In a 1959 interview with Bertrand Russel, he was asked what would be worth telling a generation one thousand years from now about the life he lived and the lessons he had learned from it. Lord Russel gave two specific answers.
“I should like to say two things: one intellectual and one moral. The intellectual thing I should want to say to them is this. When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy ask yourself only what are the facts and what is the truth that the facts bear out. Never let yourself be diverted either by what you wish to believe or by what would have beneficial social effects if it were believed but look only and solely at what are the facts.
The moral think. I would wish to say to them is very simple. I should say, love is wise, and hatred is foolish. In this world, which is getting more and more closely interconnected, we have to learn to tolerate each other. We have to learn to put up with the fact that some people say things that we don’t like. We can only live together in that way but if we are to live together and not die together we must learn the kind of charity and a kind of tolerance which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet.”
Not sure how this little ditty came into my feed today from the BBC, but I am in the highest agreement with Lord Russel and have been saying these things for many years. It does not take great intellect or power to understand the simplicity of these statements. It just takes a human brain that is connected to a human heart.
For the humble and wise, these quotes need no explanation or exposition. For anyone else, pride is too far in the way to make a difference, to begin with. I can almost hear the drums of “yeah but…” pounding over the horizon. May they march themselves to their own drums in the same direction and may the rest of us look to “learn the kind of charity and a kind of tolerance which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet”
I’d love your thoughts.
What things have you learned you should be more tolerant of and patient with in the last year or so?