I think; therefore, I am" -René Descartes-

"I feel; therefore, I am" -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Both of these statements were made by men living around the same time period (17th Century), but each obviously valuing something radically different from the other.  Whether to live as an intellectual being or one driven by emotion--it's still a question many of us continue to ask today.

But the question is not so much which, but is, instead, do we have to choose? 

Must one be without the other?  Or can we blend and merge them?

Theoretically, I think it can be done.  I do believe, however, that most people fall more to one side or the other.  I know I find I am most calm, most okay when things are organized, logical--when I can devote myself to reading, researching, and educating.  It seems most right then; I feel most in my element.  I feel most powerful and in control.

For even the short time that I allowed myself to "date" or become emotional about a man, it seemed to turn my world upside down.  Perhaps, that says something about my character (or lack thereof), but I felt completely out of control, completely unfocused, completely not okay.  I felt powerless and horrible most of the time. 

Now, I am sure that in the right relationship that might not happen.  I also think that I sometimes tend to overcompensate for my overly emotionally nature.  I don't like it to get the best of me, as it has in my younger years, so I try to do what I can to deal in things that are intellectual, mind-related--things that I can be passionate about without risking too much of my emotional self.  I love that idea--the idea of passion without risk.

Reading your blog got me thinking about this, as your list included knowledge, then love.  I hope you are more successful than I have been at having both.  I have either been a slave to emotion or a complete evader of it completely.  Though I do have to say, that in the worst situations, it was my ability to think, reason, and know that I was intelligent that helped get me out.  I do not think love can be completely successful and healthy without some good old-fashioned intelligence thrown in.

Well, I don't know really what I'm saying, maybe I'm saying nothing, and I guess that's okay.  For me, knowledge is absolute; love, is a crap-shoot, and at this stage, I think I'll agree with Descartes and leave Mr. Rousseau's theory for the optimists.

C.