The Laws of Human Nature

The way to recognize this in yourself and in others is by noticing behavior that is suddenly childish in its intensity and seemingly out of character.

it brings powers that are immensely satisfying and pleasurable, much deeper than the more manic pleasures the world tends to offer us.

Love the rational.

The ancient Greeks had an appropriate metaphor for this: the rider and the horse.

Know yourself thoroughly.

these types share certain qualities—a realistic appraisal of themselves and their weaknesses; a devotion to truth and reality; a tolerant attitude toward people; and the ability to reach goals that they have set.

Make your acceptance of human nature as radical as possible. This will calm you down and help you observe people more dispassionately, understanding them on a deeper level. You will stop projecting your own emotions on to them. All of this will give you more balance and calmness, more mental space for thinking.

Being able to tame the Emotional Self leads to an overall calmness and clarity.

As long as there are humans, the irrational will find its voices and means of spreading. Rationality is something to be acquired by individuals, not by mass movements or technological progress.