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Translation

On your Saturday, February 13 program, you made a reference to a quotation about our unhappiness to stay alone in a hotel room. I don't know where that version comes from, but it sure made me smile. The original quotation is from Blaise Pascal, a French 17th-century mathematician and Christian philosopher. He wrote some "Thoughts" and one of them comes under his heading "Diversion." He wrote: "All of mens' unhappiness comes from one thing alone, which is their inability to stay quiet, in a room." What he meant is that humankind is unable to sit still and contemplate its metaphysical nature and destiny and is always looking for diversions. In French, for the record: "Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre". [nowadays we would say de ne pas savoir...]. So that's the original and even if you take out "hotel", I suppose it still works on a travel-oriented program!

-Eve

 

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