Forget Yourself

Ten thousand fools proclaim themselves into obscurity, while one wise man forgets himself into immortality.
—Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968)

I can imagine a good handful of exercises based on Mr. King’s quote:

• If you prefer to journal about issues that are important to you, try journaling about what this quote means and/or how it applies to you, your role models, today’s politicians and celebrities, various famous people from the past, and/or the person from your life you consider to be the most wise.
• If you prefer to write non-fiction essays, write an essay about what Mr. King meant and/or how it applies to you, your role models, today’s politicians and celebrities, various famous people from the past, and/or the person from your life you consider to be the most wise.
• If you prefer to write fiction, write a story that includes a fool who proclaims himself into obscurity, and a wise man who forgets himself into immortality.
• Write a character sketch of a fool who proclaims himself into obscurity, and/or a wise man who forgets himself into immortality.
• Write about the nature of foolishness and wisdom or obscurity and immortality.
• Explore how you might forget yourself into immortality.
• Explore whether you believe this quote to be true, or, if it was once true, whether it still is now.