You are 27 or 28 right? It is very tough to live at that age. When nothing is sure. I have sympathy with you.
Haruki MurakamiRead
"Between a high, solid wall and an egg that breaks against it, I will always stand on the side of the egg."_x000D_ _x000D_ Yes, no matter how right the wall may be and how wrong the egg, I will stand with the egg. Someone else will have to decide what is right and what is wrong; perhaps time or history will decide. If there were a novelist who, for whatever reason, wrote works standing with the wall, of what value would such works be?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of siding with the vulnerable rather than the powerful, suggesting that moral judgment should favor the weaker party.
In this quote, Haruki Murakami illustrates a profound philosophical stance on morality and justice. He chooses to align himself with the 'egg'—a metaphor for the weak or oppressed—rather than the 'wall,' which symbolizes strength or authority. Despite acknowledging that the wall may be considered right and the egg wrong, Murakami asserts that moral integrity lies in supporting those who are fragile against societal norms or structures. This statement raises questions about the nature of right and wrong, suggesting that these concepts may ultimately be determined by historical perspective rather than immediate circumstances.
Themes
MoralityVulnerabilityJusticePhilosophySupport
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice, you might say, 'As Murakami said, I will always stand on the side of the egg.'
More from Haruki Murakami
All quotes →They take the circuits out of people’s brains that make it possible for them to think for themselves. Their world is like the one that George Orwell depicted in his novel. I’m sure you realize that there are plenty of people who are looking for exactly that kind of brain death. It makes life a lot easier. You don’t have to think about difficult things, just shut up and do what your superiors tell you to do.
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Memories and thoughts age, just as people do. But certain thoughts can never age, and certain memories can never fade.
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I think you still love me, but we can’t escape the fact that I’m not enough for you. I knew this was going to happen. So I’m not blaming you for falling in love with another woman. I’m not angry, either. I should be, but I’m not. I just feel pain. A lot of pain. I thought I could imagine how much this would hurt, but I was wrong.
Haruki MurakamiRead
Everybody burns out in this world; amateur, pro, it doesn't matter, they all burn out, they all get hurt, the OK guys and the not-OK guys both. That's why everybody takes out a little insurance. I've got some too, here at the bottom of the heap. That way, you manage to survive if you burn out. If you're all by yourself and don't belong anywhere, you go down once, and you're out. Finished.
Haruki MurakamiRead
Life is so uncertain: you never know what could happen. One way to deal with that is to keep your pajamas washed.
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