You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do.
David Foster WallaceRead
One of the things that makes Wittgenstein a real artist to me is that he realized that no conclusion could be more horrible than solipsism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Wittgenstein understood that the belief in solipsism, which posits that only one's mind is sure to exist, leads to a frightening isolation.
David Foster Wallace highlights Wittgenstein's artistic insight into the profound implications of solipsism, suggesting that it presents a terrifying reality where only oneself is certain, thereby creating a sense of deep isolation from others. This acknowledgment not only reflects a philosophical perspective but also underscores a fundamental human fear of loneliness and disconnection.
Themes
SolipsismPhilosophyIsolationWittgensteinArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about existentialism, you could use this quote to emphasize the importance of connection.
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It seems important to find ways of reminding ourselves that most 'familiarity' is meditated and delusive.
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Under fun's new administration, writing fiction becomes a way to go deep inside yourself and illuminate precisely the stuff you don't want to see or let anyone else see, and this stuff usually turns out (paradoxically) to be precisely the stuff all writers and readers share and respond to, feel.
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