"Distracted from distraction by distraction"

One of the most quoted sentences (perhaps the most quoted sentence) from Pascal’s Pensées is the line that introduces the 139^th “thought” in the text: “When I have occasionally set myself to consider the different distractions of men, the pains and perils to which they expose themselves at court or in war, whence arise so many quarrels, passions, bold and often bad ventures, etc., I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.”[1] The rest of the reflection puts flesh on the bones of this initial observation, and it’s an enjoyable read. I note in passing a feature I intend to return to below, that while Pascal certainly stresses maintaining stability in a tangible location, he does so with one’s interior (mental and spiritual) constancy in view. At any rate, coincidentally, I re-read this very passage a few days ago, just hours after having heard a passage from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense cited reverently on July 4^th (Paine’s book, of course, was written to encourage Americans to embrace their Revolution). What was quoted were those lines so beloved by meme-makers: “We have it in our power to begin the world over again,” Paine announced in John-the-Baptist wannabe fashion. “The birthday of a new world is at hand…” The results of the combination of these two famous quotations, Pascal’s and Paine’s, having been poured into my brain together, worked to produce an almost chemical reaction, not altogether logical in nature, I’ll admit.

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