Gnostic politics is self-defeating in so far as its disregard for the structure of reality leads to continuous warfare.
Eric VoegelinRead
The death of the spirit is the price of progress.
Interpretation
Progress often comes at the cost of spiritual or ethical values.
This quote suggests that as societies advance and evolve, they may lose sight of important spiritual or moral principles. The pursuit of progress can lead to a disconnection from deeper values, indicating that one must balance the material advancements with the well-being of the spirit and community essence.
In practice
During a lecture about the ethical implications of technology, one might use this quote to discuss the societal impacts of neglecting spiritual values.
Gnostic politics is self-defeating in so far as its disregard for the structure of reality leads to continuous warfare.
As an individual who undertakes to live by borrowing, soon finds his original means devoured by interest, and next no one left to borrow from - so must it be with a government.
It now lately sometimes seemed a black miracle to me that people could actually care deeply about a subject or pursuit, and could go on caring this way for years on end. Could dedicate their entire lives to it. It seemed admirable and at the same time pathetic. We are all dying to give our lives away to something, maybe.
Every little bit, every atom inside the universe, is in a constant state of change and motion, but the universe as a whole is unchangeable, because motion or change is a relative thing; we can only think of something in motion in comparison with something which is not moving.
The probability of apocalypse soon cannot be realistically estimated, but it is surely too high for any sane person to contemplate with equanimity.
The United States have adventured upon a great and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent - that of total separation of Church and State. No religious establishment by law exists among us. The conscience is left free from all restraint and each is permitted to worship his Maker after his own judgement.
The fact that labour is external to the worker, i.e., it does not belong to his intrinsic nature; that in his work, therefore he does not affirm himself but denies himself, does not feel content but unhappy, does not develop freely his physical and mental energy but mortifies his body and his mind. The worker therefore only feels himself outside his work, and in his work feels outside himself.
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