"Only a German bases his self-assurance on an abstract idea: science, that is, the supposed knowledge of absolute truth. A Frenchman's self-assurance stems from his belief that he is mentally and physically irresistibly fascinating to both men and women. An Englishman's self-assurance is founded on his being a citizen of the best organized state in the world and on the fact that, as an Englishman, he always knows what to do, and that whatever he does as an Englishman is unquestionably correct. An Italian is self-assured because he is excitable and easily forgets himself and others. A Russian is self-assured simply because he knows nothing and does not want to know anything, since he does not believe in the possibility of knowing anything fully."
~ excerpt from "War and Peace" by Tolstoy
I am definitely Russian.
3 comments:
and that breeds self-assurance!?! :)
I think I deny the possibility of knowing anything fully. Even if I'm this close, I'll still never be there. Like the Zeno's Paradox! :)
Jean Pierre Ignorance can be very self-assuring. Really. Can you just feel the self-assurance oozing from this blog?
Matt Hah! That makes you half a Russian?
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