Musonius Rufus, Fragments 44

Why do we continue to be lazy and careless and sluggish and seek excuses for not working hard and sitting up late to perfect our mastery of logical argument? 

 

"Well, if I have made a mistake in this problem, I haven't been guilty of killing my own father, have I?" 

 

“Stupid boy, shall I show you where in this instance there was a father to kill? The only possible error to make in this example is the one you have made.”

 

Yet that was the very answer I once made to Rufus when he scolded me because I could not find the missing member in a certain syllogism. 

 

"It is not as bad," I said, "as if I had set fire to the Capitol." 

 

Whereupon he answered, "In this case, you foolish fellow, the missing member is the Capitol." 

 

Are these the only possible wrongs, burning the Capitol and killing one's father? 

 

But using one's impressions without purpose or profit and quite at random and failing to follow argument or demonstration or semblance of reason, and completely missing what is to one's advantage or disadvantage in question and answer—are none of these wrongs?

 

Every time I told myself that it was quite okay, because I could have done something so much worse, was a time when I took a step backwards. Before I knew it, I was standing far behind the line where I had started. 

 

I have often tried to make myself feel better by insisting that I was getting it right with all of the big things, and that all of the little things could therefore be more easily overlooked. 

 

“Hey, at least only some of it is messed up!” It may be one thing to say this about my circumstances, but quite another to say it about my own character; I can’t deny any responsibility for the latter. 

 

Progress will have to move forward, even if it can only manage at a snail’s pace. Failures and setbacks do not need to be seen as excuses, but they can be taken as noble encouragements.

 

Just as everything in the whole wide world counts, so everything that I do in the whole wide world counts. 

 

Those big things are made up precisely of many little things, and I cannot expect myself to be proficient at what is harder when I cannot be bothered to commit to what is easier. The rocket scientist must first learn his multiplication tables. 

 

Taking the time and effort to judge with care and concern will be necessary in all the aspects of my life if I wish to improve all the aspects of my humanity. Sweeping the unseemly bits under the rug just makes for a lumpy rug.