“Of Idleness”
Montaigne alludes to gender to particularize the repercussions of idleness: “as we see women that, without knowledge of man, do sometimes of themselves bring forth inanimate and formless lumps of flesh, but that to cause a natural and perfect generation they are to be husbanded with another kind of seed: even so it is with minds, which if not applied to some certain study that may fix and restrain them, run into a thousand extravagances, eternally roving here and there in the vague expanse of the imagination.” The ‘formless lumps’ are representative of the upshots of sedentariness that may subsidize overweightness in women. If the women were materially active, the lumps would not have established. The course of husbanding contributes pertinently to the curbing of idleness. Restrain is contributory in extenuating idleness for it condenses the rife overindulgences that arouse idle minds. Besides, an idle mind is susceptible to ‘vain phantasms.’
“Of Constancy”
Montaigne’s ideological message in “Of Constancy” is that constancy is not unqualifiedly ‘carved in stone.’ It is imperative to harness flexibility for constancy is subject to both controllable and irrepressible circumstances. Montaigne illustrates:
“The law of resolution and constancy does not imply that we ought not, as much as in us lies, to decline and secure ourselves from the mischiefs and inconveniences that threaten us; nor, consequently, that we shall not fear lest they should surprise us: on the contrary, all decent and honest ways and means of securing ourselves from harms, are not only permitted, but, moreover, commendable, and the business of constancy chiefly is, bravely to stand to, and stoutly to suffer those inconveniences which are not possibly to be avoided.”
Tenacity does not rationalize uncovering one to precarious circumstances that may culminate in threatening ends. Fear is an inherent reaction that should not be used to induce superfluous constancy. Existence cannot be emphatically narrowed down to the Constancy versus Inconstancy binary for there are voluminous factors that command individuals’ predisposition to constancy. Individual’s welfare should transcend constancy. Constancy can be defensible when it does not discommode one’s well-being. Subordinating one’s safety with the object perpetuating constancy is tantamount to self-crippling. Constancy should be applied in the conservation individuals and not jeopardizing them.
