...These intellectuals despise the general public for being non-professional and ignorant; the public ignores the intellectuals , because it finds th… - Arnold J. Toynbee

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...These intellectuals despise the general public for being non-professional and ignorant;
the public ignores the intellectuals , because it finds them unintelligible and unpractical. This mutual alienation is bad for the two of them and bad for society

All the great religions and philosophies declare that the proper goal for every living creature is to subdue and extinguish its natural self-centerness -to die unto itself.
They also declare unanimously that this effort is difficult because it is contrary to nature ,but that it is at the same time ,the only true way of self- fulfillment and therefore ,the only true way of attaining self-satisfaction and happiness