Envy, propelled by fear, can be even more toxic than anger, because it involves the thought that other people enjoy the good things of life which the envier can't hope to attain through hard work and emulation.
Martha NussbaumRead
We are not just bundles of atoms being pushed around. But, there's something spiritual about us whether we give that a religious interpretation or not. And so, it's that sense of there being dignity to life that I associate with the word God. I mean, that's probably a pretty radical and agnostic way of interpreting it. But, that's what I think.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that human existence transcends mere physicality, implying a spiritual or dignified essence to life.
Martha Nussbaum reflects on the nature of human existence, arguing that we are more than just physical entities composed of atoms. She emphasizes that there is a spiritual dignity to life, which can be interpreted in various ways, including a religious context, although she acknowledges that her perspective might be seen as unconventional or agnostic. This perspective invites a deeper contemplation of what it means to be human and the significance of our existence beyond the material.
Themes
ExistenceSpiritualityDignityPhilosophyLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the value of life, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of recognizing our dignity beyond physical existence.
More from Martha Nussbaum
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Often, we feel helpless in lots of situations in our lives. The way anger gets a grip on us is it seems to be a way to extricate ourselves from helplessness.
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Courses in the humanities, in particular, often seem impractical, but they are vital, because they stretch your imagination and challenge your mind to become more responsive, more critical, bigger.
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I find so often, you know, just on a very mundane level; you've got a meeting and your child's acting in a school play. You can't do both things. And it's not simply that you can't do both, but whatever you do, you're going to be neglecting something that's really important.
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Look at the great tradition of Western political philosophy. Those people were all immersed in revolutionary movements. Most weren't career academics - often, they were too radical to be accepted in the academy. Rousseau's books were banned. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill couldn't hold academic positions because they were atheists.
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