Television, radio, and all the sources of amusement and information that surround us in our daily lives are also artificial props. They can give us the impression that our minds are active, because we are required to react to stimuli from the outside. But the power of those external stimuli to keep us going is limited. They are like drugs. We grow used to them, and we continuously need more and more of them. Eventually, they have little or no effect. Then, if we lack resources within ourselves, we cease to grow intellectually, morally, and spiritually. And we we cease to grow, we begin to die.Mortimer J. Adler
About This Quote
That our minds are active because we are required to react to stimuli from the outside. Are you often told that you’re bored, or that you should be more interested in something else? Do you seem to be living in the past or stuck in your current situation? Are you living in the future when you should be taking care of the present? Are you always thinking about how much money is in your bank account? If you’re bored, use this quote to remind yourself that boredom is a choice. You can choose not to be bored by putting yourself in situations where you’re engaged and challenged. You can choose to think about things other than money so that your mind isn’t constantly daydreaming about all of the things it could buy.
Source: How To Read A Book: The Classic Guide To Intelligent Reading
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