Mingling, Marcus Aurelius

[_Ginny_]

That which is not good for the bee-hive cannot be good for the bees.

- Marcus Aurelius

[Ignoring Teh PT]

What is good for General Motors is good for the country.

[KnightPirate]

Ignoring Teh PT wrote:

What is good for General Motors is good for the country.

I thought it was Hooters.

[Area51alert]

You just woke up...need a nap already?

[_Olive_]

_Virginia_ wrote:

All things are drawn toward what is like them, if such a thing exists. All earthly things feel the earth's tug. All wet things flow together. And airy things as well, so they have to be forcibly prevented from mixing. Fire is naturally drawn upward by that higher fire, but ready to ignite at the slightest touch of other, earthly flame. So that anything drier than usual makes good fuel, because less of what hinders combustion is mixed with it.

And things that share an intelligent nature are just as prone to seek out what is like them. If not more so. Because their superiority in other ways is matched by their greater readiness to mix and mingle with their counterparts.

Even in irrational beings we see swarms and herds, and nesting and love not unlike ours. Because they do have souls, and the bonding instinct is found in a developed form—not something we see in plants, or stones, or trees. And it's still more developed in rational beings, with their states, friendships, families, groups, their treaties and truces. And in those yet more developed there is a kind of unity even between separate things, the kind that we see in the stars. An advanced level of development can produce a sympathy even in things that are quite distinct.

But look how things are now. The rational things are the only ones that have lost that sense of attraction—of convergence. Only there do we not see that intermingling. But however much they try to avoid it, there's no escaping. Nature is stronger. As you can see if you look closely.

Concrete objects can pull free of the earth more easily than humans can escape humanity.
- Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161 - 180), translation by Gregory Hays

so true.