"The spread of civilisation maybe likened to a wild fire, first a feeble spark, next a flickering flame, then a mighty blaze, ever increasing with speed and power."

"It is quite paradoxical, yet true to say, the more we know the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations."

"One of the most satisfying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects."

"The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane."

"With ideas it is like with dizzy heights you climb: At first they cause you discomfort and you are anxious to get down, distrustful of your own powers; but soon the remoteness of the turmoil of life and the inspiring influence of the altitude calm your blood; your step gets firm and sure and you begin to look - for dizzier heights."

Nikola Tesla

"In the twenty-first century, the robot will take the place which slave labor occupied in ancient civilization."

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything."

Nikola "Elon Musk's Spirit Guide" Tesla

It's amazing how much these two have in common- but we'll get to Elon.

When using the term, 'true humanist', Nikola Tesla transcends most, even the great Einstein. His fuel was the empowerment of humanity, and his ability to predict the things in our everyday lives demonstrates the vision he had. But even Tesla could not conceive something so fantastical as the internet... the cloud... our unlimited information highway... which demonstrates how fast we are moving.

So, the facts, Nikola Tesla, 10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943 (86 for the lazy) was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist - much of his predictions you'll see in the surrounding quotes! He’s best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system, which, whether you’ve noticed it or not, is something we all use daily.

Tesla's university life seemed, the only phrase I can think of is, "fast and loose". He started like a model student:

In 1875, he enrolled at Austrian Polytechnic in Graz, Austria, on a Military Frontier scholarship. During his first year, Tesla never missed a lecture, earned the highest grades possible, passed nine exam, double the amount needed, but life experience kicked in in his second year.

Tesla lost his scholarship and became addicted to gambling and in a chaotic third year gambled away his allowance and his tuition money, then, balls of steel, somehow gambled it back returning the balance to his family. When examination time came, Tesla was unprepared and asked for an extension to study but was denied. He did not receive grades for the last semester of the third year and in December 1878, Tesla dropped out of Graz University of Technology and severed all relations with his family to hide the fact that he dropped out of school. His friends thought that he had drowned in the nearby Mur River.

Tesla moved to Maribor, working for pennies and playing cards with the locals on the streets.

In March 1879, Tesla's father went to Maribor to beg his son to return home, but he refused. Nikola suffered a nervous breakdown around the same time eventually returned to Gospić under police guard for not having a residence permit.

In January 1880, two of Tesla's uncles put together enough money to help him leave Gospić for Prague, where he was to study though he had never studied Greek, a required subject; and he was illiterate in Czech, another required subject.

Anyway, long story short Tesla moved to the US, started working with Edison, made a truck load of money from his AC invention, then pretty much dedicated his life to ideas far beyond his time, like wireless power.

For me, Tesla is one of the most important innovators of our time, and a hero to the true humanist, devoid of sentiment and championing of the laws of nature. The laws of natural selection. The laws of the universe. The power rains on the just and the unjust alike. And that is why we have returned. To see the laws of nature are carried out.

"I do not think you can name many great inventions that have been made by married men"

"The universe to me is simply a great machine, one that never came into being and will never end. The human being is no exception to the natural order. Man like the universe is a machine."

"The earth is bountiful, and where her bounty fails, nitrogen drawn from the air will revitalise her womb."

"Common sense is a collection of prejudices acquired by age 18."

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

"Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."

"He who can no longer pause to wonder and remain wrapped in awe

is as good as dead.

His eyes are closed."

"Intellectual growth should begin at birth at end only at death."

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education"

"Solitude is painful when you are young, but delightful when you become more mature"

"Imagination is everything - It is the preview of life's coming attractions."

Sadhguru

Gaia

Mindvalley

Awareness

Nikola Tesla