Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
But suppose one doesn't quite know which one wants to put first. Suppose," said Harriet, falling back on words which were not her own, "suppose one is cursed with both a heart and a brain?" "You can usually tell," said Miss de Vine, "by seeing what kind of mistakes you make. I'm quite sure that one never makes fundamental mistakes about the thing one really wants to do. Fundamental mistakes arise out of lack of genuine interest. In my opinion, that is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the conflict between emotion and intellect in decision-making.
In this quote, Dorothy L. Sayers discusses the struggle individuals face when trying to prioritize their feelings and intellect. She suggests that true fulfillment comes from understanding one's genuine interests, implying that mistakes often stem from a lack of passion or clarity about what one truly desires. By recognizing the sources of our errors, whether they arise from emotional impulses or logical reasoning, we can better navigate our choices in life.
Themes
DecisionEmotionIntellectPassionInterest
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about making impactful life choices.
More from Dorothy L. Sayers
All quotes →. . . the fellow's got a bee in his bonnet. Thinks God's a secretion of the liver--all right once in a way, but there's no need to keep on about it. There's nothing you can't prove if your outlook is only sufficiently limited.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
You're thinking that people don't keep up old jealousies for twenty years or so. Perhaps not. Not just primitive, brute jealousy. That means a word and a blow. But the thing that rankles is hurt vanity. That sticks. Humiliation. And we've all got a sore spot we don't like to have touched.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
None of us feels the true love of God till we realize how wicked we are. But you can't teach people that - they have to learn by experience.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
What is repugnant to every human being is to be reckoned always as a member of a class and not as an individual person.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
[O]ne can scarcely be frightened off writing what one wants to write for fear an obscure reviewer should patronise one on that account.
Dorothy L. SayersRead
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