ANC 25: Reality

104. What is your favorite quotation and why? (Princeton)


"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." - Ayn Rand

I feel life is a race. We all start at the line of birth, and we end at death. No one knows the distance between the start and the end. No one can imagine what the race is all about. The interesting part of the race is that we do not know what the conditions of this race is; it may simply be a running race, an eating race, or a sac race.

Assuming that the race will get harder, we start off with some ease and learn how to win the race at the end. One sad part of the race is that if you are disabled, the race will be harder; if you are poor, if you are not educated, if you are an out-caste, you tend to face more rocks, storms, and injustice during the race. But the good news is that you can overcome such difficulties if you know how to deal with your disadvantages. And to do that, you should face the reality. 

People who cheat and are partial will realize in the end that they are disqualified for the race. They cannot avoid the consequences because the truth will always be out to the world in one way or the other. 

People who are honest and sincere may be heartened due to these immoral people who seem to be in front during the race. Well, if you are one of those people, don't be because the race is actually about keeping your pace to do the best, not by speeding up at some point and lose due to exhaustion. 

This quote summarizes all of my thoughts into one sentence. It challenges and brings me back to the heart of sincerity even when I nearly lose my pace.