A couple of day’s ago I get an e-mail from an acquaintance with this message:

I know you are busy! I was wondering if you heard of this book, and if you thought it was worthwhile. It sounds interesting and I love to read when I have time. Of course if it’s so inspiring I will keep reading till I’m done!

There was a link to an e-book that promises to show you how to “discover you purpose in life”. All for only $19.95, even though you can’t take it out in the garden to read at leisure, as such an important and lofty tome should be read. This is what it promises:

Just imagine what it will be like to wake up every morning and know that you hold the key to the very reason for life itself. Not just to your own purpose, but the master key to the very reason for the existence of the universe!

When you gain this profound depth of understanding, imagine the sense of purpose and destiny that will be yours each and every day!

I don’t normally respond to her frequent e-mails with various money making schemes, but I fatefully did respond to this one:

Thanks, but I already know my life’s purpose.

This is the very unexpected response that she sent:

I was asking if you heard of this book, but I guess you are so far above everyone else you do not read, you are all-knowing and all-seeing. Kind of like a Hindu god.
… No man is an island, but you are definitely on a trip to ego island! Have fun!

It seems, then, that, although it is good to read about discovering one’s life purpose, it is rather elitist and bad form to actually discover one’s life purpose. Well, this particular all-knowing Hindu God is rather puzzled by this attitude. Moveover, why is not the author of the e-book considered pompous and elitist?

Copyright © 2009, 2010 Gornahoor Press

Several years ago, I attended a public lecture by a professor of political science at a local university. Naturally, he brought up Plato’s Republic. The professor rightly pointed out that although “political science” was the crown of philosophy, a sound knowledge of mathematics was required for entry into the Academy. The professor explained why: mathematics was a simpler science than philosophy.

You couldn’t help notice all the old women looking knowingly around at each other. In school, they had been made to feel inferior because they struggled with maths. But yet, clearly they understand politics, don’t they? After all, they support all the best liberal causes. Thus, they are actually intellectually superior to all those mathematicians!

The real point of the story, which seems to have eluded even the professor, was that those ignorant of maths could not properly understand the intricacies of political thought.

Copyright © 2009, 2010 Gornahoor Press