Today’s quote: 

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Below are the lyrics from one of my favorite songs. The bold text highlights my favorite part. You can listen to the song on Spotify here.

Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths

[Verse 1]

Achilles, Achilles, Achilles, come down

Won’t you get up off, get up off the roof?

You’re scaring us and all of us, some of us love you

Achilles, it’s not much but there’s proof

You crazy-ass cosmonaut, remember your virtue

Redemption lies plainly in truth

Just humor us, Achilles, Achilles, come down

Won’t you get up off, get up off the roof?

[Excerpt read by Albert Camus]

Je vois que beaucoup de gens meurent, parce qu’ils estiment que la vie ne vaut pas la peine d’être vécue. J’en vois d’autres, qui se font paradoxalement tués pour des idées, pour des illusions, qui leurs donnent une raison de vivre (ce, qu’on appelle une raison de vivre est en même temps une excellente raison de mourir)

[Verse 2]

Achilles, Achilles, Achilles, come down

Won’t you get up off, get up off the roof?

The self is not so weightless, nor whole and unbroken

Remember the pact of our youth

Where you go, I’m going, so jump and I’m jumping

Since there is no me without you

Soldier on, Achilles, Achilles, come down

Won’t you get up off, get up off the roof?

[Pre-Chorus]

Loathe the way they light candles in Rome

But love the sweet air of the votives

Hurt and grieve but don’t suffer alone

Engage with the pain as a motive

[Chorus]

Today, of all days, see

How the most dangerous thing is to love

How you will heal and you’ll rise above

[Excerpt read by Albert Camus]

D’un gérant d’immeuble qui s’était tué on disait un jour qu’il avait perdu sa fille depuis cinq ans, qu’il avait beaucoup changé depuis et que cette histoire l’avait-

[Verse 3]

Achilles, Achilles, Achilles, jump now

You are absent of cause or excuse

So self-indulgent and self-referential

No audience could ever want you

You crave the applause yet hate the attention

Then miss it, your act is a ruse

It is empty, Achilles, so end it all now

It’s a pointless resistance for you

[Excerpt read by Albert Camus]

Ce qui déclenche la crise est presque toujours incontrôlable. Les journaux parlent souvent de « chagrins intimes » ou de « maladie incurable ». Ces explications sont valables. Mais il faudrait savoir si le jour même un ami du désespéré ne lui a pas parlé sur un ton indifférent. Celui‑là est le –

[Verse 4]

Achilles, Achilles, just put down the bottle

Don’t listen to what you’ve consumed

It’s chaos, confusion and wholly unworthy

Of feeding and it’s wholly untrue

You may feel no purpose nor a point for existing

It’s all just conjecture and gloom

And there may not be meaning, so find one and seize it

Do not waste yourself on this roof

[Pre-Chorus]

Hear those bells ring deep in the soul

Chiming away for a moment

Feel your breath course frankly below

And see life as a worthy opponent

[Chorus]

Today, of all days, see

How the most dangerous thing is to love

How you will heal and you’ll rise above

Crowned by an overture bold and beyond

Ah, it’s more courageous to overcome

[Excerpt read by Albert Camus]

Les souvenirs d’une patrie perdue, l’espoir d’une terre promise. Ce divorce entre l’homme de sa vie-

[Bridge]

You want the acclaim, the mother of mothers

(It’s not worth it, Achilles)

More poignant than fame or the taste of another

(Don’t listen, Achilles)

But be real and just jump, you dense motherfucker

(You’re worth more, Achilles)

You will not be more than a rat in the gutter

(So much more than a rat)

You want my opinion, my opinion you’ve got

(No one asked your opinion)

You asked for my counsel, I gave you my thoughts

(No one asked for your thoughts)

Be done with this now and jump off the roof

(Be done with this now and get off the roof)

Can you hear me, Achilles? I’m talking to you

I’m talking to you

I’m talking to you

I’m talking to you

Achilles, come down

Achilles, come down

[Excerpt read by Albert Camus]

Celle du oui et celle du non. Ce serait trop beau. Mais il faut faire la part de ceux qui, sans conclure, interrogent toujours. Ici, j’ironise à peine : il s’agit de la majorité. Je vois également que ceux qui répondent non agissent comme s’ils pensaient oui. De fait-

[Pre-Chorus]

Throw yourself into the unknown

With pace and a fury defiant

Clothe yourself in beauty untold

And see life as a means to a triumph

[Chorus]

Today, of all days, see

How the most dangerous thing is to love

How you will heal and you’ll rise above

Crowned by an overture bold and beyond

Ah, it’s more courageous to overcome

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Brain teaser:

This is an unusual paragraph. I’m curious as to just how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so ordinary and plain that you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is highly unusual though. Study it and think about it. You still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out. Try to do so without any coaching.

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