《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第11则
Do not follow up a Folly. Many make an obligation out of a blunder, and because they have entered the wrong path think it proves their strength of character to go on in it. Within they regret their error, while outwardly they excuse it. At the beginning of their mistake they were regarded as inattentive, in the end as fools. Neither an unconsidered promise nor a mistaken resolution are really binding. Yet some continue in their folly and prefer to be constant fools.
注释摘要
这一则处理的是人类行为中一个极其顽固的心理机制：把错误本身当成义务。葛拉西安开篇就说，许多人把一次失足变成一种责任——只因为已经走上了歧途，就认为继续走下去才叫有骨气。这里的关键词是“obligation”（义务）和“strength of character”（性格坚定），他揭露的正是一种错位的道德感：人把坚持错误误当成意志的证明。这种心理在十七世纪的西…