Hi Ruth,
On 27 August 2010 12:14, Ruth Clydesdale <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Yes, Jake, I agree - as long as you're not suggesting that 'pessimistic
> Gnosticism' means going about with a long face.
not at all, more rejection of the world, ('pessimistic' is a
qualifier, not all gnostics necessarily do/did reject it).
> You could argue that swearing and playing rock are ways of withdrawing into
> the mind. After all, Ficino's motto was
> 'laetus in praesens' - and according to his biographer he was fond of a
> party and certainly didn't hold back on the drinking. As I understand it,
> withdrawing into the mind doesn't imply a pessimistic outlook: it's rather
> that only by training the mind (as, for example, in meditation) that we can
> choose what we think and thus look cheerfully upon whatever the fates throw
> at us. You choose rock music and sometimes so do I.
agreed, Neoplatonists leaders obviously were pro such mental life,
without being world haters into the bargain. Hermeticism was decidedly
'optimistic' for the most part (the Demiurge is a good guy).
> We're back with Plato and the charioteer in Phaedrus here.
>
> I've lurked on this list for ages, and now I'm wondering how you regulars
> get anything else done!
>
lol - see why you might think so! I've cleaned the bath, tidied the
place up and started to make some rose oil already today, so my excuse
is hyperactivity.
ALWays
Jake
http://www.underworld-apothecary.com/
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