgotten his argument; I'll have to ask him to reiterate next time we meet (he's not Inverarity, so I should be safe in doing so :-)).

And another thing that is is that he projects his own behaviour upon you.

Projection! Of course! As soon as I read that I was reminded of the psychological term, thank you. Wikipedia tells me that Freud first conceptualised the condition as a 'defence mechanism'. That's certainly how Inverarity is employing it, you've nailed it.

I love the screaming toddler picture. I've encountered it a few times since my expulsion and it's cracked me up each time, I can't think of the ranting Inverarity without visualising that perfect self-portrait he selected for himself. :-)