The body is an extension, an expression, of the mind. Like the flood carves the valleys, so does the soul cast the body in its image.

The mind is a function, an organ, of the body, for the whole body thinks and feels. One thinks with his hand as much as with his head. And a body afflicted with sickness poisons the mind.

الجَسَدُ صورةٌ عن العقل: كما يَنزِلُ المَطَر، فَيَنحَتُ فَيضُه الوديان، عَلى صورَتِه يَخلُقُ العقلُ الجَسَدَ.

العقلُ عضوٌ مِنَ الجسد، فالجَسَدُ كُلّه يُفَكِّرُ ويَشعُر، والمَرءُ يُفَكِّرُ بيَدَيه مِثلَما يَفعَلُ برأسِه. والعقلُ يَسقَمُ إنْ ابْتُلِيَ الجَسَدُ بِعِلّةٍ.

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Otherwise you'll end up like St. Denis

The philosophy of individualism only applies to those who, in Nietzsche’s evaluation, are capable of becoming individuals – and that excludes the majority. Ironically, then, the worthy recipients of Nietzsche’s individualistic philosophy are those who would approach it critically. They would, at best, adapt it to their personalized needs, refusing to accept it in totality.

- Friedrich Nietzsche and the Politics of the Soul, by Leslie Thiele

Truly, I advise you: go away from me and guard yourselves against Zarathustra! And better still: be ashamed of him! Perhaps he has deceived you.

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.
One repays a teacher badly if one remains only a pupil.

Now I bid you lose me and find yourselves; and only when you have all denied me will I return to you.
Truly, with other eyes, my brothers, I shall then seek my lost ones; with another love I shall then love you.

- Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Interesting + Inspiring = Inspiresting

Robots are interesting. Using them to eat trash in Nairobi is inspiring. Put the two together, and you have a TED talk. 
I like to call this fusion “the inspiresting.” Stylistically, the inspiresting is earnest and contrived. It is smart but not quite intellectual, personal but not sincere, jokey but not funny.

- Oscar Schwartz

TED has been deeply implicated in broadcasting and championing the Silicon Valley version of the future. TED is probably best understood as the propaganda arm of an ascendant technocracy.

- Oscar Schwartz

TED talks are self-help taken to a mass-production level, since the both offer:

• the belief that "you can change the world/yourself if you want." And only "if you want to."
• just like illegal drugs, they offer a feel-good dose of optimism, inspiration, and encouragement without doing anything useful really (or doing anything at all).

المشكلة ليست في أنّ [وسائل الإعلام والتواصل media] توفّر لنا مواضيعًا ترفيهية وممتعة، بل في أنّ جميع المواضيع صارت تُقَدَّم بصفتها مواضيعًا ترفيهية.

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I really feel sorry for today's famous people. Their whole reputation and social life is under the mercy of the crowds (not even their fans). They are more like politicians than kings, since their whole fame is "democratic" and they will fall if the crowd dislikes them or simply grows weary of them.

They are truly miserable because they are hostages for whoever has a twitter or instagram account.