Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Tell it, brother!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Benjamin Franklin (also attributed to Albert Einstein)

For the life of me, I don't think I'll ever understand how anyone can exhibit the same self-destructive behavior time and time again, and not learn anything from it. Wouldn't a reasonable, rational person start to see that there is a pattern in their life, and take steps to rectify the problem? Instead of improving, growing wiser as they grow older, they willfully ignore what is staring them in the face: the bad things that happen to them are a direct result of their own poor judgment and bad decisions. Anyone who goes through life this way must be a truly miserable person. Instead of bringing a positive atmosphere and environment into situations or relationships, they bring chaos and disorder. Bitterness and rancor are a way of life for them. For the scientist in me, it is highly illogical, and it's understandable that I get why Ben and/or Albert made such a comment.

For people who make a poor decision once or twice, I can feel compassion or pity. For those who do the same bonehead things again and again, I feel contempt.

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