One Hundred and Seventy

But to say we’re more alike than we are different is, although not wrong, misleading.  Better to say we’re alike in being different, because everyone is unique. 

This seems paradoxical, which confirms it’s true.  The truth always seems paradoxical to fools, and we’re all foolish most of the time, pretending not to know what we know.

I’ve always asked myself why I stay alive, and usually answered it’s because I still want to understand.  The goal, said Marx, is not to understand the world, but to change it; but I've always known that in order to change the world, one must understand it - know both what it is, and what it could be; and understand ourselves as well - know what we can do to change it.  I’ve always known that I can do nothing alone, and I’ve always known I am alone; but I’ve never allowed myself to put these two facts together and draw the logical conclusion.