Thought Tweet #864.5 "Men are ruled by toys." [Perhaps, there is joy in things.]

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

My favourite composer, Richard Wagner apparently said, "Joy is not in us, it is in things."

I understand the 'theory' but struggle with the 'practice'.

Many things, some small, trigger joy in me: pocket knives and souvenir coins are examples. More specifically, I get a kick out of my Laguiole jack-knives and my Napoleon Bonaparte coin. [200 years ago Napoleon bought Laguiole knives for his officers...that put the Laguiole company on the map... and their knives still display the 'Bonaparte Bee'.]

Napoleon bought lots of trinkets and toys for his officers.

When his practice of buying toys for his men was questioned, Napoleon replied, "Men are ruled by toys." 

I understand the 'theory' and the 'practice'.