A trecut mai bine de un secol de la inventarea ma�inii cu aburi, iar noi abia

�ncepem s� sim�im zguduirea profund� pe care a provocat-o. Revolu�ia c�reia i-a dat
na�tere �n industrie a transformat, cel pu�in tot at�t de mult, �i rela�iile dintre
oameni: se ivesc idei noi, sunt pe cale s� r�sar� sentimente noi. Peste veacuri,
c�nd deta�area de trecut va l�sa la vedere doar marile direc�ii, r�zboaiele �i
revolu�iile noastre vor conta prea pu�in pentru ca cineva s� le mai ia �n seam�;
dar despre ma�ina cu aburi, despre cortegiul inven�iilor generate de ea se va vorbi
poate tot a�a cum vorbim noi ast�zi despre bronz �i despre piatra cioplit�. Ea va
servi la definirea unei epoci. Dac� neam putea descotorosi de orice orgoliu, dac� �
spre a ne defini ca specie � ne-am ghida dup� ceea ce preistoria �i istoria ne
arat� c� reprezint� caracteristica stabil� a omului �i a inteligen�ei, nu ne vom
spune Homo Sapiens1, ci Homo faber2. �n fond, inteligen�a� este capacitatea de a
fabrica obiecte artificiale, �n particular unelte de f�cut unelte, �i de a varia la
infinit fabricarea lor; (H. Bergson, Evolu�ia creatoare).

P�rintele Dumnezeu, supremul arhitect, construise deja dup� legile tainicei

�n�elepciuni aceast� cas� a lumii, pe care o vedem, pream�re� templu al
dumnezeirii� Dar, dup� terminarea lucr�rii, f�uritorul dorea s� existe cineva care
s� cerceteze cu aten�ie �n�elesul unei at�t de mari �nf�ptuiri, s�-i �ndr�geasc�
frumuse�ea, s�-i admire m�re�ia. Din aceast� cauz�, dup� ce toate celelalte lucruri
au fost duse la cap�t [�] s-a g�ndit �n sf�r�it s� creeze omul. Dar, printre
arhetipuri nu mai avea vreunul dup� care s� pl�smuiasc� un nou neam; nici printre
bog�ii nu mai avea ceva ce s�-i dea mo�tenire noului fiu, �i nici printre locuri nu
mai avea vreunul �n care s� �ad� acest contemplator al Universului. Toate erau deja
pline� Dar, nu i se potrivea puterii creatorului ca, din cauza ultimei sale
crea�ii, s� strice cele deja f�cute [�] nu-i era propriu binef�c�toarei iubiri
tocmai pe acela care avea s� sl�veasc� generozitatea divin� �n fa�a celorlal�i, s�-
l sileasc� s� o condamne �n el. �n sf�r�it, preabunul creator a hot�r�t ca acela
c�ruia nu mai putea s�-i dea nimic propriu, s� aib� ceva comun, dar cu toate
acestea s� fie deosebit de fiecare �n parte. A�adar, a conceput omul ca pe o
lucrare cu un aspect care nu �l diferen�iaz� �i, a�ez�ndu-l �n centrul Universului
i-a vorbit astfel: �O, Adame! nu �i-am dat nici un loc sigur, nici o �nf�i�are
proprie, nici vreo favoare deosebit�, pentru c� acel loc, acea �nf�i�are, acele
�ng�duin�e pe care tu �nsu�i le vei dori, tocmai pe acelea s� le dob�nde�ti �i s�
le st�p�ne�ti dup� voin�a �i hot�r�rea ta. Natura configurat� �n celelalte fiin�e
este silit� s� existe �n limitele legilor prestabilite de mine. Tu, ne�ngr�dit de
nici un fel de opreli�ti, �i vei hot�r� natura prin propria-�i voin�� �n a c�rei
putere te-am a�ezat. Te-am pus �n centrul lumii pentru ca de aici s� prive�ti mai
lesne cele ce se afl� �n lumea din jur. Nu te-am f�cut nici ceresc, nici p�m�ntean,
nici muritor, nici nemuritor, pentru ca singur s� te �nf�i�ezi �n forma pe care tu
�nsu�i o preferi, ca �i cum prin voia ta ai fi propriu-�i sculptor �i pl�smuitor de
cinste. Vei putea s� decazi �n cele de jos, ce sunt lipsite de inteligen��; vei
putea, prin hot�r�rea spiritului t�u, s� rena�ti �n cele de sus, ce sunt divine.
(Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Despre demnitatea omului)

