As long as a man thinks, this struggle must go on, and so long man must have some form of religion.
Swami VivekanandaRead
And now I was lonelier, I supposed, than anyone else in the world. Even Defoe's creation, Robinson Crusoe, the prototype of the ideal solitary, could hope to meet another human being. Crusoe cheered himself by thinking that such a thing could happen any day, and it kept him going. But if any of the people now around me came near I would need to run for it and hide in mortal terror. I had to be alone, entirely alone, if I wanted to live.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the profound loneliness of the individual, contrasting even the most solitary figure with a desperate need for isolation.
Wladyslaw Szpilman's quote delves into the depths of solitude, illustrating a level of loneliness that surpasses even the experiences of Robinson Crusoe, who found hope amidst his isolation. Szpilman expresses a paradox in his existence; while Crusoe could entertain the possibility of companionship, Szpilman feels an overwhelming need to remain entirely alone to survive the troubling circumstances that surround him, highlighting the stark desperation and psychological turmoil that can accompany profound isolation.
Themes
LonelinessIsolationSolitudeSurvivalExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental health, one might cite this quote to emphasize the struggles of isolation.
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