" Consciousness, for example, is infinitely higher than two times two. After two times two there would, of course, be nothing left – not only to do, but even to learn. The only possible thing to do then would be to stop up our five senses and immerse ourselves in contemplation. Well, but with consciousness, though the result comes out the same – that is, again there's nothing to do – at least one can occasionally whip oneself, and, after all, that livens things up a bit. It may be retrograde, but still it's better than nothing. "