G�nditori precum Th. Hobbes, J. Locke, J.-J. Rousseau au imaginat o stare natural�
�n care oamenii tr�iau �ntr-adev�r astfel, f�r� a-�i reglementa reciproc
comportamentele. A�a cum spunea Hobbes, �n acea stare a naturii fiecare se afla
�ntr-un r�zboi continuu cu to�i ceilal�i (bellum omnium contra omnes): urm�ndu-�i
propriile interese, oamenii nu �ineau �n nici un fel seama de interesele
celorlal�i, omul era lup fa�� de om (homo homini lupus). �n acea stare, individul
se sim�ea �n nesiguran��; via�a �i bunurile �i erau amenin�ate. De aceea, oamenii
au consim�it, de�i cu pre�ul renun��rii la unele din drepturile lor, s� formeze o
comuniune care s�-i apere de invazia str�inilor ori de nedrept�ile unuia �mpotriva
altuia. Oamenii au acceptat un fel de pact ori contract social, de felul: renun� la
dreptul meu de a m� conduce singur �i autorizez pe acest om sau grup de oameni s�
asigure drepturi �i obliga�ii pentru to�i, cu condi�ia ca fiecare alt om s� fac� la
fel. Astfel a luat na�tere statul. Potrivit acestei concep�ii, pentru a explica
�mprejurarea c�, dup� c�te cunoa�tem, oamenii au tr�it �ntotdeauna �n comunit�i, nu
trebuie presupus c� oameni posed� �n chip esen�ial proprietatea sociabilit�ii;
lucrul acesta se �nt�mpl� pentru c� oamenii prefer� s� tr�iasc� astfel dec�t �ntr-o
stare de felul celei a naturii. �n al doilea r�nd, observ�m c�, potrivit acestei
concep�ii, oamenii sunt �anteriori� societ�ii. E adev�rat c� �i acum ei se
�subordoneaz� statului � dar nu �n mod absolut, ci �n m�sura �n care acest lucru a
fost cuprins �n contractul originar. Dac� statul �i dep�e�te prerogativele incluse
�n contract, omul nu mai e obligat s� i se supun�. Oamenii au de la natur� anumite
drepturi, orice contract social ar �ncheia, ei nu renun�� � de pild� � la
libertatea lor, la dreptul de a avea proprietate, ori la acela de a-�i c�uta
fericirea. Astfel de drepturi sunt naturale. Ele le apar�in oamenilor �n mod
necesar �i nici o organizare social� nu le-ar putea nega.

�i este clar c� din natur� statul este anterior familiei �i fiec�ruia din noi; c�ci
corpul trebuie s� existe mai �nainte de organe; �i suprim�ndu-se corpul, nu va fi
nici picior, nici m�n�, dec�t numai cu numele, precum se poate numi m�n�, o m�n� de
piatr�; c�ci fiind stricat� va fi tot m�n� (�ns� numai cu numele), c�ci toate
lucrurile se determin� prin menirea �i prin puterea (de a �mplini aceast� menire),
a�a c� dac� nu mai sunt acelea�i, nu se poate zice c� au aceea�i fire, ci doar
acela�i nume. A�adar, este clar c� statul este din natur� anterior individului,
c�ci �ntruc�t individul nu-�i este suficient, el este fa�� de stat, ca m�dularele
unui corp fa�� de acesta, iar pe de alt� parte dac� nu poate ori nu are trebuin��
s� se �ntov�r�easc� �n societate din cauza suficien�ei sale, atunci nu este membru
al statului, ci ori fiar�, ori zeu.

