MEMNON or HUMAN WISDOM (Voltaire reading)

Summary

In this satirical tale, a man named Mnan sets out to become perfectly wise by avoiding passions, excess, and material desires. His plan unravels as he is duped by a beautiful woman, loses his wealth and health, and suffers misfortune after misfortune. A celestial being, explaining the limitations of perfection, reveals that wisdom and happiness are unattainable in absolute forms. The story highlights the absurdity of seeking absolute wisdom and the inevitability of imperfections in life, using humor and irony to explore the human condition and its flaws.

Takeaways

• 😀 mman seeks to become perfectly wise by renouncing all passions and worldly pleasures, believing this would bring him happiness.
• 😀 He vows never to love a woman, convinced that beauty is fleeting and will eventually deteriorate.
• 😀 He resolves to avoid excesses, including drinking, by picturing the negative consequences of indulgence.
• 😀 mman decides to live modestly, with a solid fortune and no need for favor or envy, seeking peace in his financial independence.
• 😀 He plans to maintain harmonious relationships with friends, free from quarrels and ill temper.
• 😀 Despite his plans for wisdom, mman is soon touched by the distress of a young woman, who convinces him to help her with her personal issues.
• 😀 mman follows the woman to her home, where his advice and counsel slowly turn into intimate conversation, eventually leading to him being deceived by her.
• 😀 The woman's uncle arrives, threatening mman, and mman is forced to pay all his money in exchange for his life.
• 😀 mman tries to forget his troubles by joining friends for a meal, but his evening spirals into more problems, including being cheated at a game and losing an eye.
• 😀 The next day, mman learns of a fraudulent bankruptcy affecting many people, and seeks justice, only to be mocked by the satrap in court.
• 😀 After a series of unfortunate events, mman is confronted by a celestial spirit in a dream, who explains that absolute wisdom and happiness are impossible to achieve, revealing that the universe itself is imperfect.
• 😀 The spirit suggests that every world has varying degrees of wisdom and happiness, and that Earth may be the 'mad house' of the universe, where imperfection reigns.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the 'perfect wisdom' that the man in the script seeks?

The man seeks to achieve perfect wisdom by detaching himself from all passions, such as love, excesses, and wealth, in order to live a life of emotional detachment and rationality, believing this would lead to happiness and peace.

How does the man plan to avoid love and emotional attachment?

He plans to avoid love by reminding himself that beauty fades with time and that any woman he may love will eventually grow old and lose her physical allure. This rationalization allows him to remain emotionally detached.

What is the man's attitude towards drinking and indulgence?

The man resolves to never indulge in wine or excess, rationalizing that the consequences of overindulgence—such as health problems and loss of reason—are not worth the temporary pleasure.

What is the man's view on wealth and fortune?

He considers himself wealthy enough to live independently without the need to court favor from others. He believes this allows him to avoid envy and competition, leading to greater peace of mind.

How does the man view friendship?

The man believes that by keeping his emotions in check, he will have harmonious friendships without conflicts or misunderstandings, as he strives to remain ever content and rational.

What is the man's reaction when he meets the young woman in distress?

Despite his plans for wisdom, the man is moved by the woman's emotional distress. He is not swayed by her beauty but feels compelled to offer her counsel and help her with her troubles.

What consequences does the man face as a result of his attempt to help the woman?

His attempt to help the woman leads to disaster: he is tricked by her and her uncle, losing his money, his eye, and his dignity. This marks the beginning of his downfall, despite his earlier attempts to avoid such misfortune.

What lesson does the man learn from his night of drinking and gambling with his friends?

The man learns that even with his rational plans to avoid excess, he is still vulnerable to indulgence and the consequences of his actions, including losing money and being harmed by those he considered friends.

How does the encounter with the king highlight the man's failings?

When the man seeks justice for his losses, the king's satrap mocks him, revealing how vulnerable and powerless he is in the face of social and political corruption, thus highlighting the futility of his quest for perfect wisdom.

What does the celestial spirit reveal about the man's desire for perfection?

The spirit reveals that the man's desire for perfect wisdom is unattainable, as perfection in wisdom, strength, or happiness is impossible. The spirit also hints that the universe itself is flawed, and that wisdom and pleasure exist only in balance, not in extremes.