We discover that we do not know our role; we look for a mirror; we want to remove our make-up and take off what is false and real. But somewhere a piece of disguise that we forgot still sticks to us. A trace of exaggeration remains in our eyebrows; we do not notice that the corners of our mouth are bent. And so we walk around, a mockery and a mere half: neither having achieved being nor actors.
Interpretation
The quote reflects our struggle to understand our true selves amidst façades.
Rainer Maria Rilke's quote delves into the complexity of self-identity and the masks we wear in life. It suggests that while we seek self-awareness and authenticity, remnants of our constructed identities often persist, preventing us from fully embracing our true selves. The imagery of a forgotten disguise highlights how easily we can become unaware of the influences shaping our perceptions, leaving us in a state of incompleteness as we navigate the world around us.
In practice
In a discussion about personal growth, this quote can illustrate the importance of self-discovery.
Spring has again returned. _x000D_ _x000D_ The Earth is like a child that knows many poems._x000D_ _x000D_ Many, O so many. For the hardship_x000D_ _x000D_ of such long learning she receives the prize._x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Strict was her teacher. _x000D_ _x000D_ The white in the old man's beard pleases us._x000D_ _x000D_ Now, what to call green, to call blue,_x000D_ _x000D_ we dare to ask: She knows, She knows!
Verses are not, as people think, feelings (those one has early enough) -- they are experiences. For the sake of a verse one must see many cities, men, and things, one must know the animals feel how birds fly, and know the gesture with which the little flowers open in the morning.
a good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude
He reproduced himself with so much humble objectivity, with the unquestioning, matter of fact interest of a dog who sees himself in a mirror and thinks: there's another dog.
The only journey is the one within.
And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been
To hear complaints is wearisome alike to the wretched and the happy.
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.
The problem with the youth of today' is that one is no longer part of it.
An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior.
Ask yourself: What did I eat for breakfast today? What did I eat for dinner last night? You see how fast reality fades away?
There are Jews who came from 102 countries and speak 81 languages - how do you consolidate them into one nation? This is where I saw my role.
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