skonen_blades (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
skonen_blades) wrote2008-03-07 01:19 am
skonen_blades) wrote2008-03-07 01:19 am
Timeo Hominem Unius Libri
Last night in the bathroom of the Plaza at a concert for British Sea Power, a lovely band from Brighton, I noticed that the guy washing his hands next to me had a tattoo poking out from underneath the wristband of his jacket. It was a word.
I asked him what his tattoo said. He pulled up his sleeve. There in Helvetica from his wrist to the crook of his elbow, it said:
Timeo Hominem Unius Libri
Which, translated from the Latin, means ‘I fear the man of one book.’
Personally, I think this is one of the most profound things I have heard in at least a few months.
Fear the person that has a fanatical devotion to one book. It can be an obvious dig at religion but also at the people that enforce the law. Any blind adherence to a dogma or a list.
I also took it to mean, ‘fear the man that has only ever read one book. Like ever. Regardless of its content.’ because he is stupid, easily swayed, and will kill you without realizing the deeper or future implications or the act if he is angered or pushed.
I also took it to mean, ‘fear the man that has only ever written one book’ because that one single accomplishment will be all that person talks about, an excuse for never doing anything else, a reason for living in the past, and a cross to bear. That person will not be a person of Flow.
In Farenheit 451, one of the characters goes near-schizophrenic from reading too much. All of the differing and contradictory opinions put forth in the forbidden books that he’s had the chance to peruse before burning have jumbled up in his head until he begs for death. The complexity of many voices is a death knell for his consciousness rather than pleasant distraction or healthy debate.
In reading up on the saying, I found it used in a church sermon. It proclaimed that the bible is made up of many different testaments and scriptures, thereby making it many books. I think that this is irony.
Another irony is that Saint Thomas Aquinas, the man credited with uttering the phrase, was for several centuries considered the highest authority in theology. Experts that published after him merely parroted what he said, making many books on the subject nearly identical. Not a situation that Thomas would have been happy with.
Most people take it to mean something along the lines of ‘get a second opinion’. Some twist it to support ‘believe none of what you hear and half of what you read’.
There's so much in it. Fear the stupid. Expand your mind. Beware of simple solutions.
I think I’ll just take it to mean ‘read lots’.
tags
I asked him what his tattoo said. He pulled up his sleeve. There in Helvetica from his wrist to the crook of his elbow, it said:
Timeo Hominem Unius Libri
Which, translated from the Latin, means ‘I fear the man of one book.’
Personally, I think this is one of the most profound things I have heard in at least a few months.
Fear the person that has a fanatical devotion to one book. It can be an obvious dig at religion but also at the people that enforce the law. Any blind adherence to a dogma or a list.
I also took it to mean, ‘fear the man that has only ever read one book. Like ever. Regardless of its content.’ because he is stupid, easily swayed, and will kill you without realizing the deeper or future implications or the act if he is angered or pushed.
I also took it to mean, ‘fear the man that has only ever written one book’ because that one single accomplishment will be all that person talks about, an excuse for never doing anything else, a reason for living in the past, and a cross to bear. That person will not be a person of Flow.
In Farenheit 451, one of the characters goes near-schizophrenic from reading too much. All of the differing and contradictory opinions put forth in the forbidden books that he’s had the chance to peruse before burning have jumbled up in his head until he begs for death. The complexity of many voices is a death knell for his consciousness rather than pleasant distraction or healthy debate.
In reading up on the saying, I found it used in a church sermon. It proclaimed that the bible is made up of many different testaments and scriptures, thereby making it many books. I think that this is irony.
Another irony is that Saint Thomas Aquinas, the man credited with uttering the phrase, was for several centuries considered the highest authority in theology. Experts that published after him merely parroted what he said, making many books on the subject nearly identical. Not a situation that Thomas would have been happy with.
Most people take it to mean something along the lines of ‘get a second opinion’. Some twist it to support ‘believe none of what you hear and half of what you read’.
There's so much in it. Fear the stupid. Expand your mind. Beware of simple solutions.
I think I’ll just take it to mean ‘read lots’.
tags
no subject
And thank you for inviting me. I'm only sorry I found out to late. I wasn't up to anything I wouldnt' have gladly ditched to go to British Sea Power. I'm terrifically sad I missed it.
Ah well. I'll see you tonight!
no subject
And yeah, Destiny's got the big book with everyone in it, right? At least, he does in the comics. (pushed glasses up nose and checks pens in shirt pocket)
It was a good show but I get the impression that everything worked out the way it was supposed to. There was a tagger-alonger that needed a ticket so it was fortuitous that I had one to give. The opening bands were interesting. Local band Elizabeth put on a stellar performance before Colour Music hit us with an interesting set.
British Sea Power, though, yikes. They know how to put on a show. And there wasn't many people there. We were right up near the stage getting sweated on by the singer. My friend Duncan from England was losing his mind being that close to them. He said that if BSP played a place like the Commodore back home, it would have sold out in minutes. He said it was just crazy to be in a place as small as the Plaza and have it be maaaaaybe 3/4 full (and I'm talking just the floor, not the balcony) for British Sea Power. It was pretty cool.
See you tonight.
no subject
Upon reading that quote I looked up at my library and wondered how a man who had read so much Aristotle, and had tried to join Christian and Greek philosophy, could have said such a thing.
Also, Jews trying to find a code in the Qur'an? That's awesome.
no subject
Shit, did I get the Jewish holy book wrong? Is their thing the Torah? Is the Qur'an a Muslim thing? Man, I knew I was getting something wrong there. You probably have the 411 on this stuff much more than I do after your year of faith thing.
no subject
I heard about this. The Bible code and the Koran code. Well. You can be sure they'll find something, and that it will be totally arbitrary. But that's how it goes, hah.
no subject
no subject
Thanks.
no subject