The watcher and the watched

woman,art,

An intellectual? Yes. And never deny it. An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself. I like this, because I am happy to be both halves, the watcher and the watched. ‘Can they be brought together?’ This is a practical question. We must get down to it. ‘I despise intelligence’ really means: ‘I cannot bear my doubts.’

— Albert Camus


Painting by Tigran Tsitoghdzyan (“White Mirror, Oil on Canvas”) via Elinka Quote Source: Larmoyante


18 thoughts on “The watcher and the watched”

  1. I like this. To allow ones mind to watch ones mind is a great way to keep an open mind. Well stated my friend!

  2. Excellent. Being an intellectual has taken on a negative tone of late, as though being ignorant is something to be proud of. Its as though the dumbing down of the country has already occurred, and now we are striving to something even lower on the food chain.

    Thanks for sharing this and making us proud for, and being able to, use our brains.

  3. Love this! Be unapologetic in your quest for knowledge and confident in your brains…but do not be arrogant; this leads to ignorance and prejudice, for the smallest grain of sand has something to impart to you-something to teach you. The minute you think you know everything is the minute in which you know nothing. “Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.” ~Alfred North Whitehead

    1. Love the Whitehead quote. Thank you. And agree, that if you combine self awareness, with thirst for knowledge while remaining humble is the full package.

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