Elinor Nauen

The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel. 

~ Horace Walpole

Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think.
~ Jean de La Bruyère

I've heard this many times but who said it? Jean de La Bruyère lived a century before Walpole. Or maybe it's one of those thoughts that people have that gets credited to someone respectable to give it extra weight, the way the Psalms are attributed to King David. I think I like JdLB's version better. What does that say about me & my sense of humor, irony, or philosophy? 

Action and feeling go together…by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling.

~ William James, Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life's Ideals

This is very Jewish, I think. Before receiving the 10 Commandments, the people said, We will obey & we will hear. I had an argument with a friend once. She said, I can't do anything I don't believe. I said, I can't believe anything I don't do. 

Doing leads to belief & to feeling. If I act kindly towards you, I'll end up liking you.

Yom Kippur is a day away so of course I'm thinking about how to do better.