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Great men are like eagles, and build their nest on some lofty solitude.
Arthur Schopenhauer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Great individuals require solitude to think and innovate.

This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer suggests that truly great individuals, much like eagles that soar high above the ground, need the freedom and isolation afforded by solitude to cultivate their thoughts and reach their full potential. In solitude, these 'great men' can escape the distractions of everyday life, allowing them to engage in deep reflection and creative thinking, which ultimately leads to exceptional ideas and contributions to society.

Themes

GreatnessSolitudeThinkingInnovationReflection

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a motivational speech about the importance of taking time for oneself.

More from Arthur Schopenhauer

We can come to look upon the deaths of our enemies with as much regret as we feel for those of our friends, namely, when we miss their existence as witnesses to our success.
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To be shocked at how deeply rejection hurts is to ignore what acceptance involves. We must never allow our suffering to be compounded by suggestions that there is something odd in suffering so deeply. There would be something amiss if we didn't.
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Life is full of troubles and vexations, that one must either rise above it by means of corrected thoughts, or leave it.
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Our religions will never at any time take root; the ancient wisdom of the human race will not be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought.
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We will gradually become indifferent to what goes on in the minds of other people when we acquire a knowledge of the superficial nature of their thoughts, the narrowness of their views and of the number of their errors. Whoever attaches a lot of value to the opinions of others pays them too much honor.
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