Wisdom or Bollocks--The Answers

[stdesjardins]

If you haven't taken the "Wisdom or Bollocks?" quiz, go here first.

One of the joys we have in being human is in exercising our freedom to choose and to take each case as it comes to us. We are not robots who are forced into behaviors by their programming. We see things; we think about things; and we choose our course of action or beliefs appropriately. And as long as that remains true of us, we will live every day of our lives on one slippery slope or another. There is no reason to fear this.--Real Live Preacher

Four people correctly predicted that I'd agree with this.

I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.--Ludwig Wittgenstein

Everyone agreed that this was bollocks.

Sanity is a madness put to good use.--George Santayana

Bollocks. Mainly because it's so incoherent you can't tell what it means, but even if it were phrased carefully enough to make sense, it would still be wrong. Three people thought I agreed with this.

There's the country of America, which you have to defend, but there's also the idea of America. America is more than just a country, it's an idea. An idea that's supposed to be contagious.--Bono

Full agreement. Four people got this one right.

Silence propagates itself, and the longer talk has been suspended, the more difficult it is to find anything to say.--Samuel Johnson

I'm bad at initiating conversation. This is a phenomenon I find very familiar. Three right.

Resistance is useless.--Doctor Who

Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks. Three people thought I'd agree with this.

Natural ability without education has more often attained to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.--Cicero

Five people correctly predicted I would agree with this.

The cautious seldom err.--Confucius

Everyone agreed this was bollocks.

But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.--John Adams

The fall of the Berlin Wall is a recent counter-example. Liberty, once lost, is difficult to regain--but not impossible. Bollocks, but only because it pushes the overstatement a shade too far.

Our doubts are traitors,/And make us lose the good we oft might win/By fearing to attempt.--William Shakespeare

A good contrast to the Confucius quote. Less absolute, hence more true. I accept it as true.

Comments

[benseaver.livejournal.com]

Hey, there. My name is Chris Watts and I'm a senior at SUNY Oswego in upstate New York. I searched for "Budapest Semesters in Math" and found you. I'm just wondering how the program is, because I'm considering doing it for the spring. I just had a few questions, if you could take some time.

Which living option did you choose and what did you think about it?

How rigorous was the program? Was it a "good challenge" or was it too difficult, or not enough?

Were the people in the program friendly? Were the professors helpful and clear?

And finally, are there any things I should/should not bring?

Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Watts
Brooklyn, NY

[stevendj.livejournal.com]

Ack, I meant to respond to this earlier.

I attended in 1986, when Hungary was very different, so I don't think I can give useful housing recommendations, or suggestions of stuff to pack.

The courses were reasonably rigorous, definitely not too easy, and covering a fair amount of material. But there was plenty of free time to see the city--the experience of living in a foreign culture was, to me, more valuable than the material we covered.

The professors were all very good and easy to understand.

I'd strongly recommend the program. It's definitely the best semester I spent in college.