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Michel de Montaigne’s literary style
The literary style of Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) teaches us key lessons in the field of self-improvement. I mean lessons of universal validity that anyone can put into practice right now. Literary critics have analysed Montaigne’s works from the standpoint of tone, subjects, and structure. I am however going to concentrate on Montaigne’s philosophical style…
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The key to Michel de Montaigne’s literary creativity
In contrast to writers in our century, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) never claimed to be extraordinarily creative. Even during his last years, when it was obvious that he had produced a remarkable output, his attitude remained modest. Historians have speculated whether Montaigne’s talent was innate or acquired, original or the result of imitation, a case…
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Literary creativity in Michel de Montaigne’s essays
I define creativity as the ability to do great things with few resources. It is a combination of ingenuity, resourcefulness and focus; note that this definition includes a useful output as a key requirement. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) is the archetype of long-term literary creativity; while his ingenuity and resourcefulness earned him a prominent place…
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Michel de Montaigne’s intellectual independence and peace of mind
The powerful connection between intellectual independence and peace of mind is seldom mentioned. I view the former as a prerequisite of the latter. Peace of mind requires a fair, realistic assessment of people and events. In the absence of intellectual independence, such an assessment cannot be performed. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) proved the point beyond…
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Michel de Montaigne and the advantages of intellectual independence
While the risks of intellectual interdependence are obvious, the advantages are rarely mentioned. Widespread silence about the advantages explains why many people dismiss intellectual independence as unworkable or unaffordable. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) played a pivotal role in affirming intellectual independence as advantageous, first of all, for its practitioners. His literary output proves the feasibility…
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Michel de Montaigne and intellectual independence
An independent spirit and strong nerves are the prerequisites of intellectual independence. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) possessed those qualities, but had not inherited them. It would take him three decades of trial and error to acquire them. Nowadays, intellectual independence is as rare as it was in Montaigne’s lifetime, that is, in sixteenth-century France. Few…
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Michel de Montaigne and the true path to self-discovery
We all know individuals who lack a sense of direction. They drift from day to day because they lack long-term objectives. I find it no surprise then that their decisions are inconsistent and undermine each other. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) had observed exactly the same phenomenon in his contemporaries. Few of them had set up…
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Self-discipline and Michel de Montaigne’s self-expression
Erroneously, philosophers often attribute achievements and heroism to the ability to withstand pressure, social or physical, in extreme situations. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) came up with a more realistic view. Instead of looking at extreme situations in isolation, he saw them as part of a normal process, where things evolve either in one direction or…
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Michel de Montaigne on the limits to self-discovery and self-expression
Social constraints are not a new phenomenon in history. In one way or another, they have existed as long as social structures. They reflect the displeasure of the people who hold the dominant opinions, and their attempts to prevent criticism and irreverent comments. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) wrote essays entailing self-discovery and self-expression, but at…
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Michel de Montaigne on self-discovery and self-expression
Like many other authors, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) regarded writing as a process of self-discovery; he talked about self-discovery through self-expression. He meant that we get to know ourselves better when we outline our ideas in writing, or when we convey our thoughts to other people. However, Montaigne knew that introspection is difficult and that…
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