Common Philosophy

The philosophy of the common man is an old wife that gives him no pleasure, yet he cannot live without her, and resents any aspersions that strangers may cast on her character.

- George Santayana


For some reason, reading this, the image of me surrounded by a group of belligerent WW2 sailors popped into mind. They were beating me up, kicking me, shoving me. "Teach you to doubt yer reality!" Pow! "Look boys, he's reading Kant! Here's your ding an sich!" Bam! "Say, he's got an Aquinas book! Mister High 'n Mighty's judging us!" Punch! Slap! Kick!

And Santayana's lurking there in the background, hands in his pockets, whistling and avoiding all eye contact ...