Wisdom

Wisdom is like a tattoo. Acquiring it can be painful, and if you don't like what you see, you're stuck with it anyway.

Hygiene

Most men can only be taught basic hygiene by women on whom they are dependent for sex. Or, sometimes, not even then. (Though this says as much about the woman as it does about the man.)

Manipulation

I think the best thing that could happen to us as a species is to get a natural predator. Survival would become an issue again, eliminating much of mankind's petty behaviour. Especially in the Western world we are so confident in our superiority that we feel nigh invincible. Without a natural predator, the only ones we can fight is each other. And we have to do it - we have to fight. In that we are not any different from any other creature.


But do you know what does set us apart? It is our ability to willingly manipulate other creatures - especially our own kind - and our fondness for it. Note that this does not make us any better than other creatures; indeed, it makes us worse. Often it is not survival that drives us to manipulate - it is greed.

Trust II

Trust is one of the most precious commodities in the universe. Consider for a moment what this tells us about people's trustworthiness.

Horrors

"The worst horrors are the human ones."

-- Michael Crichton

Nothing can hurt you like a human can. 

Disappointment

One can handle only so much disappointment from another. At some point, the well of forgiveness will have run dry.

Doing it wrong

Simply doing nothing wrong is never enough.

Insecurity

Self-assurance is an illusion. There are only degrees of insecurity.

Feeling alive

Only when I feel like
I could die at any moment
Do I truly feel alive

Mankind's True Nature

I have seen the true nature of man
And I do not want to face it again

I cannot take any longer
The fake smiles and hidden venom
The blatant disregard for the welfare of others
The mindless pursuit of individualistic goals
The scheming and talking behind others' backs
The hidden agendas and conceiled opinions
The self-serving, double-crossing mindset
The cowardice facilitated by modern communication
And the need to participate in much of this madness to survive

For people are wolves
Working together when it suits them
But turning on each other
When they smell weakness

Impossible

Flesh without sin
Love without hate
World without end
Beauty without flaws
Cynicism without truth
Reward without a catch
Vengeance without justice
Forgiveness without defeat
Friendship without betrayal
Promises without emptiness
Assistance without selfishness
Superiority without haughtiness
Happiness without downfall
Future without destruction
Optimism without naïvité
Discovery without shock
Reflection without regret
Death without salvation
Profanity without relief
Holiday without stress
Romance without lust
Life without illusion
Good without evil