On the Seeking of Wisdom

What is it to be wise? A pain. What then is a philosopher? A lettered and lonely masochist. The truth is a phantasm. Men who seek it, and seek wisdom, are a terrible lot. Most men make a good life without wisdom beyond that of the moment. For most love, and birth, seeking and uniting are existential facts. Married men, the spent lot who have their woman and their child, will see no need for it. Many intelligent people find no time for it, outside of the platitudes of popular morality. If a voice finds itself screaming against this, it best love its echo- men's minds do not like so profound and far-reaching change. Baseness is a fact, nobility only an ideal. To seek wisdom is to curse oneself. Freedom, once found, is afraid of slavery. Nobility once attained, feels cold and alone in a common world. Reason, once sharpened, finds itself too cutting. All of this is indeed a kind of vanity. To seek wisdom is to curse philosophy as an academic pursuit. For the spirit whose longing for itself burns hottest will die of solitude. To seek wisdom and count oneself among the sages is a stupidity. It is well enough to find wisdom in drunkenness as it is in sobriety. What use in this time is it to seek a vain thing? Knowledge of all things would be a terror beyond the mind. Whatever brings repose- happiness and tranquility is the good. The evil is the reverse. This conclusion, like much of life, is simple and disappointing.