"If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you�re needing is
not to be in a different place but to be a different person." - Lucius Annaeus
Seneca
"Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones." - Lucius
Annaeus Seneca
"Most men ebb and flow in wretchedness between the fear of death and the hardships
of life; they are unwilling to live, and yet they do not know how to die." - Lucius
Annaeus Seneca
"However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do
you if you do not act on upon them?" - Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni
"Don't read succes stories, you will get only message... Read failure stories, you
will get some ideas to get success..." - Apj Abdul Kalam
"When I'm dead. do not delcare a holida. Instead, work a day extra." - Apj Abdul
Kalam
"In life two things define you "your patience" when you have nothing & "your
attitude" when you have everything" - Apj Abdul Kalam
"Problems are common, but an attitude makes the difference!" - Apj Abdul Kalam
"When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms. When creativity blossoms,
thinking emanates. When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit. When knowledge
is lit, economy flourishes." - Apj Abdul Kalam

"The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last it and not be
smashed by it." - Ernest Hemingway
"The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too
much, and forgetting that you are special too." - Ernest Hemingway
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is
being superior to your former self." - Ernest Hemingway
"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places" -
Ernest Hemingway
"All thinking men are atheists." - Ernest Hemingway
"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how
he died that distinguish one man from another." - Ernest Hemingway
"Madame, all stories, if continued far enough, end in death, and he is no true-
story teller who would keep that from you." - Ernest Hemingway
"If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it." - Ernest Hemingway
"Courage is grace under pressure." - Ernest Hemingway
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."
- Ernest Hemingway
"Never confuse movement with action." - Ernest Hemingway
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may
hide their feelings, but a cat does not." - Ernest Hemingway
"You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves
fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold,
wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river
would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the
spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason." - Ernest Hemingway
"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." - Ernest
Hemingway
"Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact.
Then when luck comes you are ready." - Ernest Hemingway
"To win true freeedom you must be a slave to philosophy." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"As it is with a play, so it is with life - what matters is not how long the acting
lasts, but how good it is." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in
their writings should be applied in our pursuit of a happy life. We should hunt out
the helpful pieces of teaching, and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are
capable of immediate practical application�not far-fetched or archaic expressions
or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech�and learn them so well that words
become works. No one to my mind lets humanity down quite so much as those who study
philosophy as if it were a sort of commercial skill and then proceed to live in a
quite different manner from the way they tell other people to live." - Lucius
Annaeus Seneca
"The primary indication, to my thinking, of a well-ordered mind is a man�s ability
to remain in one place and linger in his own company. Be careful, however, lest
this reading of many authors and books of every sort may tend to make you
discursive and unsteady. You must linger among a limited number of master-thinkers,
and digest their works, if you would derive ideas which shall win firm hold in your
mind. Everywhere means nowhere. When a person spends all his time in foreign
travel, he ends by having many acquaintances, but no friends. And the same thing
must hold true of men who seek intimate acquaintance with no single author, but
visit them all in a hasty and hurried manner. Food does no good and is not
assimilated into the body if it leaves the stomach as soon as it is eaten; nothing
hinders a cure so much as frequent change of medicine; no wound will heal when one
salve is tried after another; a plant which is often moved can never grow strong.
There is nothing so efficacious that it can be helpful while it is being shifted
about. And in reading of many books is distraction." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"Life is slavery if the courage to die is absent." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the
future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied
with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing." - Lucius
Annaeus Seneca
"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired." - F. Scott
Fitzgerald
"And I like large parties. They�re so intimate. At small parties, there isn�t any
privacy." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human
freedoms�to choose one�s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose
one�s own way." - Viktor E. Frankl (Man's Search for Meaning)
"When things break, it's not the actual breaking that prevents them from getting
back together again. It's because a little piece gets lost - the two remaining ends
couldn't fit together even if they wanted to. The whole shape has changed." - John
Green (Will Grayson, Will Grayson)
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" -
George Eliot
"- If you fail, never give up because F.A.I.L. means "first Attempt In Learning"
- The end is not the end if fact E.N.D. means "Effort Never Dies"
- If you get No as an answer, remember N.O. means "Next Opportunity".
So Let's be positive." - Apj Abdul Kalam