Life is always frightful. We cannot help it and we are responsible all the same. One's born and at once one is guilty.
Interpretation
Life is inherently challenging, and despite its difficulties, we are responsible for our actions and choices.
Hermann Hesse's quote reflects on the existential nature of life, acknowledging that it is filled with fears and responsibilities from the moment we are born. It emphasizes the idea that, although life can be daunting, we must embrace our responsibilities and the inherent guilt that comes from human existence, prompting us to confront the complexities of our choices.
In practice
During a motivational speech about personal accountability, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of owning one's choices.
I shall no longer be instructed by the Yoga Veda or the Aharva Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine whatsoever. I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha." He looked around as if he were seeing the world for the first time.
That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged β to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.
I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self.
You're quite right there," he said. "I have practiced abstinence myself for years, and had my time of fasting, too, but now I find myself once more beneath the sign of Aquarius, a dark and humid constellation.
I call that man awake who, with conscious knowledge and understanding, can perceive the deep unreasoning powers in his soul, his whole innermost strength, desire and weakness, and knows how to reckon with himself.
Despair is the result of each earnest attempt to go through life with virtue, justice and understanding, and to fulfill their requirements. Children live on one side of despair, the awakened on the other side.
All restraints upon man's natural liberty, not necessary for the simple maintenance of justice, are of the nature of slavery, and differ from each other only in degree.
Neither Pagan nor Mahamedan nor Jew ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the Commonwealth because of his religion. -quoting John Locke's argument.
Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.
I don't think I want to win anything I think I want to die unadorned.
This was another of our fears: that Life wouldn't turn out to be like Literature.
Conscience is the perfect interpreter of life.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.