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tower was high, and a terrible proof of how boredom had gained the upper hand. Then the nations were scattered over the earth, just as people now travel abroad, but they continued to be bored. And think of the consequences of this boredom! (Ibid) This boredom is not Narcissus’s, nor is it that of the self-destroyer, but it also not the desire of the person who wants to exist and does so by asking questions: it is fit only for rabble. Anyone who is human accepts responsibilities, even if doing so causes their downfall. Therefore, the saying that it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt is not in the least bit true. In fact, it is terribly damaging. One must take risks and express ideas, because staying quiet is hiding, while speaking up means taking a risk. Those who hide quite simply lose their faces. At the same time, let us be fair. Three things have always existed in history. We can call them the three C’s: 1. Conflict, 2. Communication, 3. Cooperation. This is perfectly illustrated by the story of Odysseus. First, let me be clear: these are not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts, nor can we say, based on a misunderstanding of Hegelian principles, that any follows from the other. They can come in any order. Of course, when there is a greater degree of communication and cooperation, it reduces the likelihood of conflict. However, in the aftermath of a conflict, there may also be communication, and cooperation is not ruled out.
