Devotion to the truth is the hallmark of morality; there is no greater, nobler, more heroic form of devotion than the act of a man who assumes the responsibility of thinking.
Ayn RandRead
The best actors just stay in the moment,and whatever happens in the scene is a genuine surprise. You really do not know what's going to happen next. But living that out in life is very dangerous because it throws you into a place where you don't know if you're going to survive.
Interpretation
Being present in the moment can lead to surprises, but in life, it can also bring uncertainty and risk.
This quote emphasizes the distinction between the spontaneity of acting and the unpredictability of real life. While great actors thrive on the unexpected, embracing the moment can be perilous in our daily existence, where the stakes often involve our survival or well-being. The balance between spontaneity and preparation is crucial, as life can often be unpredictable and challenging.
In practice
During a motivational speech about embracing uncertainty in career choices.
Devotion to the truth is the hallmark of morality; there is no greater, nobler, more heroic form of devotion than the act of a man who assumes the responsibility of thinking.
The very beginning of Genesis tells us that God created man in order to give him dominion over fish and fowl and all creatures. Of course, Genesis was written by a man, not a horse. There is no certainty that God actually did grant man dominion over other creatures. What seems more likely, in fact, is that man invented God to sanctify the dominion that he usurped for himself over the cow and the horse.
It is impossible for someone to lie unless he thinks he knows the truth. Producing bullshit requires no such conviction.
How could this world be so unlike the world that I believed I was living in? I can't describe it. Do I not want to describe it, or do I simply not possess the vocabulary?
My deep religiosity [...] found an abrupt ending at the age of twelve, through the reading of popular scientific books.
As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting Changes; and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity.
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