Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
When a condition or a problem becomes too great, humans have the protection of not thinking about it. But it goes inward and minces up with a lot of other things already there and what comes out is discontent and uneasiness, guilt and a compulsion to get something--anything--before it is all gone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humans often avoid confronting overwhelming problems, leading to inner turmoil and discontent.
This quote by John Steinbeck reflects on the human tendency to subconsciously suppress overwhelming emotions or issues. When individuals face significant challenges, instead of tackling these problems directly, they often push them aside, causing a buildup of anxiety, guilt, and a compulsive drive to seek fulfillment or distraction, which ultimately leads to feelings of dissatisfaction and unrest.
Themes
DiscontentUneasinessSuppressionProblemsHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about mental health, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of addressing our problems rather than ignoring them.
More from John Steinbeck
All quotes →At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
John SteinbeckRead
And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
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People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
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It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
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