Several times in my life I've gone through long periods without sex or any other kind of physical contact. The hunger it produces is deep and low; it's possible to lose track of it, to forget or fail to perceive how it's emptied everything out of you and made the world papery and thin. Touch starved, you brush against existence like a stick against dry leaves. You become insubstantial yourself, a hungry ghost.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the deep emotional and existential impact of physical touch deprivation.
In this quote, Hari Kunzru reflects on the profound effects that a lack of physical contact can have on a person. The experience of being 'touch starved' can lead to feelings of emptiness and disconnection from the world, creating a sense of insubstantiality where one feels more like a ghost than a vibrant individual. The metaphor emphasizes how essential physical touch is to our well-being and how its absence can distort our perception of reality.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of human connection, you could use this quote to illustrate emotional experiences.
We invented marriage. Couples invented marriage. We also invented divorce,mind you. And we invented infidelity,too, as well as romantic misery. In fact we invented the whole sloppy mess of love and intimacy and aversion and euphoria and failure. But most importantly of all, most subversively of all, most stubbornly of all, we invented privacy.
Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.
It’s amazing how lonely you can feel and like nobody understands…The moment you are vulnerable, someone always reaches out….They go through the same things. I want them to feel comfortable knowing that I have flaws as wells. I want them to know those flaws. I’m afraid of the pedestal…I want to be a peer to my fans
If friends disappoint you over and over, that's in large part your own fault. Once someone has shown a tendency to be self-centered, you need to recognize that and take care of yourself; people aren't going to change simply because you want them to.
For anyone who says 'Who cares if you're gay? It's 2018,' well, a lot of people care because a lot of people had the opportunity to be out, and there's been a lot of fear surrounding it. This is the first time we're seeing representation, and because of that, it is a big deal.
Self-interest is the enemy of all true affection.
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