Self-awareness
Guidance for Reciting
Those who are idle and aimless all day long are supposed to awaken their self-awareness.
The man who is aware of himself is henceforth independent；and he is never bored，and life is only too short，and he is steeped through with profound yet temperate happiness. He alone lives，while other people，slaves of ceremony，let life slip past them in a kind of dream. Once conform，once do what other people do finer than they do it，and a lethargy steals over all the finer nerves and faculties of the soul，He becomes all outer show and inward emptiness；dull，callous，and indifferent.
Notes
1.henceforth [hens5fR：W] ad. 今后
2.steep[sti：p] vt. 浸，泡
3.temperate [5tempErit] a. 温和的，适度的，有节制的
4.conform [kEn5fR：m] v. 使一致，遵守，使顺从
5.lethargy [5leWEdVi] n. 昏睡，瞌睡，无力气
自我意识
诵读导言
那些一天到晚无所事事浑浑噩噩混日子的人，正需要唤醒自己的自我意识。
凡是意识到自我的人从今往后才是独立的；他永远不知厌倦，他明白生命苦短，所以完全沉浸于深深的而又适度的幸福之中。他独立生活，而别人是繁文缛节的奴隶，在醉生梦死之中听从生命悄然流逝。一旦循规蹈矩，一旦人为亦为，呆滞就笼罩着灵魂中一切灵敏的神经和官能。灵魂变得徒有其表，其中空空；迟钝、木然、冷漠。
口语点津
Nerve 通常解释为“神经”，但有时它的意思是“勇气”。例如：I don't have a nerve（heart）.我没有勇气；get/work up the nerve 意思是“鼓起勇气（去做艰难甚至危险的事情）”。再比如：have got a lot of nerve或of all the nerve，这两个习惯用语都用来指责别人骄横甚至厚颜无耻，其中nerve不再解释为“神经”或者“勇气”，而是“鲁莽”。其他短语，a bundle of nerves是指神经紧张、担惊受怕的人；What a nerve！真不要脸。You get on my nerve. （你惹毛我了。）照字面上来看这句话就是你碰到我的神经了，引申为让别人生气的意思. 比如说别人一直取笑你，你不高兴就可以说 You get on my nerve. 或是You are jumping on my back！