The culture of being among people, kills individualism. Soon, you talk like the physical people you spend your spare time talking with. (Ofcourse, if you have no worthwhile opinions, it doesnt matter what u do). You don't have a choice most of the time; you have company foisted on you. But even when it is a choice, private people relent too often. It's important to stick to your guns and your personal deadlines and block regular days for self-time. I envy Diogenes.

There's a new open book at your elbows - assuming there no outstanding feature on one page - which page do you look at first? The one on the left or right? I'm verso, subverso! We also thought Archilocus was chilling - I wonder what the contents of his killer crit-writ were. I also think Diogenes' comebacks were onthespot. Comebacks like that arent easy. The timing, relevance and ease of cracker comebacks are something divine.

Pardon the idyllic unethical pre-raph image insertion. Another post on the problem I have with the pre-raphs. But this painting shows Diogenes in the barrell he took to living in. More than that, I think you should read about him. Do you have reputation for being largely contrary and difficult? Diogenes was better.
*Btw - don't miss the Reeth Lectures - Today at 9GMT.