In my Thirty-Seven, I wrote at length (Ch. 7, “A Program of Education”) on the educational views of the Renaissance humanist Paolo Vergerio. His ideas stressed the importance of character and discipline as the foundations and prerequisites for intellectual study; not to master one’s desires, he knew, was fatal to any meaningful progress in education.
Advice requires two participants. One must offer it; and another must receive it. If it is offered without first having been solicited, it generates resentment, however small and incremental. And if it is requested, the counselor must yet take care not to overstep his boundaries, for fear of providing insight that is too pungent.
What traits and habits enabled men to survive extreme physical danger or adversity?
In this podcast, we look for some answers in accounts of the First World War.
Boccaccio’s On Famous Women
I find these old, forgotten Renaissance works highly enjoyable and instructive, precisely for the reasons that some people do not. Some people do not like the moralistic, judgmental tone of these old works. But it is refreshing. It is good sometimes to judge, and to be judged.
Certain diversions we do because we more or less have to do, such as vigorous exercising, studying languages, sex, travel, and reading. And these all have their proper place. But there are times when the collective strain of responsibility, and the stress of duties, demand that entirely new parts of our brain be activated and exercised. When I say “new” parts of the brain, I mean literally that: a man can rub raw a particular part of his brain by continually using it, and exhaust himself by repetitive tasks.
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What is motivation?
From what sources does it originate? And how can it be cultivated and sharpened?
This important podcast focuses on motivation. It’s a critical subject for everyone.
How can a person develop or sustain motivation? We examine the following:
I was reading an article today about the destruction of Yemen’s literary and artistic heritage. It is a sad story. The bombing of the country by Saudi Arabia, as well as years of neglect by its custodians, now mean that Yemen’s rich literary heritage—much of it contained in medieval manuscripts—is facing possible destruction. I remember hearing the same thing about the medieval manuscripts of Timbuktu in North Africa.
It was an opportunity to reflect on the transitory nature of all things, and of knowledge in particular.
Charity, kindness, and other acts of benevolence may be far from your mind. The pressures and confusions of life can weigh on us, and prevent us from seeing the need to help others.
The degree to which one is disposed to think of such things often depends on his age and station in life. Yet for most of us, there will come a time when we will want to give something back to those who have, in some small way, enabled us to make our own progress.
Progress is not linear. It is not a constantly positive quantity, straining for ever-increasing graphical altitudes. Sometimes it is stagnant for long periods. Sometimes it actually goes into negative territory for long periods.
People don’t really think about this. There is this perception that things should always move from bad to better, from negative to positive. We’re always going up, up, up! They say. Well, they are wrong.
Quintus Curtius 
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