We have to realize that we are as deeply afraid to live and to love as we are to die.
R. D. LaingRead
Here we have the paradox, the potentially tragic paradox, that our relatedness to others is an essential aspect of our being, as is our separateness, but any particular person is not a necessary part of our being.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the balance between our connections with others and our individuality.
R. D. Laing highlights a paradox in human existence, where our inherent need for connection with others is juxtaposed with the understanding that no single individual is essential for our being. This reflects on the complexity of relationships and individuality, suggesting that while relationships enrich our lives, they are not the sole determinant of our identity.
Themes
ParadoxRelatednessSeparatenessIdentityRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the importance of personal identity alongside community involvement.
More from R. D. Laing
All quotes →Madness need not be all breakdown. It may also be break-through. It is potential liberation and renewal as well as enslavement and existential death.
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Whether life is worth living depends on whether there is love in life.
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The experience and behavior that gets labeled schizophrenic is a special strategy that a person invents in order to live in an unlivable situation.
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The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice.
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There is a great deal of pain in life and perhaps the only pain that can be avoided is the pain that comes from trying to avoid pain.
R. D. LaingRead
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